The climbing perch which can walk on dry land and even survive for up to 6 days out of water is making its way over to Australia from Papau, New Guinea…yes, it’s saltwater tolerant too. Scientists at the James Cook University (JCU) have been closely monitoring the climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) which swells up when swallowed by predators, blocking their throats so that they choke or eventually starve. A freshwater fish, the climbing perch’s ability to survive in saltwater has led to concerns that it could pose a threat to Australian marine life; the perch reached two islands off Australia, Boigu and Saibai in late 2005.
Dr Nathan Waltham of the JCU reckons it may have reached these islands on a surge of fresh water from flooding rivers in the nearby Papua New Guinea mainland – 160km from Cape York, the northern tip of Australia. “It does seem to be able to handle a little bit of salt,” Dr Waltham said. “In our trip up there in December we found it in some hyper saline water holes so there is some ability to resist exposure, but I think the chances of it getting to Australia by swimming are quite low.There is more chance it will arrive in the bottom of a fishing boat or as a discarded live-bait.
The fish drags itself from waterhole to waterhole and is highly invasive, outcompeting native species once established in a new environment.
As the video footage above shows, the species features sharp spiny edges on the side of its gill plates and walks with jerky movements. It is extremely hardy and has been known to hibernate in the mud of dried-up creek beds for up to six months.
