One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

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DainBramage1991
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One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

Post by DainBramage1991 » Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:55 pm

Goldfish are obviously not native to Michigan, but this guy pulled one weighing a massive 3 pounds from Lake Clair.

http://www.pawnation.com/2013/01/22/man ... latestnews

If this one was in there, there's a good chance that there is a large population of them in the lake. This can be devastating to native fish and the habitat in general.

Please, please, be responsible and NEVER release aquarium fish into the wild!

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Jim Powers
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Re: One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

Post by Jim Powers » Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:50 pm

This is not surprising. There are also small established populations of misgurnis "Dojo" loaches in a river in central Michigan (can't remember the name) and tributaries of Lake Michigan in Indiana and Illinois. These are areas that get quite cold in the winter and have heavy snowfalls, so obviously these fish, as well as goldfish, could live just about anywhere if set free.
Its also important not to release aquarium plants. Griffy lake, a small lake at the edge of Bloomington, Indiana recently had to be treated after it became over run with Brazilian elodea. This was the farthest north that this plant had been found in the US. It no doubt, got there when someone dumped the contents of their aquarium into the lake. The lake was also infested with Eurasian mil foil, another non native plant.
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SPENCERSmommy09
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Re: One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

Post by SPENCERSmommy09 » Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:40 pm

We live in a little community by a golf course that has a kinda large (for a residental) lake... there are houses backed up to parts of it and some open areas... anyways they stock the lake with fish (it is catch and release ONLY)... this past summer I guess someone found a HUGE Pleco about 2 foot long and so the home owners assoc. closed down the fishing and ended up catching all the fish in big nets and sorting them. The next month everyone recieved a letter from them in the mail about the problem and that they found goldfish, coy, plecos, "other small" non-stocked fish and turtles (they do have red eared sliders that have been there forever) in the lake. Now there is a HUGE fine for anyone cought releasing fish in and if you know about it and do not report it you can be fined as well. So apparently many people think it is ok to release fish into a lake or river.

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DainBramage1991
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Location: Northern New England

Re: One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

Post by DainBramage1991 » Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:04 pm

It is illegal in most states, with huge fines or even jail time. In my state you need a special license from Fish & Game to even stock native species in a pond or aquarium.

Beyond the legal ramifications, the environmental impact of releasing non-native species can be enormous.

SPENCERSmommy09
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Re: One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

Post by SPENCERSmommy09 » Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:53 pm

Just look at the impact of Aligator gar being released in FL.

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Jim Powers
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Re: One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

Post by Jim Powers » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:55 am

Are you sure you mean Alligator gar? They are native to Florida.
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SPENCERSmommy09
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Re: One More Reason NOT to Release Aquarium Fish

Post by SPENCERSmommy09 » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:09 am

Animal Planet did this whole segment FL monsters and on it they said it was released by people. Maybe I got mixed up or they did... I mean Animal Planet did make a thing about mermaids (another topic lol). Anywho in the segment they talked about how it had a bad impact because there were no other "big fish" to keep them in check. I do remember that much for sure. Maybe they were at a different location though.

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