will pet goldfish get eaten in a park pond by bigger fish?

[zookeeper]

anyone?

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

Is it your pet goldfish and you don't want it anymore?

[ChopsTheDuck]

Probably! If there are lots of hiding places it might be ok, but in a stark pond with other big fish, it's going to be dinner.

[zookeeper]

oh dear - too late now.

Yes they were pets - inherited form a lodger

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

That is cruel.

Couldn't you have found someone to take them?

It might be illegal what you just did..

[zookeeper]

Oh well I think I'll live with the guilt to be honest - it seemed crueller to have them in a small tank

[pofacedandproud]

they'll probably die of shock tbh - change of water, different bacteria, ah well.

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

You could have got a bigger tank.

Zookeeper but not an animal keeper.

[zookeeper]

just got bigger fish to fry Fab lol

[sweetnitanitro]

General rule of thumb with fish- if it's small enough to be eaten, it will be eaten. Pretty much every fish will eat another if given the chance (this also goes for tropical fish even if they are meant to be peaceful). If you need to rehome a goldfish then phone your local pet shop or aquarium club. Baker girl is right, it may have been illegal not to mention cruel. Obviously you are not that bothered about it though.

[spugs]

May as well have flushed them down the toilet

[cheesesarnie]

could you not have found a new home for them?its cruel

[RubberDuck]

It's dangerous and illegal to release goldfish into the wild. People have been taken to court for it.

Local pet shops will almost always accept fish and attempt to rehome them if they can. You were extremely irresponsible and cruel. I very much hope you don't own any other pets.

[RubberDuck]

Erm, local fish shops not necessarily pet shops - not all pet shops stock fish.

[zookeeper]

Sorry girls just can't feel bad about it .

[EccentricaGallumbits]

then why bother asking if they'll get eaten, after you have released them?

[zookeeper]

just curious I suppose. I won't lose any sleep over it

[noddyholder]

mean

[sweetnitanitro]

Wow. I can't believe that you feel no guilt about illegally dumping an unwanted animal. I hope you don't have any other pets.

[Lilyloo]

rubberduck agree also what about the effects of putting an alien animal into a wildlifes habitat ?

Why ask if you so obv don't care

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

We put our three indoor goldfish into our little outdoor pond. All three are still alive and have had babies. I should think it depends very much on the quality of the pond water and temp difference between indoor and out.

[sweetnitanitro]

Yes but if it's your own private pond then firstly it is legal for you to put fish in there and secondly it is easier to keep an eye on the fish to make sure it's healthy and to keep predators away. Ditching a fish in a public pond is completely different.

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

Yes, you are right. No predators. And completely agree with all comments about pet dumping- absolutely irresponsible and wrong. I was just hoping for the best for the poor fish. Although I don't imagine they have much quality of life in a tank either.

[RubberDuck]

I think this thread highlights (for me anyway) just how badly fish (and goldfish in particular) are treated in comparison to other pets. Because they're not furry and cute, because they don't interact as much as other pets, because they are hard to look after with little reward then they're really treated as disposable.

A properly looked after goldfish will live for 20-30 years. Imagine what the reaction would be if the OP had abandoned their pet cat somewhere it was likely to die.

[sweetnitanitro]

Preach it RubberDuck I want to slap people when they say "it's only a fish", it just shows their ignorance and their unwillingness to learn.

Cats would never be given away as prizes at a fairground either

[Bella21]

I think (hope) this is a sick wind up but if it opens up a discussion on better treatment of fish, then it'll do some good.

Rubberduck opened my eyes to the appalling way many fishies are kept a long time ago, and long may she continue to enlighten us.

Go, rubberduck, go