Tag: Goldfish

Public plea issued after catch of freakishly large goldfish

Fisheries officials in Canada are sharing images of monstrous goldfish pulled from a Lake Ontario waterway in an attempt to discourage people from releasing aquarium fish into the wild.

Fisheries officials in Canada are sharing images of monstrous goldfish pulled from a Lake Ontario waterway and begging the public to stop releasing aquarium fish into the wild.

“Ever wonder what happens to pet goldfish when they end up in our waterways?” Fisheries and Oceans asked Wednesday via Twitter. “This one was pulled from Hamilton Harbour, where we’re studying this invasive species using acoustic transmitter tags.”

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The agency referred to the image atop this post, showing a freakishly large goldfish that clearly had been thriving at the expense of native flora and fauna.

“By tracking these goldfish,” Fisheries and Oceans continued, “we’ve learned that they’re breeding in Hamilton Harbour and targeting key spawning sites for native species like Northern Pike – tearing up aquatic plants for food and clouding the waters with their waste. That’s why it’s important to never release pets into the wild.”

Damage to native fisheries can be extensive wherever goldfish are released. They typically weigh less than half a pound in captivity, but can exceed five pounds in the wild, where they multiply and become voracious.

Several states in the U.S. are dealing with the same issues.

In July the City of Burnsville in Minnesota issued a similar public plea, tweeting images showing enormous goldfish pulled from Keller Lake.

“Please don’t release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes!” the City of Burnsville tweeted. “They grow bigger than you think and contribute to poor water quality by mucking up the bottom sediments and uprooting plants.”

–Images courtesy of Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Bow angler makes history with record goldfish catch

A Virginia bow angler who landed a 3-pound, 9-ounce goldfish recently near the Potomac River has been granted a state record.

A Virginia bow angler who landed a 3-pound, 9-ounce goldfish recently near the Potomac River has been granted a state record.

Jeremy Fortner of Chesterfield shot the giant goldfish May 22 in Hunting Creek, a tributary of the Potomac.

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The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources approved the record last week, explaining that the 16-inch goldfish, with a 15-inch girth, is the “Virginia Archery State Record Goldfish.”

The state allows archery fishing for certain species, including carp, gar, bowfin, and some types of catfish.

Fortner was the first Virginian to submit a goldfish for record consideration since the species was included in the state-record program in 2020.

Goldfish were introduced into Virginia’s waters illegally and the state does not welcome their proliferation.

In a news release announcing Fortner’s catch, the Department of Wildlife Resources included this reminder to residents:

“The introduction of goldfish to waterbodies is illegal in Virginia. Pet owners should never release their aquatic organisms into the wild as unforeseen impacts can occur including disease, competition, and predation.”

–Image showing Jeremy Fortner is courtesy of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Tobias Harris and Boban Marjanović reunited for a new Goldfish commercial and it’s amazing

Wow this is amazing.

Boban Marjanović and Tobias Harris’ friendship has just been incredible to watch. It’s blossomed so much over the years. The Bobi and Tobi show is the absolute best.

They’ve done so much together over the years from teaching a Soul Cycle class to playing some cornhole in the NBA bubble and more.

Of course, there’s been heartbreak along the way. They were broken up after Marjanović’s trade to the Mavericks, but their friendship has remained strong throughout it all.

And now it’s back and looking as strong as ever. The two are doing commercials together now. They both appeared in a commercial for Goldfish and it was hilarious.

Turns out perfect content actually does exist. This is exactly it. We need more of this and we need it now.

Get on it, Bobi & Tobi. Please.

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Fly angler lands giant goldfish in Central New York

A fly fisherman was casting a streamer for bass and carp Saturday at New York’s Onondaga Lake when he spotted two enormous goldfish.

A fly fisherman was casting a streamer for bass and carp Saturday at New York’s Onondaga Lake when he spotted two enormous goldfish.

“I tried catching them a few times, but with no luck. But just as I was getting ready to leave, I finally hooked one,” Joe Selover, of North Syracuse, told Syracuse.com.

Goldfish, members of the carp family, are native to East Asia and listed as an “uncommon species” in Onondaga Lake. They’ve gained a foothold in several New York waters thanks to an illegal practice called aquarium dumping.

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In these larger water bodies they can attain much larger sizes than most aquariums allow. But catches by recreational fishermen are still considered rare.

Selover’s goldfish was a whopper, measuring 14.5 inches. He hooked the fish at the mouth of Bloody Brook, and it made a long run up the brook and beneath a parkway.

After about 10 minutes, Selover gained the upper hand. But he had left his net in his car, so he asked an onlooker to hold his rod while he fetched the net.

According to Syracuse.com, Selover released the goldfish after snapping a photo of his catch next to his fly rod.

According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, goldfish have been documented in 15 state watersheds. The Adirondack Mountains is the only region where goldfish are not established.

The last known catch in Onondaga Lake occurred in 2019.

–Image courtesy of Joe Selover

Giant goldfish – weighing 9 pounds! – discovered in small lake

Biologists conducting studies on Oak Grove Lake in South Carolina discovered a 9-pound goldfish that had been residing in the lake for an unknown period.

Biologists conducting studies on Oak Grove Lake in South Carolina discovered a 9-pound goldfish that had been residing in the lake for an unknown period.

“Anyone missing their goldfish?” the Greenville Recreation Center asked Monday on Facebook.

The goldfish, perhaps formerly a much smaller aquarium fish, rose to the surface during an electroshocking study conducted to determine the health of the 12-acre fishery.

The 15-inch goldfish stood out glaringly compared to other fish that were briefly stunned to be counted as part of the study. (Goldfish typically can fit in a glass bowl, but they can grow to large sizes in the wild.)

The electroshocking was conducted in mid-November and Greenville Parks, Recreation & Tourism released the photo Monday.

Houck told NBC that although goldfish are not native to South Carolina waters, they’re not considered invasive and the goldfish was allowed to swim free.

Houck is quoted by CNN: “We think someone must have just dropped their fish in the lake because they didn’t want it anymore, instead of flushing it down the toilet.”

Reads one of several comments on the Greenville Recreation post:

“That is probably my old gold fish. I had to move and when packing him up my brother broke the container. I had no other choice but to release him and hope for the best. Its name was Lucky. This was 11 years ago. I was so sad. I truly hope that this was my fish because that means he lived and had a good life.”

–Image courtesy of Greenville Parks, Recreation & Tourism