Officials in Minnesota are asking people to donate goldfish they no longer want instead of flushing them down the toilet or putting them in waterways.
Minnesota Sea Grant spokeswoman Sharon Moen told Star Tribune that goldfish "can grow to be the size of dinner plates in these waters."
Some get even bigger. A goldfish caught by the Department of Natural Resources was 9 to 11 inches long.
Moen said that is not as common, but dumping fish down a toilet negatively affect local aquatic ecosystems. Aquarium animals, like goldfish, can bring deadly diseases to native fish.
Flushing a goldfish is not an effective way of removing a pet.
"If you flush, they go to a wastewater treatment plant," Moen said. "There are kinder ways to euthanize the fish."
Fish that are less than two inches can be euthanized by exposure to freezing cold water, which will make them unconscious.
Donating fish is the best option for those who no longer want the pet.
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