Don't Dump Your Pets - A Koi Story

The Missouri Department of Conservation reported Thursday that Tim Owings was fishing at Lake Remembrance in Blue Springs MO, and snagged a massive gold fish. The fish, a Butterfly Koi Goldfish, weighed in at a staggering 9lbs. 

Although the Butterfly Koi is a breed of common carp it is a domesticated fish as well as a nonnative fish. Releasing a nonnative fish or any other nonnative species for that matter into an environment that they are not meant to be in can cause damage to the local ecosystem. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation officials said to instead contact a pet store who may take the fish or a local aquarium club.