Introducing a foreign species into an ecosystem can be absolutely disastrous. Goldfish are large, hungry, messy fish that produce a lot of waste, as we well know. They stir up the bottom of ponds, lakes etc that they're released into, causing the water to become cloudy and dirty when it was clear before, disturbing toxic gases that build under the substrate. If the population increases enough, as in a tank, ammonia levels increase, and the dissolved oxygen decreases. Fish native to the pond or lake that live there because of the specific conditions before the goldfish were introduced are killed because they can't cope with the poor water quality. Smaller and less robust species are out-competed for food and starve, and decrease in numbers. Inverts are eaten at a rate their population can't cope with. The entire natural balance of the pond or lake is ruined. And because goldfish tend to revert back to their natural colouring (brown/black) within a few generations of breeding, they are very very hard to get rid of.
A very good example of why introducing species can be so detrimental is the introduction of an American species of crayfish to British waterways. Our native population of crayfish are smaller and less robust, and are killed, eaten, and out-competed by the American species, and the native species is under a lot of threat because of it.
The same applies to the introduction of American grey squirrels to the UK, which have pushed our smaller native red squirrels to a few very isolated pockets in preserved woodland. And again, for the introduction of dingos to mainland Australia.
I hope that explains it.
Just because you know "a lot" doesn't make you not a newbie. That comes with EXPERIENCE. Experienced aquarists don't make silly, avoidable mistakes. I didn't consider myself experienced until a good 8 years after I started keeping fish.
This is such a tiring process, I'm so bored of the fuss!
A very good example of why introducing species can be so detrimental is the introduction of an American species of crayfish to British waterways. Our native population of crayfish are smaller and less robust, and are killed, eaten, and out-competed by the American species, and the native species is under a lot of threat because of it.
The same applies to the introduction of American grey squirrels to the UK, which have pushed our smaller native red squirrels to a few very isolated pockets in preserved woodland. And again, for the introduction of dingos to mainland Australia.
I hope that explains it.
Just because you know "a lot" doesn't make you not a newbie. That comes with EXPERIENCE. Experienced aquarists don't make silly, avoidable mistakes. I didn't consider myself experienced until a good 8 years after I started keeping fish.
This is such a tiring process, I'm so bored of the fuss!
" comment at the end of your announcement that there are lots of goldfish in the waterways now indiciated to a lot of us that you saw no problem with what had been done. Lots can be learned about the hazzards of introducing non-native species to the waters of your city/county/state/country.
