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Goldfish Shouldn't be Released into the Wild

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Goldfish Shouldn't be Released into the Wild

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Releasing pet fish may seem fine, but it can be problematic due to many reasons. Goldfish don’t belong in the habitats you put them in. The fish that you formerly kept at home is used to being fed, eating fish flakes, the room temperature, and the various bacteria in its tank; When a goldfish is released into the wild, suddenly it is exposed to all sorts of new bacteria, new predators, different temperatures, etc. Even if the fish survives there are still issues, arguably more issues. If your fish survives, there is a chance that the fish species will become invasive, and could lead to the endangerment of the native species. For example, the West Medical lake is filled with goldfish. Goldfish are also capable of spreading parasites and bacteria from your house or even from the pet store, and that could be very harmful, and it could ruin our ecosystems. Now, why would people think to release these goldfish? Well, goldfish were bred to be domestic, and maybe people would think that the goldfish shouldn't be domesticated. Even though that might be true, it might already be too late. Even if it's possible, wild goldfish shouldn't stem from domesticated animals.  According to Barry L. (2021) “Some of the best ways to let go of a pet goldfish is to find them a new owner or donate them to a pet store, said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service”. Our wildlife is beautiful and needs to be protected, so please do your part in helping.

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Anderson D. and Polan S. (2021). Why you should never release your pet goldfish into the wild. Insider. retrieved from: 

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Anderson D. and Polan S. (2021). Why you should never release your pet goldfish into the wild. Insider. retrieved from: 

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Goldfish may look small and cute in your home, but in the wild it's a different story. Releasing them into your local stream or lake is a bad idea. Following is a transcript of the video.

Right now, Washington state is fighting off an invasion! The culprit? Goldfish. Yup, you heard right.

Thousands of goldfish have infested the West Medical Lake and are crowding out the native fish population. How did this happen? The Department of Fish and Wildlife thinks that a few irresponsible pet owners are to blame. And while the goldfish may have cost the owners a few dollars, this mess is going to cost the state an estimated $150,000 to try to remove these feral fish.

But this isn't the only place this is happening. Goldfish are invading lakes and streams worldwide, and it's all our fault.

If you think you're doing the goldfish a favor by releasing it, you're not! Instead, you're setting the stage for an ecological disaster, which could threaten hundreds of other species. Turns out, goldfish are one of the world's worst invasive species.

Goldfish were first selectively bred in China 2,000 years ago for food. By the 14th century, goldfish had been promoted from our meals to our entertainment. It wasn't long before pet owners helped them spread across the world, eventually reaching North America by the 19th century.

They may look small and cute in your home, but in the wild it's a different story. Given enough time and resources, these little orange monsters will grow into giants, reaching as much as 4 pounds, or 2 kilograms, about the size of an American football!

These big fish are also big eaters, feeding on plants, insects, crustaceans, and other fish. But they're not just consuming what other fish rely on to survive - their voracious feeding time actually kicks up mud and sediment, which can lead to harmful algae blooms that choke the ecosystem.

If that's not enough, they also introduce foreign parasites and diseases that wreak havoc on the delicately balanced ecosystems wherever they go. And they aren't content to stay in one place. Goldfish are a rapidly reproducing fish and will migrate across multiple bodies of water. Case in point: When a few were dumped in a local Australian river in the early 2000s they eventually migrated to the Vasse River, where they're still a major problem today.

There are similar accounts of goldfish invasions in Epping Forest, London; Alberta, Canada; and Lake Tahoe, Nevada. In fact, invasive fish species accounted for over half of the total fish population in Lake Tahoe Basin. Besides causing fiscal and environmental disasters there are other reasons you should keep that goldfish in its tank.

For starters, goldfish are smarter than you might think. They have a memory span of at least three months, which means you can teach them tricks like this. They also can tell the difference between Stravinsky and Bach.

Can you do that?

So, consider the wildlife, and think twice before tossing that goldfish away.

Additional video courtesy Spartan's tricks.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This video was originally published in April 2018.

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Why you should never release your pet goldfish into the wild

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Goldfish may look small and cute in your home, but in the wild it's a different story. Releasing them into your local stream or lake is a bad idea. Following is a transcript of the video. Right now, Washington state is fighting off an invasion! The culprit? Goldfish. Yup, you heard right.

