Canada has serious problems with goldfish chefs. The Fisheries and Oceans Canada account in November 2021 shared a series of tweets featuring super large chef goldfish found in Hamilton Harbor.
The fish, the account said, were the result of pet goldfish released into the region's waters, creating an invasive species that could destroy other native fish species.
Quoted from BGR, goldfish are intelligent fish and may look like harmless fish. But they can damage nature if released in the wrong place.
Although they remain small in size in the tanks used to house them in captivity, goldfish can actually continue to grow throughout their lives. And if the conditions are right, they can grow into large, bloated creatures.
When placed in a tank, goldfish become stressed due to their small cage. This helps inhibit their growth, keeping them smaller in size. But when placed in the right conditions and given access to the right resources, goldfish can be so much larger than their normal size that they look like mutant creatures like in science fiction movies.
"This is a problem because people often dump goldfish into the wild in waterways and environments that normally house other fish species. That's what's happening in Canada," Fisheries and Oceans Canada said.
Goldfish, which have access to abundant food sources, are beginning to take over major spawning locations for fish such as Northern Pike. In a series of photos shared on his Twitter, Fisheries and Oceans Canada showed how big the goldfish turned into the giant.
Super large fish like this are able to survive in extreme conditions such as low oxygen levels in the water. The temperature in this pool can also be over 30 degrees Celsius. Scientists fear climate change will lower oxygen levels in water more. This will allow goldfish to overtake native species living in the environment.
Goldfish, especially super -sized goldfish, can be voracious eaters. They can tear the plants quickly enough to also impact the damage to the surrounding aquatic plants.
In addition, giant goldfish not only deplete the resources available to other fish species, but also release sediment that covers the water. The murky water will make it difficult for the sun's rays to enter to illuminate the plants at the bottom of the pond. As a result, in the long run this will also cause the food supply to decrease.