Man charged after allegedly consuming live goldfish in Castle Hill Pet Barn

A 20-year-old man allegedly said “this is for Donald Trump” before police claim he filmed himself eating a live goldfish as part of a social media stunt.

Police will allege the man entered Petbarn in Castle Hill and ate a live fish. Picture: Supplied

A 20-year-old has been charged after allegedly walking into a Sydney pet store, plucking a live fish from a tank and eating it while on a video call.

Just after 12pm Sunday, police were called to Castle Hill Petbarn following reports a man had entered the store and behaved bizarrely in front of staff and shoppers.

Police allege he removed a live goldfish from a tank and consumed it whole, all while on a Discord video call.

The man then allegedly left the pet store before returning a short time later to pay for the $8 fish he had just eaten.

The red and white comet goldfish was allegedly swallowed in full view of shocked employees.

The tanks at Castle Hill Petbarn where the man allegedly consumed the fish. Picture: Supplied

“He walked straight over to the tank, picked it up and ate it,” one worker alleges.

“He swallowed the whole thing in front of me … I heard him crunch on it.” The employee alleged.

Before doing so, the man allegedly said “This is for Donald Trump.”

Officers from The Hills Police Area Command launched an investigation on Sunday and confirmed the man had since attended Castle Hill Police station and is assisting with inquiries.

NSW Police said in a statement that the “goldfish gobbler” incident “is being treated seriously due to concerns around animal cruelty and public decency”.

A 20-year-old man has been charged after eating a live goldfish at a Castle Hill pet store on Sunday. Pic Supplied.

The man was subsequently charged with committing an act of animal cruelty and behaving in an offensive manner.

He will appear in Parramatta Local Court in August.

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