Pet Goldfish Dumped In Colorado Lake Reproduced At Startling Rate, Now Threatening Other Species

Someone dumped four or five pet goldfish into Teller Lake in Boulder, Colorado, about two years ago. However, little did they know, those four or five goldfish would turn into 3,000 to 4,000 in just a couple years. The goldfish have now taken over the lake and are threatening the lake’s native species.

ABC News reports that Colorado Parks and Wildlife says that most likely a single person dumped four or five goldfish into the lake a few years ago and created an eco-system meltdown. Goldfish are not a native species to the lake; therefore, their introduction caused a series of unfortunate events that have led to concerns about the native fish and their future survival in the lake. Parks and Wildlife staff say the goldfish could potentially wipe out the fishery that they have put together.

“Dumping your pets into a lake could bring diseases to native animals and plants as well as out-compete them for resources. Everything can be affected. Non-native species can potentially wipe out the fishery as we’ve put it together.”

Those four or five goldfish have now grown to over 3,000 and are such a problem that the department is considering draining the lake to collect the fish. Species that are being threatened by the goldfish presence include channel catfish, blue gill, and sun fish. The department says they are also considering a process of electro fishing, this is the process of stunning the fish with electrical shocks to allow for removal.

According to 7News Denver, the Wildlife officials want people to know the far-reaching effects of introducing exotic fish to a local environment. They also stress that releasing a non-native species into the lake is illegal.

“We strongly encourage the public not to dump their unwanted pet fish in our waters. It is bad for our environment, as well as illegal. Most people don’t realize the far-reaching effects of introducing exotic species to the environment.”

Though the department is not sure exactly what method they will be using to remove the goldfish from Teller Lake, they say they do not want people attempting to net the fish on their own, because it could disrupt the natural environment around the pond.

Regardless of how the goldfish are removed from the Colorado lake, they will likely be used as food at a local raptor rehabilitation program.

Did you know that just a few goldfish in a lake could cause such large problems for the eco-system?

[Image Credit: Getty Images/ Justin Sullivan]