3 Octupi Videos: Escape of the Shapeshifting Octupus

Image by dontdothisathome via Flickr

From Denny: I was looking around Digg today in the Science section for my science blog, The Soul Calendar,where I park all things science that interest me. Blogs really are like a long version of a social site of things you want to share with others.

Remembering our trip to Greece a few years back and how awesome the grilled octupus and calamari tasted because it was so fresh, I guess I just had octupus on the brain. It's wonderful protein and no bones.

These videos are fascinating to watch. One is about a 600 pound octupus who can squeeze into a small space the size of a mere tiny quarter. The second one is a contest in an aquarium between a hungry shark and a giant octupus who were well matched. The third is about a BBC crew going down deep after a giant octupus to film it and saw a huge monster of an octupus wrap itself around one of the divers while filming!

You have to see these creatures. Unbelievable. Sure gives you new respect for the fishermen who go after these scary animals just to serve it up in restaurants. Fishing octupi must be an extreme sport.

To get you over to The Soul Calendar for the 3 video post, go here.

Thanks for visiting!

octupus, National Geographic, video, ocean, Greece, fishing

The Story of Snakeheads aka FrankenFish

From Denny: This is such a good article from Country Roads Magazine I just had to share it with you. It's about those bizarre snakehead fish we keep hearing about in the news. There was a lot of description, information and first-hand experience with this weirdo fish that might end up required reading for everyone across America as this greedy destructive fish invades our waterways. The folks over at Country Roads Magazine out of St. Francisville, Louisiana, write in an entertaining manner that is an easy read along with the information.

Here's an excerpt:

The Story of Snakeheads

by Lucile Bayon Hume @ Country Roads Magazine

"This time, Satan swims instead of slithers.

"Snakehead fish may be coming to a lake, pond, puddle, river, stream or creek near you. Go ahead, scream. I began checking into these invaders after a perfect weekend of fly fishing on the Little Red River in Arkansas with Philip, my boy turned pro fishing guide who practices catch and release and has the utmost respect and affection for the trout whose habits he’s studied. Heading home, we heard via radio that snakeheads, the topic of fishy horror stories, were found in a creek in Arkansas. OMG, were our beautiful fish the color of the rainbow in jeopardy along with other native fish? I should’ve saved this topic for Halloween. It’s a scary one. Incidentally, a snakehead costume would be way more original and spooky than has-been standards like witches, devils, goblins and psychotic Freddy Kruger.

"Snakeheads, nicknamed “Frankenfish” by media, are ecological terrorists and ugly monsters with cavernously big mouths packed with oversized razor sharp teeth that can cut prey in half, a slimy mucus coating (yech!) on their blotched brown or greenish cylindrical bodies, enlarged scales on their heads and eyes set unusually forward in the same position as old snake eyes. No, this isn’t just another pretty little fish face.

"And snakehead capabilities that send up red flags are its ability to breathe using air sacs so it can exist as a fish out of water, and, get this—some species can “walk” by flip flopping and wriggling across muddy terrain to take a stroll of sorts from location to location, which makes the slippery varmints hard to confine.

"There’s not much redeeming about them. Mr. S.H. is a nasty character who hits hard and eats prey in one gulp. There’s a horrifying YouTube video of a poor dumb bass dumped in a tank with a snakehead who strikes viciously over and over until the bass goes belly up then into the snakehead’s belly. Our villain’s hungry and can swallow prey (fish, frogs, water birds, small mammals, possibly pets) as large as he is without batting a fish eye.

"One observer calls him “a belly with fins.” And temperament is at best peevish, particularly when parents guard nests of their young. One story tells of a snared snakehead lunging and leaving tooth marks in steel-toed boots, though there’s skepticism among some who say the Northern snakehead, our most prevalent species, doesn’t attack humans as the Giant snakehead does. Thanks, I’ll still keep my distance.

