And This Is Why You Shouldn't Dump Unwanted Fish

[the_lock_man]

http/www.buzzfeed.com/jasonwells/thousands-of-goldfish-are-taking-over-a-lake-in-colorado#.mhMxDrn9g
 
We keep saying it, but I feel that people don't believe us.

 

[frapadoodle]

Yeah, I saw an article about that this morning.
Part of it is people trying to be 'humane' and not euthanize the fish.
It would be more humane not to get the fish for little Jonny and Susie in the first place.
Another part is stupidity, which only has one cure.
And yet another is S.E.P. Somebody else's problem. To many people these days are lacking in personal responsibility.

I presently have an unwanted fish. He's a nice looking Marbled Angel, but a real S.O.B.(read swell old boy) But until I find him a new home, or he kicks off, (sometime in the next decade or so), I'll put up with him. He is my responsibility.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It is completely unfortunate.  So many ecological problems have been started by well-intended, but grossly underinformed/uninformed people 'disposing' of their pets.  

 

[BiggTexx]

I worked in a waste-water treatment plant for about 6 years and I have probably seen more fish come through that plant than I ever seen at one time in a LFS for sale.  It was rather maddening at times.
 
Maybe I should start on a thread on that topic...

 

[Gvilleguy]

BiggTexx what would happen to the fish in the treatment plant? Would they get strained out of the water?

 

[dave840f1]

If you think those Goldfish are a problem, I watched a fishing program about the Snake Head in the US. They are devastating the natural wildlife in there water habitats. They will even attack humans if they get to close to them when they are guarding there young. The belief is someone introduced them in a lake so they could be harvested for medical reasons (And profits $20 / fish) as the oriental people believe the fish have healing properties (This is the belief mentioned in the program).

 

[Akasha72]

if I started listing all the invasive species of animal 'dumped' here in the U.K from various other countries I'd be here typing for at least an hour! 
 
Just a few though that come to mind ...
 
The grey squirrel - brought here in victorian times and has killed virtually all of our native red squirrels
Mink - brought here for their coats and released into the wild by animal rights activists and now our water voals are seriously endangered
The Harlequin ladybird - not sure how it got here but it's killing our native ladybird
 
The list could go on but you get my drift. Various creatures get 'dumped' out of their natural enviroment all the time and it has been going on for years and years. I don't know what the answer is - educating people I guess. 
 
Near to where I live there is a series of reseviours - they have become a local beauty spot and a regular place for walkers. My Dad and Uncle walk there most days since they both retired and a couple of summers ago they told me what they had seen in one of the reseviours .... 6 large koi carps. Obviously been dumped. As far as we know they are still there ... there are probably more of them now too if they've bred

 

[NickAu]

Australia is not immune to this.
 
http/www.fishingworld.com.au/news/territorians-on-alert-for-feral-fish

 

[BiggTexx]

BiggTexx what would happen to the fish in the treatment plant? Would they get strained out of the water?

 
If you are brave enough to get through my post: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/437932-flushing-fish-the-truth/

 

[ShinySideUp]

And there was me worrying about 17 goldfish I rescued only to have to put them in my rather murky pond (or they would have been killed by the previous owner). I have faith in their survival now.

 

[star4]

The wells catfish has been introduced to the UK for "sport fishing".
 
It is not just fishkeepers dumping unwanted fish that causes these problems. Governments also introduce fish as "quick fixes" to problems. The Pacu introduced to clear waterways of vegetation in Thiland is now a problem, the african lakes with the Nile Perch introduced for fishing is wiping out native species, the silver carp in the states - that was the government not fishkeepers. These invasive fish cannot always be blamed on a few daft individuals.

 

[Akasha72]

very true Star4. 
 
I truely believe that the only thing to bring about the destruction of this planet is human beings. If we left Mother Nature alone we'd do a lot better. Everything on this planet has it's place, everything has it's preditor - but only where Mother nature intended it to be. We think we know better than Her and this is why our planet is slowly dying.