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Invasive Aquatic Animals

Florida is home to a diverse array of exotic aquatic animals, with some species threatening native ecosystems. This guide discusses key invasive fish such as Blue Tilapia, Brown Hoplo, and Sailfin Catfish, highlighting their origins, diets, reproductive strategies, and impacts on local wildlife and habitats. Additionally, it covers invasive Apple Snails and Red-eared Sliders, emphasizing their ecological roles and competition with native species. Awareness of these invasives can help mitigate their adverse effects on Florida’s aquatic environments.

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Invasive Aquatic Animals

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  1. Invasive Aquatic Animals Stacia Hetrick UF/IFAS Osceola County Extension

  2. Aquatic Invasives

  3. Invasive Fish • Florida has more exotic fish than any other state, mostly in S. FL • The main exotics in our region are sailfin catfish, blue tilapia, brown haplo, and occasionally walking catfish and black acara.  

  4. Non-native Fish

  5. Blue TilapiaOreochromis aureus

  6. Biology- Blue Tilapia • Origin: Africa • Introduction: stocking, experimental work • Diet: plankton, detritus • Reproduction: circular nests, mouth brooding

  7. Tilapia Nests Tilapia nests (aka “land mines”), Lower Myakka Lake

  8. Impact- Blue Tilapia • Largely unknown • Most widespread exotic fish in FL • Extremely abundant • Competes for spawning area, food, space • Aggressive towards other fish- nesting • Alters fish community structure • Sportfish

  9. Brown Hoplo Hoplosternum littorale

  10. Biology- Brown Hoplo • Origin: Eastern S. America • Introduction: unknown. Disc. in Indian River lagoon, expanding rapidly north • Diet: benthic invertebrates, detritus • Reproduction: floating nest in vegetation • Bubbles covered with plant material

  11. Impacts- Brown Hoplo • Largely unknown • Alters food web structure • Competes with natives for food • Impacts invertebrates • Sought after for food by Floridians with cultural ties to Trinidad and S. America

  12. Sailfin Catfish

  13. Taxonomy- Sailfin Catfish • Confusing • Algae eater, Plecostomus, armored catfish • 3 main species in FL: • Vermiculated sailfin catfish- Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus • Orinoco sailfin catfish- P. disjunctivus • Suckermouth catfish- Hypostomus sp. • Not widespread, Miami-Dade

  14. Biology- Sailfin Catfish • Origin: S. America • Introduction: release/escape from fish farms, aquariums • Diet: detritus, attached algae, benthic insects • Reproduction: high fecundity, >2,000 eggs, excavates burrows in banks

  15. Impact- Sailfin Catfish • Burrows cause siltation, shoreline instability • Undermine canal banks and lake shorelines • Chocking hazard for birds due to long pectoral and dorsal spines • May displace native algal feeding fish • Nuisance to manatees in springs

  16. Impact- Sailfin Catfish

  17. Invasive Apple Snails

  18. Taxonomy- Invasive Apple Snails • FL has 1 native an 4 introduced sp. Florida- native Spike top Island Channeled Titan

  19. Biology- Island Apple Snail • Origin: S. America • Introduction: deliberate/accidental release by aquarium owners. Spread with floods • Diet: aquatic plants • Reproduction: high fecundity, 600-1,200+ eggs per clutch

  20. Impact- Island Apple Snail • Impacts largely unknown • Foraging competition • Predatory behavior • Humans can get parasite infection if eaten • Expanding rapidly • Feed on almost all aq. plants • Food for many birds, alligators, etc.

  21. Red-eared SliderTrachemys scripta elegans

  22. Biology- Red-eared Slider • Origin: Mississippi River drainages • Introduction: aquarium industry • Diet: omnivorous- fish, snails, plants, etc. • Reproduction: Female lays ~30 eggs in nest on land

  23. Impact- Red-eared Slider • Little is known • Compete with native turtles for food, basking areas • Interbreed with Yellow-bellied Sliders, T. scripta scripta • Salmonella risk with pet turtles

  24. Mallard/Mottled Duck Hybridization • See handout

  25. Check out the table! Live Invasive and Native Animals!

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