“Megalodon” goldfish found on Pennsylvania waterways – now officials are warning pet owners

A relatively large discovery in Pennsylvania prompted officials to warn about what happens when “cute” turns into “brute force” – because they remind the public that leaving pet goldfish in the wild can cause “invasive problems that last decades.”

On Tuesday, February 25, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) revealed on Facebook that experts discovered and recovered what they called “Megalodon” goldfish in a recent electric fishing survey conducted on the waterway of the Preske Island State Park.

Now, the agency is using the discovery to remind the public, exactly why aquatic organisms “should not be here.”

“Someone released it and thought they were kind.”

“Goldfish grow huge in the wild, where they can turn lakes and waterways into muddy mess, steal food from local fish and destroy the quality of the water,” the agency added. “If you can’t keep the fish, re-encompass. Just don’t relax it.”

After posting photos of USFWS employee Corey Ketchum holding the fish, it appears to be larger than the standard At-Boom goldfish – the agency added the tag “#invasive speciesweek”. Another image in the comments section shared by USFWS shows another agency official holding the fish in two hands.

“From cute to savage,” the agency captioned the snapshot.

Related: Giant Goldfish Weighing 67 pounds. Catched by the fisherman – look at the photos!

Elsewhere in the comments of the post, USFWS shares some insights on “how to break up with the goldfish”, then before the commenter’s concerns about the commenter being used as bait.

“In 16 states, it is legal to use goldfish as bait. All states have their own fishing regulations, so it depends on the bait fish in each state,” the USFWS clarified. “We always encourage anglers to never throw away the bait after fishing. Bad dumping is one of the many ways in which invasive aquatic organisms and pathogens are introduced into the waterway.”

According to the average lifespan of goldfish in the wild is 41 years. National Geographyreport that they can be in front of 5 pounds. In the wild. As previously reported at the end of 2023, goldfish have become a problem in the Great Lakes region, experts noted that “millions” were swimming at the time.

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According to the USFWS website, wild goldfish can “welcome huge, soccer-sized invaders that compete with native species for food and habitat.” Specifically, since they are feeders at the bottom, the species can mist, stir up sediments and remove plants, making it difficult for native fish and plants to survive.

In addition to rapid growth and water quality damage, goldfish lay eggs multiple times each season without natural predators, meaning they “breed quickly” and lasted for some time according to the USFWS. They can also carry other fish that lack immunity parasites and diseases.

Goldfish owners who wish to be separated from their pets are encouraged to reside, return them to pet stores or contact local aquariums or rescue organizations.

“Releasing pets into the wild is never the right thing to do. Most pets released into the wild cannot survive, and many pets suffer before they die,” USFWS shared on its website. “If it survives, your pet could become an invasive species that harms native wildlife.”

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