Wildlife authorities at Fisheries and Oceans Canada warn people not to release their pet goldfish into the country’s waterways.
Goldfish, when they are released into waterways, can destroy aquatic habitats.
Some of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada staff pulled two enormous goldfish from Hamilton Harbour, about 20 miles south of Toronto, Ontario.
Fisheries and Ocean Canada wrote in a Meta (Facebook) post, “Ever wonder what happens to a pet goldfish when it ends up in our waterways?
“This one was pulled from Hamilton Harbor, where we’re studying this aquatic invasive species to learn how it’s affecting our waters.”
“We have seen giant goldfish growing abundantly in Hamilton Harbor, directly affecting the breeding areas of native species, destroying aquatic plants for food.”
“This is a big problem because, in Large numbers, goldfish can destroy aquatic habitats by tearing up aquatic plants for food and clouding the waters, which means less sunlight and less food for our native species.”
“Goldfish can also thrive on toxic blue-green algae and may even aid in toxic algal growth.”
“Most goldfish likely end up in our waters after being released into local entry points like stormwater ponds, which is why it’s so important to never release any pets into the wild.” their Meta (Facebook) post said.
