- Complete regulations on Potentially Harmful Fish, Shellfish and Aquatic Plants - Texas Administrative Code, Title 31, Part 2, Chapter 57, Subchapter A
- Questions? Contact aquatic.invasives@tpwd.texas.gov
Prohibited/Controlled Exotic Species
The organisms listed below are legally classified as exotic, harmful, or potentially harmful. (view list as printable PDF) No person may possess or place them into water of this state except as authorized by the department. Permits may be issued allowing individuals to possess, sell, import, export, transport or propagate listed species for zoological or research purposes; for aquaculture (allowed only for Blue, Nile, Mozambique, or Wami tilapia, Triploid Grass Carp, or Pacific White Shrimp); or for aquatic weed control (for example, Triploid Grass Carp in private ponds). Permit applications can be found on our website. For information about possession of tilapia for pond stocking or non-commercial aquaponics, contact the Permits Coordinator at Coordinator at IFpermits@tpwd.texas.gov or (512) 389-4742. The full text of the regulations can be found in the Texas Administrative Code.
Check our Quick Reference Guide* for illustrations that can help identify these organisms and distinguish them from other species that share similar characteristics.
* This document is an excerpt from the Guide to Identification of Harmful and Potentially Harmful Fishes, Shellfishes and Aquatic Plants Prohibited in Texas [PWD BK T3200-376 (1999).] The complete 370-page book is available as a PDF in our publications section. Note that the list of prohibited exotic species has changed since this guide was published and not all species are included and scientific classification has changed for others.
Fish | Shellfish | Aquatic Plants
Fish
- Air sac catfishes, Family Heteropneustidae
- All species
- African Lute Fishes, Family Citharinidae, subfamily Distichodontinae
- All species of genera Belonophago, Euganthichthys, Ichthyborus, Mesoborus, Phago, and Paraphago
- African Pike Fishes, Family Hepsetidae
- All species
- African Tiger Fishes, Family Alestiidae
- All species of genus Hydrocynus
- Arapaima, Family Osteoglossidae
- Arapaima gigas (Arapaima)
- Asian Pikeheads, Family Osphronemidae
- All species of the genus Luciocephalus
- Carps and Minnows, Family Cyprinidae
- All species and hybrids of species of genera:
Aspius, Pseudoaspius, Aspiolucius (asps);
Abramis, Blicca, Megalobrama, Parabramis (Old World breams);
Hypophthalmichthys (bighead, silver, and largescale carp);
Mylopharyngodon (black carp);
Ctenopharyngodon (grass carp) | Learn about using triploid grass carp for vegetation control;
Cirrhinus, Thynnichthys, and Gibelion (catla);
Leuciscus (European daces);
Tor and Neolissochilus (barbs and mahseers);
Rutilus (roaches);
Scardinius (rudds);
Elopichthys (yellowcheek);
Catlocarpio (giant barb);
Labeo (sharkminnows) except Labeo chrysophekadion (black sharkminnow)
Pseudorasbora parva (stone moroko) - Dogtooth characins (Payara and vampire tetras), Family Cynodontidae
- All species of genera Hydrolycus, Rhaphiodon and Cynodon
- Dourados, Family Characidae
- All species of genus Salminus
- Electric Eels, Family Electrophoridae
- Electrophorus electricus
- Electric Catfishes, Family Malapteruridae
- All species
- European and Asian catfishes, Family Siluridae
- Silurus glanis (Wels catfish)
- Freshwater Eels, Family Anguilliidae
- All species except Anguilla rostrata (American eel)
- Freshwater Sleepers, Family Odontobutidae
- Percottus glenii (Amur sleeper)
- Freshwater Stingrays, Family Potamotrygonidae
- All species
- Lampreys, Family Petromyzontidae
- All species except Ichthyomyzon castaneus (chestnut lamprey) and I. gagei (Southern brook lamprey)
- Marine Stonefishes, Family Scorpaenidae
- All species of genera Choridactylus, Dampierosa, Erosa, Inimicus, Leptosynanceia, Minous, Pseudosynanceia, Synanceia, and Trachicephalus
- Nile Perch, Family Centropomidae
- All species of genus Lates
- Pike Killifish, Family Poeciliidae
- Belonesox belizanus
- Perch, Family Percidae
- All species of the genus Sander (pikeperches) except Sander canadensis (sauger) and S. vitreus (walleye) and hybrids between those two species
All species of the genus Gymnocephalus (European ruffes)
