Fish Fair

It’s county fair season and that means it’s time for a favorite carnival staple, the Fishbowl Toss. Yet when you win, what happens to Goldie once you’re back home?

While some fishbowl tosses are changing to more humane plush fish prizes, many children (and adults) still end up bringing home surprise fish guests from the fair. Fair goldfish are usually common goldfish (Carassius auratus) that are typically sold as feeder fish or as cheap pets at the fish store. Goldfish are domesticated Prussian Carp (Carassius gibelio) that have been selectively bred into many shapes, sizes, and colors over the centuries. Like many carp species, goldfish can thrive in a variety of environments and grow to impressive sizes. Common goldfish that you win from the fair can grow up to a foot long and live for more than 20 years. However, because of myths such as “fish only grow to the size of their aquarium,” many goldfish die before reaching their adult size or are stunted due to an inadequate habitat.

Goldfish are amazingly persistent and despite less than stellar conditions can continue to grow until they become too large for their fish bowls. Now what? Unfortunately, many people release goldfish into local ponds and lakes where they are free to grow and breed while negatively impacting our water bodies.

Goldfish are carp and there are no carp native to North America. While they may look appealing, the cost to the ecosystem is not. Goldfish stir up sediments and uproot aquatic plants while feeding, increasing turbidity and resuspending nutrients. These factors can lead to an increase in algae growth and possibly even Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB). Goldfish also compete with native fish for food and shelter and don’t have any predators because of their size and protective scales.

Perhaps reconsider bringing home goldfish next time you visit the fair. And NEVER release any pets or plants into the wild. It is illegal to do so in New York and the results can be disastrous.

For information on how to properly care for goldfish, here’s some guidance.

This post was written by CRISP Aquatic Invasive Species Manager Sarah Coney