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Roberts E. (2018). Why you Should NEVER Release Pets into the Wild. Snake Discovery. Retrieved from:

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Roberts E. (2018). Why you Should NEVER Release Pets into the Wild. Snake Discovery. Retrieved from:

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https://youtu.be/fzXiUxwGGIM

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Why you Should NEVER Release Pets into the Wild

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https://youtu.be/Ahnr94mX_vM

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Why Giant Goldfish Are Invading The Planet

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Sanders J. (2021). Common Freshwater Aquarium Diseases, the Spruce Pets.com. Retrieved from:

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Sanders J. (2021). Common Freshwater Aquarium Diseases, the Spruce Pets.com. Retrieved from:

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https://www.thesprucepets.com/freshwater-aquarium-fish-diseases-5090380

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How to Treat Swim Bladder Disease in Aquarium Fish

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Swim bladder disease affects a fish’s swim bladder which can cause it to inappropriately float or sink. Learn the causes, treatment, and prevention.

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Barry L. (2021). Why you should never release goldfish into the wild; Don't flush live fish down the toilet either. audacity.com.  retrieved from: 

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Barry L. (2021). Why you should never release goldfish into the wild; Don't flush live fish down the toilet either. audacity.com.  retrieved from: 

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https://www.audacy.com/wccoradio/news/national/why-you-should-never-release-goldfish-into-the-wild

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Why you should never release goldfish into the wild [SHOCKING PHOTOS]

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Why should never release goldfish into the wild? They can destroy local ecosystems and grow up to large sizes. Try to re-home your fish instead.

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What is the Significance of this Subject?

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What is the Significance of this Subject?

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Now, why does this matter? Again, goldfish can lead to the wildlife being threatened, so it is necessary to know about these

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Simon A. (2021) This is what can happen when you release your goldfish into the wild, 10WBNS, Retrieved from: 

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Simon A. (2021) This is what can happen when you release your goldfish into the wild, 10WBNS, Retrieved from: 

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https://www.10tv.com/article/life/animals/this-is-what-can-happen-when-you-release-your-goldfish-into-the-wild/530-12bda6a6-54ac-4c26-a0fd-c4b391ba158f

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A city in Minnesota tweeted out some pretty shocking photos Friday morning, of massive, overgrown goldfish found in a lake.

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - You'll want to think twice before dumping that county fair goldfish you won into a nearby stream or pond.

A city in Minnesota tweeted out some pretty shocking photos Friday morning, of massive, overgrown goldfish found in a lake.

"Please don't release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes! They grow bigger than you think and contribute to poor water quality by mucking up the bottom sediments and uprooting plants," read the post.

It might seem harmless to release your unwanted pet goldfish into a nearby waterway, but you could end up doing serious harm to the local ecosystem.

Please don't release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes! They grow bigger than you think and contribute to poor water quality by mucking up the bottom sediments and uprooting plants.
Groups of these large goldfish were recently found in Keller Lake. pic.twitter.com/Zmya2Ql1E2
- City of Burnsville (@BurnsvilleMN) July 9, 2021

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' website, goldfish are listed as an invasive species. ODNR says goldfish are believed to be responsible for the decline in population for many native fish, plants and invertebrates in the state. Goldfish can also uproot plants and cause cloudiness in the water.

To report an aquatic invasive species, click here.

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This is what can happen when you release your goldfish into the wild

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A city in Minnesota tweeted out some pretty shocking photos Friday morning, of massive, overgrown goldfish found in a lake. BURNSVILLE, Minn. - You'll want to think twice before dumping that county fair goldfish you won into a nearby stream or pond.

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Sharkey B. (2018). Why Releasing Your Goldfish Into The Wild Is A Bad Idea. Simplemost.com. Retrieved from: 

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Sharkey B. (2018). Why Releasing Your Goldfish Into The Wild Is A Bad Idea. Simplemost.com. Retrieved from: 

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https://www.simplemost.com/why-releasing-goldfish-into-wild-bad-idea/

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McGuiness D. (2021). Massive Pet Goldfish Are Taking Over A Lake Because People Keep Dumping Them. Fatherlycom. Retrieved from:

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McGuiness D. (2021). Massive Pet Goldfish Are Taking Over A Lake Because People Keep Dumping Them. Fatherlycom. Retrieved from:

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https://www.fatherly.com/news/goldfish-released-wild-issues/

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Helmore E. (2021). Goldfish dumped in lakes growing to more than 1ft, threatening ecosystems. TheGuardian.com. retrieved from: 

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Sherburne J. (2021) This is what can happen when you release your goldfish into the wild. Newscentremaine.com. Retrieved from:

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Sherburne J. (2021) This is what can happen when you release your goldfish into the wild. Newscentremaine.com. Retrieved from:

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https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/life/animals/this-is-what-can-happen-when-you-release-your-goldfish-into-the-wild/97-a9858296-acc2-4271-9bdf-68f856c96e8a

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Reneau A. (2021) People tossing pet fish into lakes have created monster goldfish the size of footballs. Upworthy.com: 

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Reneau A. (2021) People tossing pet fish into lakes have created monster goldfish the size of footballs. Upworthy.com: 

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https://www.upworthy.com/invasive-species-goldfish