Image source, City of Burnsville
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Several giant goldfish were recently found in a lake in Burnsville, Minnesota.
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A city in the US state of Minnesota has asked its residents not to throw away their pet fish after finding a giant goldfish in a lake.
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Animals that are commonly kept in such homes can grow much larger in nature and cause major disturbances to the ecosystem.
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The City of Burnsville government shared images showing some of the ‘monster goldfish’ caught in a survey at Lake Keller.
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The municipal government says goldfish can contribute to water quality degradation by ruffling sediment and uprooting plants.
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“Please don’t throw your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes!” Burnsville City Government said in a tweet.
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In Minnesota, goldfish are one of the regulated invasive species. Releasing it into public waters is illegal.
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Goldfish kept in home aquariums usually grow to a body length of about 5.1cm.
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But when they are released into public waters, wildlife control officials say, goldfish can grow larger and be difficult to control – multiplying rapidly and dominating natural species.
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In its warning, the city of Burnsville advised pet owners to “consider other options in finding new homes for them”.
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Wildlife control officials have been dealing with a similar problem in the nearby district of Carver County, where 50,000 goldfish were removed from a creek in October last year.
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The appointment is part of a three-year plan to study and manage the species, which has caused problems across the US.
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But the US is not the only country experiencing goldfish problems.
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