Albertans warned not to flush ‘invasive’ goldfish (Video)

Giant goldfish released from domestic fish tanks are multiplying like rabbits in the ponds and lakes of Alberta, Canada, and the local government has been forced to take steps to prevent them spreading further.

The launch of the ‘no flush’ campaign to stop the spread of ‘invasive’ species came after giant goldfish the size of dinner plates were found in a pond in Alberta.

The domestic fish are multiplying rapidly in the wild and appear to be growing far bigger than when stuck in a fish tank.

Officials are concerned that the presence of the goldfish – considered an invasive species – threatens other aquatic animals and disrupsts the aquatic environment. In one case, 40 of the domestic fish species were pulled from a stormwater pond, some of them huge.

Dignified burial

Aquatic invasive species coordinator at Alberta Environment and Parks, Kate Wilson said: “It’s quite surprise how large we’re finding them and the sheer number.

“That’s really scary because it means they’re reproducing in the wild, they are getting quite large and they are surviving the winters that far north.

“Approximately a third of invasive species out there that threaten native aquatic environments are from aquariums and the ornamental trade.”

The government’s campaign even applies to dead goldfish as they may carry disease or parasites, reports the Daily Mirror.

Goldfish owners are being urged to give their pets dignified burials. Let’s hope no one flushes away their unwanted baby crocodile any time soon.

Agencies/Canadajournal