News, People dumped their pets into lakes

[ATA]

People dumped their pets into lakes, officials say. Now football-size goldfish are taking over.

 

 

https://apple.news/A9IAKH5knTjqcLMDgp4l6cw

[Captain Phil]

This has been going on in Florida for years.  There are canals in South Florida that are wall to wall with Oscars and all types of aquarium fish.  Even a few piranhas have been caught.  It's difficult to catch a bass in those canals because the exotics get to your bait first.  Peacock bass from South America have been stocked.  My wife spotted a large pet python roaming my neighborhood in Central Florida.  The Everglades is full of those snakes and the State is encouraging people to hunt them.  Those big snakes are eating all the raccoons and small mammals. There may be a T Rex out there as far as I know.  ?

[TnRiver46]

We’ve got some goldfish in the river, if they “take over” anything I’ll kiss your……..

[bulldog1935]

In Florida's case, it's because of aquarium-industry breeding ponds, and hurricanes spreading them out.  

From s. Texas monsoon floods, I've seen monster koi in the Guadalupe tailwater.  

In Louisiana, they curse feral Rio Grande cichlids for taking over the bayous.  

 

Of course, we love them in Texas, where they belong - serious fly rod fare.  

[J Francho]

That's a beautiful Texas cichlid!

[Bankc]

I thought this was going to be about something like what my great-grandfather did.  He had a chicken coup that would get rats in it.  He controlled the rats with feral cats.  He controlled the cats by occasionally trapping them and then dumping them sacks into the bayou.  That seems abhorrent today.  But he farmed in the dust bowl in the middle-of-nowhere Texas, and things were just different back then.  

[Deleted account]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/06/22/maryland-alligator-pond-chesapeake-bay/

[WVU-SCPA]

2 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/06/22/maryland-alligator-pond-chesapeake-bay/

There was a gator that was captured after it escaped on the Susquehanna a few weeks ago.

 

 

[a1712]

Caught a mess of these. Think they're Mayan Cichlids. Brian.

[geo g]

Just now, geo g said:

Loads of these in my neighborhood.  Pure fun!

[soflabasser]

I am not surprised that goldfish are being found in more locations. They are tougher than they look and are able to thrive in places other fish cannot. 

On 7/12/2021 at 7:36 AM, Captain Phil said:

This has been going on in Florida for years.  There are canals in South Florida that are wall to wall with Oscars and all types of aquarium fish.  Even a few piranhas have been caught.  It's difficult to catch a bass in those canals because the exotics get to your bait first.  Peacock bass from South America have been stocked.  My wife spotted a large pet python roaming my neighborhood in Central Florida.  The Everglades is full of those snakes and the State is encouraging people to hunt them.  Those big snakes are eating all the raccoons and small mammals. There may be a T Rex out there as far as I know.  ?

Lol we have several species of big exotic lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and caimans which is close enough. I am surprised you say it is hard to catch bass in South Florida since they are one of the easiest fish to catch. I am mostly a multi species fisherman and I catch lots of bass as bycatch, many of them are lunkers. 

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, soflabasser said:

I am not surprised that goldfish are being found in more locations. They are tougher than they look and are able to thrive in places other fish cannot. 

Well ya - they're close cousins to the Carp...that should tell you something.

[ironbjorn]

14 hours ago, Bankc said:

I thought this was going to be about something like what my great-grandfather did.  He had a chicken coup that would get rats in it.  He controlled the rats with feral cats.  He controlled the cats by occasionally trapping them and then dumping them sacks into the bayou.  That seems abhorrent today.  But he farmed in the dust bowl in the middle-of-nowhere Texas, and things were just different back then.  

To be fair that doesn't seem abhorrent; it is abhorrent.

[schplurg]

I thought this was going to be a much more horrific thread involving puppies and kittens. As much as I love dogs I must admit that for a micro-second or two, I was a little disappointed.

 

[Bluebasser86]

I see Koi pretty frequently in the city lakes. One of these days, I'm going to catch one slipping while I'm bowfishing. 

[Captain Phil]

8 hours ago, soflabasser said:

I am surprised you say it is hard to catch bass in South Florida since they are one of the easiest fish to catch. I am mostly a multi species fisherman and I catch lots of bass as bycatch, many of them are lunkers. 

It is not difficult to catch largemouth bass in South Florida. Those canals and rock pits have some of the best bass fishing I have ever seen.  A few of those canals are so full of exotics that black bass don't have a chance.  You can catch Oscars (cichlids) all day on a beetle spin.  They are fun, but they are not bass. 

 

South Florida is a very diverse fishery.  You never know what's on the end of your line.  It could be a black bass, a snook, a tarpon, a redfish or a South American transplant.  I've even seen jack crevalle in Lake Okeechobee.  I am OK with any fish as long as it gets big enough to put up a decent fight.  Oscars don't do it for me.  