Perca fluviatilis (European perch, also called redfin) - Piranhas, Family Characidae
- All species of genera Catoprion, Pristobrycon, Pygocentrus, Pygopristis, and Serrasalmus (closely related Dorados also prohibited; see above)
- Round Gobies, Family Gobiidae
- All species of genus Neogobius
- Seatrouts and Corvinas, Family Sciaenidae
- All species of genus Cynoscion except Cynoscion nebulosus (spotted seatrout), C. nothus (silver seatrout), and C. arenarius (sand seatrout)
- Snakeheads, Family Channidae
- All species | Learn more about snakeheads
- South American Parasitic Candiru Catfishes, Family Trichomycteridae
- All species
- South American Pike Characids, Family Ctenoluciidae
- All species of genera Ctenolucius and Boulengerella
- South American Pike Characoids, Family Acestrorhynchidae
- All species of genus Acestrorhyncus
- Swamp Eels, Rice Eels or One-Gilled Eels, Family Synbranchidae
- All species
- Temperate Basses, Family Moronidae
- All species except Morone saxatilis (striped bass), M. chrysops (white bass) and M. mississippiensis (yellow bass) and hybrids of these three species
- Temperate Perches, Family Percichthyidae
- All species
- Tilapia, Family Cichlidae
- All species of genera Coelotilapia, Coptodon, Heterotilapia, Oreochromis, Pelmatolapia, Sarotherodon, and Tilapia
- Trahiras or South American Tiger Fishes, Family Erythrinidae
- All species
- Walking Catfishes, Family Clariidae
- All species
- Whale Catfishes, Family Cetopsidae
- All species
Shellfish
- Applesnails, Family Ampullariidae
- All species of the genus Pomacea, except Pomacea bridgesii (spiketop applesnail)
- Giant Ram's-horn Snails, Family Ampullariidae
- All species of genus Marisa
- Mittencrabs, Family Varunidae
- All species of genus Eriocheir
- Mudsnails, Family Hydrobiidae
- All species
- Mussels, Family Mytilidae
- Limnoperna fortunei (golden mussel)
- Oysters, Family Ostreidae
- All species except Crassostrea rhizophorae (mangrove oyster), C. virginica (Eastern oyster), Dendostrea frons (frond oyster), Ostrea stentina (dwarf oyster), and O. permollis (sponge oyster)
- Penaeid Shrimp, Family Penaeidae
- All species of genera Penaeus, Litopenaeus, Farfantepenaeus, Fenneropenaeus, Marsupenaeus, and Melicertus except Litopenaeus setiferus (white shrimp), Farfantepenaeus aztecus (brown shrimp) and F. duorarum (pink shrimp)
- Southern hemisphere freshwater crayfishes, including redclaw crayfish, Family Parastacidae
- All species
- Zebra and Quagga Mussels, Family Dreissenidae
- All species of genus Dreissena
Aquatic Plants
- African Elodea (also called Lagarosiphon), Family Hydrocharitaceae
- Lagarosiphon major (African elodea, Oxygen-weed) | Read more about Lagarosiphon
- Alligatorweed, Family Amaranthaceae
- Alternanthera philoxeroides | Read more about Alligatorweed
- Ambulia, Family Plantaginaceae
- Limnophila sessiflora (Asian marshweed)
- Brazilian Peppertree, Family Anacardiaceae
- Schinus terebinthifolius
- Dotted Duckweed, Family Araceae
- Landoltia punctata
- Duck-lettuce, Family Hydrocharitaceae
- Ottelia alismoides
- Eurasian Watermilfoil, Family Haloragaceae
- Myriophyllum spicatum | Read more about Eurasian watermilfoil
- Exotic Bur-reed, Family Typhaceae
- Sparganium erectum
- False Pickerelweeds, Family Pontederiaceae
- All species of genus Monochoria
- Floating hearts, Family Menyanthaceae
- Nymphoides cristata (crested floating heart)
Nymphoides peltata (yellow floating heart) - Hydrilla, Family Hydrocharitaceae
- Hydrilla verticillata | Read more about Hydrilla
- Paperbark (Melaleuca), Family Myrtaceae
- Melaleuca quinquenervia
- Purple Loosestrife, Family Lythraceae
- Lythrum salicaria
- Salvinia, Family Salviniaceae
- All species of genus Salvinia, including but not limited to Salvinia molesta (Giant salvinia) and Salvinia minima (Common salvinia)
- Torpedograss, Family Poaceae
- Panicum repens
- Water Hyacinths, Family Pontederiaceae
- Eichhornia crassipes (Floating water hyacinths) and Eichhornia azurea (Rooted water hyacinths)
- Waterlettuce, Family Araceae
- Pistia stratiotes
- Water Spinach, Family Convolvulaceae
- Ipomoea aquatica (Ong choy, Rau mong, Kangkong)
- Wetland Nightshade, Family Solanaceae
- Solanum tampicense (Aquatic soda apple)