Pond drained to catch monster exotic fish in Charters Towers pond

An aquarium fish turned monster of the deep has been fished out of a small park pond, where it was bullying local fish and turtles. See how authorities finally caught them.

Several exotic aquarium fish have grown to enormous proportions in a park pond, where they were observed being so aggressive and territorial they were bullying local turtles.

The exotic cichlids were discovered in a pond in Charters Towers, concerning authorities that they could escape the park if the pond ever overflowed into stormwater drains and expand into the Burdekin River system.

An exotic aquarium fish has grown to enormous proportions in a Charters Towers park pond, where it was bullying local fish and turtles.

Biosecurity Queensland and Charters Towers Regional Council worked together to drain the park pond, removing the cichlids along with all other aquarium species that had been dumped there.

Biosecurity Queensland said it was another clear warning why you should never release unwanted aquarium fish or plants into the wild.

Cichlids are popular in the aquarium hobby, despite their high levels of aggression and predation on other fish - they are also closely related to tilapia.

Originally published as Pond drained to catch monster exotic fish in Charters Towers pond