Teller Lake #5 near Boulder, Colorado, may have to be drained after pet goldfish dumped in the water exploded in population, threatening the lake’s ecosystem.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said a few goldfish were reportedly dropped into the lake a few years ago, and their population has now grown to
3,000 to 4,000, the Denver Post reported.
“We might drain it. We’re still discussing it,” Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill told the Post on Tuesday.
The non-native goldfish could introduce diseases and compete with the lake’s natural inhabitants, including channel catfish, blue gill fish, and sun fish, for resources.
"Everything can be affected. Non-native species can potentially wipe out the fishery as we've
put it together," Churchill told ABC News.
CPW officials also are considering electroshocking the lake, which would stun the fish and allow for their removal and relocation.
In November 2012, officials used electro-fishing to remove 2,275 nonnative goldfish from
Thunderbird Lake in Boulder, KMGH-TV reported.
"Most people don't realize the far-reaching effects of introducing exotic species to the environment," Ken Kehmeier, senior aquatic biologist for CPW, told the station. "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."
Officials also are asking that people refrain from removing the goldfish on their own to avoid disrupting the environment.
"I'm going to talk to Boulder County, who owns the lake to see what they think, but I don't want to send the message that collecting fish for personal fun is okay," Churchill told ABC News.
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