You'd think that there was some kind of massive radiation leak in a Burnsville lake by the size of this goldfish recently pulled from Keller Lake. It's difficult to fathom a small average sized goldfish, you know the kind that just swims around in a small bowl on the table, could grow to the size of a football or bigger in the wild.

Evidently, sometimes people will take the time and effort to release one of these small goldfish into the a lake or stream, not realizing that they can adapt to the wild and grow to be rather large, relatively speaking.

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According to a KARE 11 report from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, goldfish are actually considered to be an invasive species. The Minnesota DNR states that you can buy, sell and transport goldfish but it's forbidden to release these fish in public waters.

Not only does releasing these fish alter the eco system but also these once small pet goldfish can mutate into a huge version of themselves. Burnsville put up pictures of the huge goldfish on social media with a plea to stop releasing no longer wanted pet fish into lakes and rivers.

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I didn't realize this, but goldfish are actually part of the minnow family which means they can easily work their way through Minnesota water and multiply rapidly.  This makes it difficult for the DNR to maintain the lakes and rivers of Minnesota a it's a major pain trying to remove these fish.

If you need to get rid of your goldfish, it's recommended that you talk to a vet or pet retailer about how to humanely dispose of your goldfish.

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