20 replies to this topic

[Betta132]

Just like the title says. I haven't personally seen this fish, but I've had three different people tell me there's a fairly large comet goldfish living in a local river. Apparently they've all seen it. Is this a problem? I could try to catch it, I suppose, but I'm not sure I could manage to find it in order to catch it. 

I haven't seen any carp in the river, just sunfish, a few trout, and bass. I don't think the goldfish can hybridize with anything. 

[Matt DeLaVega]

People use them for bait. Many streams and lakes have them. I run across them once in a while, but have yet to see a major population anywhere, so that leads me to believe that they are not too much trouble. If you find it, sure, remove it, but I would not make it a quest. They can hybridize with carp, and it would be a surprise if this river actually had zero carp.

[don212]

when i was young a pond near us was filled with large goldfish,( i tried eating one but it was awful, i used to catch them and sell them to backyard waterfeatures for a buck each)  so they do multiply like crazy but of course one can't

[Matt DeLaVega]

I have seen them multiply like crazy in garden ponds. I wonder if their coloration is a major factor as far as most places not getting over run with them. Easy for predators to see.

[Usil]

Saw a large one in a creek 50 years ago.  Only one I ever saw in the wild.  I was hiking near a clear pool about 70 ft across and looking out across it when I saw this flash of reddish gold.  It was startling as it is not a color you would expect in a creek feeding the mississippi river.  It was about 8 inches long.  

[Ken]

We have a reservoir nearby that is overrun with them.

[Betta132]

Good to hear it isn't a major issue. I won't put it back if I catch it, and I'll try to catch it if I see it, but I won't go on a major expedition. 

I'm fairly sure there aren't any carp in the section it's in, the water is about 2-3' deep and somewhat clear, but it's possible there are some in a deeper area above the two small dams. The river's not in wonderful shape, though, the only big guys I've seen are trout and bass that have been added. 

[Josh Blaylock]

Not sure what the problem is.......

 

[Betta132]

That fish isn't quite as big as it looks in the picture. Look at the hands of the guy holding it, especially under the head. Either he's holding it towards the camera, or that's photoshopped. It's still a pretty big fish, but it's not the size of a child. 

[smbass]

We have a huge wild goldfish population in Ohio in bays and backwaters of Lake Erie. There are so many I could have sank our electrofishing boat last spring when we were searching East Harbor for state endangered spotted gar. Most were no longer bright orange but there was a small percentage of the population that was. There were also just as many common carp! I have also seen populations in a couple Ohio reservoirs and in some very degraded "ditch streams" in NW Ohio. Never as many as in the Lake Erie harbors though, it was down right disgusting how many were there.

[don212]

is this another episode of monsterfish, though i should say the emperors moat in Tokyo contains goldfish that size, but not that shape or so brightly colored, a huge fish is an old fish, is a faded fish. photoshop 

[smbass]

It should go without mentioning but the fish in that photo is not a goldfish, it is a koi AKA fancy common carp.

[mikez]

Aside from garden ponds, goldfish don't seem to be able to get established here in Ma. Maybe the winters are too harsh.

Carp of course are ubiquitous and occasionally some released koi survive to large size. Although a harmful invasive, as an angler I love them and usually drive around with a container of oatmeal in my trunk to use as bait for big carp. I won't lie, I love 'em.

[don212]

my little goldfish infested pond of childhood was in malone ny, 60 miles south of montreal, it's mighty cold.

[mikez]

Yah, it's kinda curious. I assume Lake Erie gets pretty cold too. Still, we just don't seem to have them in any number. I knew of a garden pond where they reproduced in great numbers for several years, then died out completely in a couple. Seems to be the pattern here. Just lucky I guess.

[butch]

We had to poisoned the whole lake that was overrun by goldfish three summers ago.

[BenCantrell]

We had to poisoned the whole lake that was overrun by goldfish three summers ago.

 

I wonder how effect adding 5 or 6 bowfin would be instead.

[gzeiger]

The cretins in my HOA tried several times to stock our private lake with carp (not sure what species - before I moved in). Pickerel apparently wiped them out.

[butch]

I wonder how effect adding 5 or 6 bowfin would be instead.

actually we found 16 bowfins floating after we poisoned the lake.

[BenCantrell]

actually we found 16 bowfins floating after we poisoned the lake.

 

Dang, there goes that idea.  Add 50 or 60 bowfin instead?