Published on Mar. 5, 2025, 3:11 PM
“If you can’t keep your fish, rehome it,” U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services says. “Just don’t let it loose.”
Giant goldfish are back in the news.
For decades, people have been releasing unwanted pet goldfish into Lake Erie, where they bulk up and can grow as large as a dinner plate.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service(USFWS) recently took to Facebook to remind the public to keep their pets out of the Great Lakes, warning that the fish can survive the cold winter conditions.
“This goldfish isn’t supposed to be here. But someone released it, thinking they were being kind,” reads part of the statement, which features a USFWS official holding an enormous goldfish (pictured below).
“Instead, they created an invasive problem that can last decades.”
Photo of Corey Ketchum/USFWS holding a goldfish found during an electrofishing survey in Presque Isle, PA. Photo by Matt Basista/USFWS (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service/Facebook)
A not-so-small problem
In many parts of North America, goldfish have no known predators and can quickly overwhelm an ecosystem.