INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Sometimes being the biggest fish in the pond isn't a good thing.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources' Fish and Wildlife Service warned people on social media Friday not to abandon aquatic pets after two giant goldfish were found swimming in an Indiana waterway.
Releasing unwanted pet fish into the wild may seem like an easy option, but doing so can introduce invasive species into Indiana's native ecosystem.
“Even if tropical fish cannot survive the Indiana winter, they can still spread disease to native fish,” the department said.
They also could seriously damage Indiana's waterways and crowd out native fish, as some species of domesticated fish, such as goldfish, “can survive and even thrive.” It also says that there is a sex.
As the department shared in the photo, they can also be large, very large, causing more damage overall.
To prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species, the agency asks that old bait be disposed of in the trash, and that pet fish that are no longer needed be returned home instead of thrown away.
The department estimates that invasive species cost the United States an estimated $120 billion each year. To learn more about Indiana's invasive aquatic species, visit the Indiana State website.
(Courtesy photo/Indiana Department of Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Division, via Facebook)
