What do you do with goldfish you don't want?

Donate your fish to a pet store, school or learning institution, or advertise that you will give your fish away for free. Check out online forums dedicated to the adoption of unwanted pets. Some of them include fish. Reach out to social media groups dedicated to aquariums and fish hobbyists.

What can I do with my fish if I don't want them?

Can I set my goldfish free?

Can I set my goldfish free? If you can no longer care for your goldfish, it is important that you do NOT set them free into a public waterway. These places are not a natural home for them and you could harm the delicate ecosystem.

Can you release goldfish into the wild?

It might seem harmless to release your unwanted pet goldfish into a nearby waterway, but you could end up doing serious harm to the local ecosystem. Please don't release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes!

Is it cruel to flush a live fish?

Inhumane methods

There are many methods of fish euthanasia that are not considered to be humane and must not be used. These include flushing live fish down the toilet; immersion in ice or placing in the freezer, boiling, decapitation without stunning or pithing or suffocation by leaving fish out of water.

10 Things Fish Keepers Should NEVER DO

Is freezing a fish humane?

Out of all the "old-school" methods, this process seems most inhumane. The AVMA does not advocate freezing fish as an acceptable method of euthanasia; the only way they would approve of cooling would be to deep freeze an animal that is already under deep anesthesia.

What is a life span of a goldfish?

Goldfish have a lifespan averaging about 10-15 years, with some varieties living up to 30 years when provided with proper care. Unfortunately, many goldfish do not reach their lifespan potential due to inadequate housing conditions. Housing needs to meet both their behavioural and physiological needs.

Where can I release my gold fish?

A large pond or slow moving waterway is their natural habitat. I have made mention of releasing Goldfish into natural waterways before and cannot condone it in any circumstances. In your case however, as long as the pond doesn't drain into a natural waterway, your goldfish could be released into the pond.

Can I let my goldfish go in a pond?

Kept well, goldfish can live in your pond for well over 15 to 20 years. If you have a very large pond, you can also keep goldfish and koi together.

Does a goldfish turn into a carp?

“Once you introduce something into a new environment — even if it's a cute, cuddly aquarium fish — it can have quite unexpected, serious biological consequences.” The goldfish is a domesticated carp, first bred in ancient China for ornamental gardens.

What happens if you release your goldfish?

The chemical attaches to the gills of a fish and suffocates it. Please don't release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes! They grow bigger than you think and contribute to poor water quality by mucking up the bottom sediments and uprooting plants.

Do goldfish turn into koi?

Koi and goldfish may look similar, but the two are actually two different species. Goldfish were developed by selectively breeding Prussian carp for color mutations. Today, the goldfish is now considered an entirely new species from the Prussian carp.

Can you release pet fish into the wild?

There are many good reasons to not release aquarium fishes and plants into the wild. If they survive, and reproduce, they are difficult, if not impossible to control or eradicate. They can cause changes in the native aquatic environment by competing with native species. They can introduce exotic parasites and diseases.

Will Petco take fish back?

Freshwater fish purchased in our Pet Care Centers can be returned with a receipt within 30 days for a full refund to original form of tender. Returns or refunds cannot be offered on Live Fish, Invertebrates & Plants that you decide you do not want.

What happens to fish when you flush them?

As experts were quick to point out following the movie's release, flushed fish typically die long before they reach the ocean, going into shock upon immersion in the toilet's cold water, succumbing to the noxious chemicals found in the sewage system, or—if they make it this far—finding themselves eliminated at a water ...

Do the Rspca take fish?

As with other exotic pets, we are opposed to the transport of wild caught fish or farmed fish over long distances due to the welfare issues involved, so ask your retailer about the sources of their fish. We do not condone the winning of fish as prizes.

Can you eat goldfish?

Goldfish are as edible as any other freshwater fish. If you choose to eat it, know these facts first: That gross flake and/or pellet stuff is what your fish has been eating exclusively. Pop a pellet or two, that's what your fish will most likely taste like.

Why are goldfish so dirty?

Goldfish are not toxic in any way. This myth likely stems from the large amounts of ammonia these fish excrete, but all fish excrete ammonia, not only goldfish. Goldfish do tend to be messy and eat a lot. They are also a heavy-bodied species, so they excrete more waste than other species of smaller sizes.

Why is my goldfish turning white?

Did you know that goldfish have pigment in their skin? This pigment can react to UV light in some fish. So, your goldfish could turn white due to both a lack of sunlight or too much sunlight. In the case of too much light, fish usually respond to the dramatic change.

Why are goldfish so cheap?

They're mainly so cheap because they're mass bred as feeder fish. If you don't want to have a large tank or pond in the near future, I would recommend returning them to the store as soon as possible. Comet/Common goldfish are indeed sold pretty darn cheap.

Is it humane to flush a dying fish?

Please, don't use these methods:

Flushing them down the toilet while they're still alive. Leaving them out of water until they suffocate- this is slow and very uncomfortable. Bashing fish in the head with a hammer – you could miss and cause a great deal of pain.

How do you stun a fish?

Spiking involves driving a sharp spike (such as an ice pick or a sharpened screwdriver) into the brain of the fish. The spike should be placed in a position to penetrate the brain of the fish and then pushed quickly and firmly into the skull. The impact of the spike should produce immediate unconsciousness.

Can I release my fish?

There are several good reasons not to release aquarium fishes and plants into the wild. If they survive, and reproduce, they are difficult, if not impossible to control or eradicate. They can cause changes in the native aquatic environment by competing with native species.