Understanding the Consequences: Why Releasing Aquarium Fish is Harmful

Keeping aquarium fish is very popular. As a responsible pet owner, it is very important to remember that if you decide you no longer want or can keep your pet fish, to never release your unwanted fish into the environment, even if your pet fish is an Australian native species. Releasing your aquarium fish into a local waterway, creek or dam usually condemns them to a nasty death due to predators, or even starvation as your fish is not used to fending for itself. Unfortunately, in some cases such releases can even lead to the fish becoming established as an introduced pest.

All fish have specific water quality requirements (temperature, pH, water hardness etc) and the water that you release your fish into might not be ideal for your pet fish. It is very likely that even though you think you are doing the right thing for your fish, what you may be doing to them is harm.

Fish released into the environment can become established and out compete native fish species. These fish can be very difficult to eradicate without also removing native fish. Your aquarium fish that you release may also introduce diseases into the environment.

No matter the reason, please remember that all aquarium fish should never be released into the environment.

Fish can enter our local environment by either unintentional or intentional releasing:

Unintentional release is less common and is usually a result of the fish escaping from their pond during a flood or storm event.
Intentional release is more common and occurs when the fish is removed from their tank or pond and deliberately released into the local environment.

Reasons that people intentionally release their fish include the fish becoming too big for its tank, the owner is moving house, or simply the owner no longer wants to keep their pet fish. If you no longer want your pet fish, why not try selling them or giving them away to a family member or a friend or contact your local aquarium or pet shop as they may be willing to take it from you.

There are some recreational anglers who have used ‘aquarium’ fish as bait then released their unused bait into where they are fishing. Some people have intentionally used aquarium fish to stock their dam, which in turn has escaped into adjoining waterways. Anyone stocking natural waterways including their private dams should first contact their local Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to check if the chosen fish is recommended.

Please do your part to keep our native flora and fauna safe from introduced aquarium pest fish. Remember that we are so lucky to have native fish here in Australia that exist nowhere else in the world, and we need to do the right thing to protect these very delicate and fragile eco systems from fish that are not meant to be there and if we all do our part we can enjoy the beautiful aquatic life that Australia has to offer for decades to come.

Written by Amanda Czarnuszewicz

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Who is Amanda Czarnuszewicz

I have been keeping fish since a young child, everything from freshwater Goldfish and Cichlids to marine reef tanks. Over 11 years ago I discovered freshwater dwarf shrimp and took a keen interest immediately. I started breeding and sourcing products over seas to maintain all types of shrimp which was the start of my business Shrimplovers. Today my passion for all things aquatic is still a true obsession. Getting to work in a job that is also my hobby gives me great joy.