Giant goldfish at Presque Isle serves as reminder for invasive species week
Think goldfish are tiny? Think again.
A massive goldfish turned up during an electrofishing survey in Presque Isle on Lake Erie, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to share the shocking find on Facebook for National Invasive Species Awareness Week.
“Your pet store goldfish after two years in the wild: ‘Call me Megalodon,’ ” the post reads.
In the photo, Corey Ketchum with the USFWS is holding the giant goldfish, which is considered part of an invasive problem.
“This goldfish isn’t supposed to be here,” the post said. “But someone released it, thinking they were being kind. Instead, they created an invasive problem that can last decades.”
This is because goldfish grow “massive” in the wild, according to the USFWS, where they can turn lakes and waterways into murky messes, steal food from native fish and wreck water quality.
A single goldfish released into the wild can grow to be four pounds, the USFWS said on its website.
“If you can’t keep your fish, rehome it,” the post said. “Just don’t let it loose.”
Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.
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