Massive goldfish found in Pennsylvania waterway, wildlife officials say. ‘Cute to brute’
You may think you’re being kind by releasing your pet store goldfish into the wild, but experts warn you can do more harm than good by giving them that freedom.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shared a photo on Facebook Feb. 25 of a goldfish found during a survey in Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania.
“This goldfish isn’t supposed to be here,” officials said. “Someone released it, thinking they were being kind. Instead, they created an invasive problem that can last decades.”
Officials said “goldfish grow massive in the wild,” and threaten native fish species by stealing food and ruining water quality.
“From cute to brute,” officials said, referencing another huge goldfish they found.
Experts noted it is legal in 16 states to use goldfish as bait, but that practice is illegal in Pennsylvania.
“Bait dumping is one of the many ways invasive aquatic species and pathogens are introduced into waterways,” officials said.
One person shared their own photo of a 9-pound goldfish they caught. “Sir, you caught Girth Brooks,” wildlife officials responded.
“If you can’t keep your fish, rehome it,” officials said. “Just don’t let it loose.”
Presque Isle State Park is about a 130-mile drive north from Pittsburgh on Lake Erie.
This story was originally published February 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Massive goldfish found in Pennsylvania waterway, wildlife officials say. ‘Cute to brute’."