"But the real Frankenfish nightmare is his potential to upset the ecological applecart if he moves in with slimy luggage and embodies the old saying about the smell of guests who overstay. In waters inhabited by our native fishes, his appetite is unleashed on them, plus he takes over the real estate, displacing the locals, particularly if there’s a pair of interlopers reproducing in staggering numbers. He also carries parasites and diseases lethal to our fish.

"Having no natural predators puts him at the top of the food chain and lands our American fish in a position lower on the eco-totem pole, endangered in their own natural habitats. The ultimate illegal alien is indeed both an alien creature and illegal to import or transport live across state lines because of the threat authorities believe he poses to our native fish, to their aquatic systems, to the balance of nature and to the fishing industry, including recreational fishing.

"As it stands now, the fish can be imported frozen, i.e. dead. The intruder is native to Asia and Africa and has been purposefully introduced to various areas including the Philippines and Hawaii as a food source. U.S. fish markets profitably sell them, now only frozen, i.e. dead. Snakeheads are reputed to be a delicacy when smoked, dried, grilled, fried, or cooked with noodles or in watercress soup. Some Chinese believe it helps heal wounds and keeps human skin supple, soft, young. Pass the snakehead, please."

For the rest of this funny yet informative article, just click on the title link!

Here's a National Geographic video on the Snakehead:





Snakeheads United States America catch and release outdoors recreation fishing fly fishing food source

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Salmon with Horseradish Sauce

Sweet and Sour Salmon with Horseradish Sauce

This salmon would also be an easy dish to do ahead during a hot summer and good for entertaining and special occasions like Passover. Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. The horseradish sauce can be prepared up to one week ahead.


Yield: 12 servings.

From: Susan Baum for Passover meal


Ingredients for Horseradish Sauce:


1 (8 to 10 oz.) horseradish root, trimmed, peeled, chopped (about 1 ¾ cups)

½ cup water

3 Tablespoons white vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar


Ingredients for Salmon:

4 cups water

2 cups dry white wine

½ cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup sugar

20 black peppercorns

12 large fresh dill sprigs

2 bay leaves

4 teaspoons salt

12 (3 to 4 oz.) salmon fillets with skin

3 tomatoes, sliced into ½ -inch-thick rounds

1 cucumber, thinly sliced



Directions for Horseradish Sauce: Blend all ingredients in processor until almost smooth. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Directions for Salmon: Combine 2 cups water, 1 cup wine, ¼ cup lemon juice, ¼ cup sugar, 10 peppercorns, 6 dill sprigs, 1 bay leaf and 2 teaspoons salt in each of 2 large skillets over medium-high heat.

Bring to boil, stirring occasionally until sugar and salt dissolve. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add 6 salmon fillets to each skillet; cover and simmer 3 minutes. Turn salmon over. Cover and simmer until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.

Divide salmon and marinade into two 13x9x2-inch glass baking dishes. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.) Using large spatula, lift salmon from marinade; transfer to plates. Remove skin, if desired. Garnish with tomatoes and cucumber slices. Serve with horseradish sauce.


Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog -
Romancing The Chocolate

Recipe: Mediterranean Fish

Looking for a healthy recipe for your New Year's diet? Look no further! Here is a wonderful baked fish intensely flavorful with sweet sundried-tomatoes and fresh basil.

From: Love Your Heart by the American Heart Association.

Serves 4 - each portion is a 3 oz. fish plus 2 Tablespoons tomato mixture per serving.


Ingredients:

Vegetable oil spray

4 dry-packed sun-dried tomato halves, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons water

8 kalamata olives, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons diced pimento

2 Tablespoons finely snipped fresh parsley

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

1 Tablespoon olive oil

4 mild, thin fish fillets, such as snapper/tilapia
(about 4 ozs. each)

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray.

In a small microwavable bowl, stir together tomatoes and water. cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on 100% power for 30 seconds or until the water is very hot. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Drain well.

Return the tomatoes to the bowl. Stir in the olives, pimento, parsley, basil and oil.

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Put fish in single layer on baking sheet. Sprinkle with paprika, cayenne and salt.

Bake for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Spoon the tomato mixture on top to serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 152 calories