RE: to new plant introducers: Fish

**"Jeff Ball" j*@starband.net**

How true.  Years ago I was told by a biologist that having gold fish in my
water garden was a bad thing.  My response was to observe that I lived at
least 10 miles from a river or lake, so how was my little goldfish to get to
those bodies of water and cause all this havoc?  Answer?  Birds will catch
the gold fish in my pond and as they fly back to their next to feed their
kids, the goldfish slips out of their beak right over the lake.  That
phenomena was confirmed for me when a friend set up a sod farm and dug 5
ponds around the farm to use for irrigation water.  They were about 30 feet
across and 6 feet deep.  Within just 3 years there were fish in every pond,
and in five years there were three and four species of fish in every pond.
So I agree on banning gold fish from water gardens.  Is that rule apply to
Koi?
Jeff Ball

-----Original Message-----
From: gardenwriters-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[g*@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of
GardenLit@aol.com
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 5:37 AM
To: gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [GWL] to new plant introducers: Fish

In a message dated 3/14/03 3:12:29 AM, dcamp911@juno.com writes:

<< And the best way to control mosquitoes, even in a rain barrel, is an 89
cent goldfish. >>

Goldfish are a very very very bad idea, and are banned in some states
because
they escape into open water where they destroy the habitat for native fish,
as well as eat vegetation and everything else including fish, frogs, and
beneficial insects. Ask some fish biologists what they think and they will
tell you goldfish, which are carp, is a disaster waiting to happen,
especially in the Miss. River delta. Goldfish are now reported in open
waters
in every state except Alaska and Florida. Just because you can't see them
doesn't mean they aren't there, just because they look so cute in your
garden
doesn't mean they can't escape from it, they are incredibly vigorous and
hardy survivors, rapid breeders and the offspring are more vigorous than the
parents.

Want to know more? I'll get the web sites and book citations for you.

Sally

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