The United States imports over 200,000,000 aquarium and ornamental fishes each year (Chapman et al. 1997), and one third of the world's worst aquatic invasive species are aquarium or ornamental species (Padilla and Williams 2004).

Some of these fish end up in public waters and become serious ecological menaces when pet owners grow tired of their charges or their fish simply outgrow their aquaria. In fact, release of aquarium fish is in the top five avenues of introduction of aquatic invasive species (Ruiz et al. 1997).

There are more responsible, ethical and lawful ways to dispose of unwanted pet fish than flushing them down the toilet or releasing them directly into the wild: 

1. Call a pet shop for advice
2. Give them away to another hobbyist:

            Google "Fish Rescue" or try these links

            Ontario fish rescue

            Monster Fish fish rescue

     3. If you must, euthanize them humanely:

           How to Put Down a Fish Humanely

image:Dept. of Primary Industries, Queensland, Australia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uk2-cqlK3U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKovbNQFRsg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuR3QOS3xvQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQGRj5HkFl8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc8azhXamaQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ujd_eVwQKE

Literature Cited

Chapman, F.A., S.A. FitzCoy, E.M.Thunberg, et al.  1997.  United States of America trade in ornamental fish. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 28(1):1-10.

Padilla, D.K. and S. Williams.  2004. Beyond ballast water: aquarium and ornamental trades as sources of invasive species in aquatic ecosystems.  Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2(3):131-138.

Ruiz, G., J. Carlton , and E. Grosholz et al. 1997. Global invasions of marine and estuarine habitats by non-indigenous species: mechanisms, extent and consequences. American Zoologist 37: 621–32.