Deverso won the fight in June, when state officials issued him a permit for his pet and told him to keep the tank locked. Snakeheads, an Asian species, are known for devouring all the fish in a lake or pond.

In the process, Rocky and Deverso gained supporters from around the world. At last count, Deverso said his "Save Rocky" petition included 1,300 signatures from more than 17 countries, including Australia, Germany and Singapore.