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"There's Gold in Them Thar" Lakes, Goldfish that Is04-15-15 | News

"There's Gold in Them Thar" Lakes, Goldfish that Is

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said CPW may need to "stun the fish" (elector fishing) to remove the 3,000 to 4,000 goldfish from Teller Lake #5 in Boulder, Colo., or, more radically, drain the lake. Photo: Colorado Parks and Wildlife

It's not quite a dragnet or APB, but Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officials would like to identify the person or persons who dumped goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) into Boulder's Teller Lake #5. These common east Asian aquaria fish have "taken over the lake."

"Most people don't realize the far-reaching effects of introducing exotic species to the environment," said Ken Kehmeier, senior aquatic biologist for CPW. "Nonnative species can be devastating to native populations by causing disease outbreaks and creating competition unbalance. It's an issue that anyone concerned with our environment should know about."

So, who's the wise guy who released goldfish into Teller Lake #5 off Arapahoe Road in Boulder, Colo.? Boulder Open Space Rangers discovered the swarm of thousands of goldfish on March 13, and will likely need to remove them to maintain the integrity of the lake.

"Goldfish are not a native species and are very harmful to the local aquatic ecosystem," said Kristin Cannon, district wildlife manager for Boulder. "We strongly encourage the public not to dump their unwanted pet fish in our waters. It is bad for our environment as well as illegal."

In November 2012, two to three years of koi goldfish reproduction in Thunderbird Lake in Boulder required stunning the fish with electricity. That effort removed 2,275 goldfish, another incident of people "releasing their pet goldfish into the wild."

CPW has the duty of protecting the state's wildlife and fisheries, managing over 9,000 miles of streams, and 6,000 miles of water open to the public.