Monster goldfish caught on Missouri lake is probably overgrown pet, officials say

An angler recently reeled in an unexpected catch in Missouri, according to wildlife officials.

Tim Owings was fishing on Lake Remembrance near Blue Springs when he hooked a 9-pound butterfly koi goldfish, the Missouri Department of Conservation said Thursday in a Facebook post.

It was far too big for a fish bowl, and people were impressed with the fish’s size.

“Going to need a big toilet to flush this one,” one commenter wrote.

Within hours, the post had been shared nearly 2,000 times, garnering over 600 comments.

Pretty as it is, the fish doesn’t belong, officials said. It’s probably an overgrown pet that someone dumped in the lake, left to fend for itself — and judging by its size, it hasn’t had too much trouble doing so.

“When pet owners dump ornamental fish like this, it can cause serious issues for native species,” the post said. “Instead of dumping aquarium fish, check with local pet stores who may take them back, or connect with aquarium clubs in your city.”

While it’s rare to find goldfish or koi in the American wild, as neither are native to U.S. waters, it does happen.

In December, South Carolina wildlife officials conducting a routine test on a lake near Greenville found a goldfish weighing in at 9 pounds, McClatchy News reported.

“Our guess is someone didn’t want to kill their fish but couldn’t take care of it anymore,” officials told McClatchy.

Many don’t realize the size goldfish can reach, particularly when they’re introduced to a large body of water.

“They grow to the size of their environment,” officials said.

This story was originally published July 1, 2021 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Monster goldfish caught on Missouri lake is probably overgrown pet, officials say."