Clown Knife Fish are one of the most unique and beautiful freshwater fish in Florida. They are native to Indonesia, but have been in South Florida waters since the 1990’s. They primarily are found in Palm Beach County and Broward County. Unfortunately, They are an invasive species in Florida. In 2010 and 2011, Clown Knife Fish were killed by an extreme cold front, by the tens of thousands. Over the years they’ve made a strong come back.

This fish has created new tourism in Florida, people fly from all over the world, down to South Florida to catch this fish. Fishing guides feed their families by taking people out to target Clown Knife Fish. They offer an incredible fight with amazing acrobatics and beautiful patterns. Their diet mainly consist of small fish, insects, and grass shrimp.

This fish is a staple in Florida’s freshwater fishing tourism. They should be removed from the invasive species list and be made into a game fish such as our beautiful peacock bass. If this is not done people will continue to kill this fish by the hundreds and thousands and wipe out the population. This affects a lot of people, and Florida Wildlife and Conservation should make this fish into a game fish.

I encourage you to do research on the Clown Knife Fish, and simply sign this petition. Share it with a friend and throughout your social media outlets. We need to do all we can to protect this beautiful fish.