[Deleted account]

15 hours ago, ironbjorn said:

To be fair that doesn't seem abhorrent; it is abhorrent.

We had a feral cat problem, the crazy lady next door feeds them, and the county will only catch them, fix them and then release them where they caught them. When I told my wife what would work, she said no. Well 6 months of cat pee aroma, and I was authorized "by any means necessary" problem solved pneumatically at 1200 fps...

[soflabasser]

On 7/12/2021 at 7:36 AM, Captain Phil said:

It's difficult to catch a bass in those canals because the exotics get to your bait first.  Peacock bass from South America have been stocked.

 

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

It is not difficult to catch largemouth bass in South Florida. Those canals and rock pits have some of the best bass fishing I have ever seen. 

Both of these comments contradict each other but I understand what you are trying to say. I agree on the part that you say the canals and rock pits having some of the best bass fishing in the USA. I have had +100 bass days, caught trophy bass, and caught +30 pound 5 bass limits all from public waters from land which shows how well the South Florida bass population is thriving regardless of how many exotic fish are here. The truth is these fish are coexisting well with each other. People from across the country travel to South Florida and spend lots of money to catch exotic fish so it helps the Florida economy.

[TnRiver46]

39 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

We had a feral cat problem, the crazy lady next door feeds them, and the county will only catch them, fix them and then release them where they caught them. When I told my wife what would work, she said no. Well 6 months of cat tick aroma, and I was authorized "by any means necessary" problem solved pneumatically at 1200 fps...

Our county shelter does that too. They have tried all kind of different strategies for feral cats and they all have the same result: failure haha

[soflabasser]

6 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

South Florida is a very diverse fishery.  You never know what's on the end of your line.  It could be a black bass, a snook, a tarpon, a redfish or a South American transplant.  I've even seen jack crevalle in Lake Okeechobee.  I am OK with any fish as long as it gets big enough to put up a decent fight.

Florida has the best overall fishing in the USA that is for sure. That is one of the reasons why so many people travel to Florida every year to fish here. I have caught tarpon, snook, jack crevalle, ladyfish, mullets, and other saltwater fish in freshwater. These fish go wherever they want which is a nice surprise when you are bass fishing. Pound for pound a peacock bass is a much better fighter than a largemouth bass. There are many exotics that are much better fighters than largemouth bass.

[bulldog1935]

@soflabasser

His point is bound to be about cichlids out-breeding bass and thereby taking over the water body - the same complaint they have about stunted Rios in LA bayous.  

 

Another observation was goldfish and carp surviving in the worst pools through the heat of summer - they actually can breathe air - they suck air through a labyrinth that aerates water for them to then pass over their gills.  

@TnRiver46

Feral cats?  My best progress was convincing the neighbor to stop feeding them.  

My Akita loved them, though, when they wandered into my back acre - she killed one/month.  

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

@soflabasser

His point is bound to be about cichlids out-breeding bass and thereby taking over the waterway - the same complaint they have about Rios in LA bayous.  

Another observation was goldfish and carp surviving in the worst pools through the heat of summer - they actually can breathe air - they suck air through a labyrinth that aerates water for them to then pass over their gills.  

@TnRiver46

Feral cats?  My best progress was convincing the neighbor to stop feeding them.  

My Akita loved them, though, when they wandered into my back acre - she killed one/month.  

Oh believe me there are brochures and programs and everything in the world telling people not to feed them. It only makes people want to feed them worse. There are groups of people that go all over town and feed feral cats at restaurant and gas station dumpsters. And these aren’t just crazy people, some of them are pHD customers of mine……..

[soflabasser]

10 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

@soflabasser

His point is bound to be about cichlids out-breeding bass and thereby taking over the water body - the same complaint they have about stunted Rios in LA bayous.  

 

Another observation was goldfish and carp surviving in the worst pools through the heat of summer - they actually can breathe air - they suck air through a labyrinth that aerates water for them to then pass over their gills.  

Goldfish have a unique ability to thrive in low oxygen waters that other fish cannot. On top of that they are prolific breeders which helps them thrive. I am sure the bass in Louisiana eat those cichlids just like they do here in Florida.

[Russ E]

14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Our county shelter does that too. They have tried all kind of different strategies for feral cats and they all have the same result: failure haha

I live out on the edge of Kansas City Ks. People literally dump their pets out here on a daily basis.  Every week we see new cats wandering around. They are usually not here very long.  We have so many coyote, I think they keep them under control.  2 of my neighbors pets have been attacked by coyotes. Plus even though we live in the city limits, the crack of a 22 is a fairly common sound. 

[bulldog1935]

it may be the native sunfish that can't compete.  

 

We find big bass and big cichlids side by side, and a dearth of small fish.  

Same pool as the cichlid above - yellow bellies in this pool were really shy.