Goldfish Are Threatening a Whole Colorado Lake Ecosystem (truncated)

GMA via Yahoo! ^ | 04.07.2015 | AVIANNE TAN

[dware]

Colorado wildlife officials say they believe someone dumped four to five pet goldfish in a Boulder lake about two years ago, and they have now multiplied to over 3,000 to 4,000 fish.

[Louis Foxwell]

Native species will take care of them. The lake is probably fished out or there would never be that many fry swimming openly.
I collect wild fish for aquariums. The imbecile who does not want to encourage private fish collecting is a twit.

If the lake can be drained it must not have springs feeding it and it must also be landlocked. As such it is fed by rain and maintained by the water table. There probably are no native species in what is likely not a lake but is a large pond.

[dware]

I collect wild fish for aquariums. The imbecile who does not want to encourage private fish collecting is a twit.

Got a permit for that freedom?

[WellyP]

Is that the problem with Boulder...they’re drinking fish crap?

[dware]

Thought you might find this interesting.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

A dose of Rotenone will take care of the problem. Then they can start from scratch placing new fish in the water.

[Vendome]

(from the comments)

“So after doing a little research, this lake went dry in 2012. It has 120 users who have water rights, so in drought years, it gets drawn down. With severe water fluctuations, it will never be a prime fishing spot or have a so called “eco” system. This lake was created to catch runoff and irrigate farm lands in the summer. It can hold 120 acres when full.

They should just plan on running it dry this summer and be done with it.

I think the idea that a watershed is in jeopardy of being overrun with goldfish is a ploy for a federal grant.”

[yawningotter]

They can be highly entertaining adversaries on a fly rod.

[Rodamala]

Add snapping turtles and that will be the end of that.

[Rodamala]

I had a job estimating repair costs to railroad that got wiped out in the flooding in Lyons, CO a couple years back... Somewhere I have pictures of a few HUGE rotting Carp carcasses that were left behind when the floodwaters subsided. HUGE.

[Louis Foxwell]

As needed to avoid harassment, yes.

[minnesota_bound]

#7 you will need to follow up with alligators.

[george76]

Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)

[minnesota_bound]

#11 It starred Sheriff P. Coltrane in “The Killer Goldfish”

[WayneS]

Colorado wildlife officials say they believe someone dumped four to five pet goldfish in a Boulder lake about two years ago, and they have now multiplied to over 3,000 to 4,000 fish.

They can BELIEVE whatever they want. Even goldfish can't procreate fast enough to go from "four or five" to 3,000+ in only two years.

[WayneS]

...especially in the wild.

[WayneS]

"I think the idea that a watershed is in jeopardy of being overrun with goldfish is a ploy for a federal grant.”

I think I agree with that statement.

[Hot Tabasco]

The first thing I would do would be to wade a few feet out into the water and sprinkle goldfish food then net the ones who show up.

For those that recognized the trick and stayed away, I'd introduce some bass into the lake...........problem solved.

[dware]

They can BELIEVE whatever they want. Even goldfish can't procreate fast enough to go from "four or five" to 3,000+ in only two years.

I was wondering about that, but having zero knowledge of the procreation abilities of fish (I don't drink water, fish screw in it :), I was left @ a loss. So, how long might it take to get a group this big?

[Banjoguy]

Populate the lake with Arowana, an otherwise harmless fish.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I can’t believe no one has posted pix of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.