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Common name: Asian swamp eel

Scientific name: Monopterus albus

Description: long, scale-less, snake-like body, typically olive-brown or dark brown with a lighter belly

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Map for where the Asian swamp eel originated from 

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Originated: Asia, northern Inida and Burma to China

Niches: They are primarily nocturnal predators, feeding on a wide variety of prey including small fish, crayfish, grass shrimp, worms, insects, frogs, turtle eggs, and even other small vertebrates

Predators: Alligators and water snakes, but mostly humans

Competition: Eats worms and insects, competition: frogs, snakes, limpkins. Eats shrimp, competition: fish, birds. Eats crayfish, competition: birds, alligators, raccoons, snakes, frogs, fish. Eats frogs, competition: herons, egrets, raccoons, and otters, snakes, alligators, other amphibians. Eats fish, competition: alligators, herons, bald eagles, otters, and bass. Eats turtle eggs, competition: raccoons, foxes, and invasive species like Argentine tegus

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Variety of freshwater habitats, primary shallow, slow-moving waters with dense vegetation and muddy bottoms. They thrive in low-oxygen environments due to their ability to breathe air, and are found in ponds, canals, ditches, rice fields, and can even survive in moist mud during dry periods. They have an adaptable nature which allows them to utilize various water bodies, including lakes, rivers, and swamps, as well as less traditional habitats like waste, drains, and sewers.

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Limiting factors and Symbiotic relationships 

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Limiting factors and Symbiotic relationships 

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The limiting factors for Asian swamp eel spread include temperature, habitat availability, and human actions like intentional releases and bait use

The symbiotic relationship is with cleaner shrimp. They remove parasites and dead tissue from eels body, benefiting the eel by reducing the risk of infection and parasites. The shrimp will gain a food source and shelter

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Where in Florida is the species invading: Abundant in several southeast Florida box-cut canals, and common in Little Manatee River and Bullfrog Creek drainages near Tampa. Also in the Everglades.

how was it introduced: Its introduction into Florida was probably the result of either an aquarium release, a fish farm escape or release, or release of specimens from the life [sic] food-fish market. The Tampa population is near a former fish farm. It was introduced to Florida water bodies in 1997 near Tampa and Miami.

3 effects of species has had on fl ecosystem/community: population of native crayfish and small fish collapsed, drought-resistant trait of swamp eels undermined natural environmental dynamics, and are now competing with native species in the area.

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The Asian swamp eel is invading abundant in several southeast Florida box-Tú canals, and common in little Manatee River and Bullfrog Creek drainages near Tampa. Also in Everglades

The Asian swamp eek was introduced from either an aquarium release, or release of specimens from the life [sic] food-fish market. The Tampa population is near a former fish farm. It was introduced to Florida water bodies in 1997 near Tampa and Miami

The 3 effects the Asian swamp eel on Florida ecosystem/ community: population of native crayfish and small fish collapsed drought-resistant trait of swamp eels undermined natural environmental dynamics, and are now competing with native species in the area.

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Works Cited

“Asian swamp eel another invasive species in Florida. Report sightings.” Naples Daily News, 15 January 2025, https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/2025/01/15/asian-swamp-eel-florida-invasive-species-report-sightings/77714636007/. Accessed 16 May 2025.

“Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus) - Species Profile.” Nonindigenous Aquatic Species, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=974. Accessed 16 May 2025.

“Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus) - Species Profile.” Nonindigenous Aquatic Species, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=974. Accessed 16 May 2025.

“Asian Swamp Eel - Monopterus javanensis.” Ecology Asia, https://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/fishes/asian-swamp-eel.htm. Accessed 16 May 2025.

“Asian swap eel (Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793)).” Eddmaps.org, EDDMapS, https://www.eddmaps.org/species/subject.cfm?sub=12245#:~:text=The%20effects%20of%20M.,their%20spread%20to%20new%20areas.

“Eel and shrimp in a cave. These animals have a...” UCSD Libraries, 27 October 2020, https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb94210512. Accessed 16 May 2025.

“ERSS - Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus).” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Ecological-Risk-Screening-Summary-Asian-Swamp-Eel.pdf. Accessed 16 May 2025.

“Map South Asia.” Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2001622357/. Accessed 16 May 2025.

Pintar, Matthew R. “Hydrology-mediated ecological function of a large wetland threatened by an invasive predator.” Science of The Total Environment, ELSEVIER, 20 January 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969722063446.

Pintar, Matthew R., and Nicole D. Strickland. “Asian Swamp eels in Florida: distribution, spread, and range of hydrologic tolerance over twenty-seven years (1997-2023).” Aquatic Invasions, 13 may 2024, https://aquaticinvasions.arphahub.com/article/124660/.

“Swamp Eel.” FWC, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/freshwater/swamp-eel/. Accessed 16 May 2025.

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Barriers. Barriers can help protecting smaller areas of infested waters and once the barriers are up the exterminators can just grab the eels and carry them away

Pros - safe and keeps the eels in an enclosed space making sure it can’t escape

Cons - difficult, time consuming, and not very effective by itself.

vegetation removal. Vegetation removal could be great with killing off the eels because it takes out a primary food source for them and there’s nothing they can do

Pros - effective, easy

Cons - kills off a lot more than just the eels and is quite hard to undo, also could disrupt the ecosystem even more

electrofishing. Electrofishing is by far the best method as it stuns the eels allowing for easy removal and efficient removal.

Pros - easy, effective, efficient, and anybody can use electrofishing so you dont need to rely on police or exterminators

Cons - may result in stunning other fish and may not stun all the eels

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The best controlling method would be the electro fishing, electro fishing is safe easy and doesn’t harm the ecosystem nor the swamp eels.

All you need to do for electro fishing is, a control unit which can be used on your back as a sort of backpack to generate the electric currents, an anode and cathode, an anode is the rod you put in the water to electrocute the swamp eels and the cathode cancels put the electricity as to not zap anything else, and last but not least you need safety gear such as gloves and waders to not get zapped whilst in the water trying to retrieve the swamp eels.

Electro fishing will require a permit to use in public waters but sometimes in your own private waters you can use it permit-less, however it is illegal to use electro fishing for recreational fishing so you can’t catch nothing except for the Asian swamp eels.

The laws for electro fishing change state to state but for Florida its possible with permits but they strongly suggest you use an exterminator or wildlife protection instead of doing it yourself