Carassius auratus
Pest goldfish
Family: Cyprinidae
Origin: East asia
Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) status
- Aotea — Exclusion
- Whole region — Sustained control
- Hauraki Gulf Controlled Area Notice pest
General description
Small-medium sized (100-400 g) fish, colour varies from red-gold, bronze-black to olive-green.
What you need to know
To help protect our environment:
- You must not release any goldfish from containment within the Auckland region.
Habitats
Benthic habitat, lakes, streams, ponds, creeks, slow-moving waterbodies.
Impact on environment
Eats aquatic plants, algae, insects, crustaceans, small fish and fish eggs, competes with native fish. May contribute to poor water clarity and algal blooms by uprooting plants, re-suspending sediments and eating zooplankton.
Control
Management
If you have goldfish as pets or in an outdoor pond, make sure they’re securely contained so they don’t get washed away into other waterbodies in a flood. If you are no longer able to look after your pet fish, find someone who is prepared to give it a lifetime home, or return it to a pet shop for rehoming.
Never release pet fish into waterways. Check equipment and vessels for freshwater pests, clean everything that has been in contact with the water and dry everything thoroughly.
For more information about pest goldfish and how to manage them, please contact Auckland Council at pestfree@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
