The Goldfish or Carassius auratus is a fish that everyone should know about. But usually when we picture these fish we think about the cute little yellow fish in the bowl or the fish that can be won at the fair if one is skillful enough but these fish if released can easily become an invasive species. These fish have been introduced all over North America from fish hatcheries, ponds, personal aquariums and bait buckets. Goldfish in captivity are bred for the bright colour that we think of as iconic now but in the wild they take on more muted tones like olive green. These fish have also been known to hybridize with other wild fish. These fish in the wild are known to grow up to 12 to 14 inches long. This invasive species is known to compete with native species for food and sometimes even forage for their food which can increase the turbidity of the water.
https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=508 https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/05/11/why-you-should-never-release-goldfish-into-lakes-or-ponds/ Comments are closed.
|
AuthorsHello! We are three students trying to inform the public on the invasive species of South Florida. |