Many of us will have seen TV shows or heard stories about people flushing goldfish down the toilet, but is this ever the right thing to do? The answer is no, for a variety of reasons.
Unwanted goldfish
You may have a goldfish you can no longer take care of, or one that is causing issues in your tank or pond, and you may be thinking that flushing it down the toilet is a good idea. In fact, it is cruel to the fish and potentially dangerous for the wider environment.
A live goldfish may survive the flush, even with all the trauma involved. It could make its way into waterways, becoming invasive and threatening other fish and wildlife. This is explained in an article in the Milton Keynes Citizen newspaper.
Goldfish as an invasive species
There are reports from around the world of goldfish becoming invasive species and threatening local ecosystems. They can multiply considerably, and some grow so large they are barely recognisable. These fish can cause many issues, including promoting heavy algae growth, causing a nutrient imbalance and excess waste, introducing new diseases, causing overcrowding, and creating destructive hybrid breeds.
Sick and dead goldfish
You may think that flushing a sick or dead goldfish down the toilet is a humane thing to do, but they can introduce new fungal infections, bacteria and parasites into the water.
They can also cause problems closer to home. Experts in cracked pipe repairs and drain lining Gloucester and across the country, such as www.wilkinson-env.co.uk/sewer-repairs-drain-lining-concrete-cutting/drain-repairs/gloucester, will tell you that no foreign objects should ever be flushed down toilets or washed down drains. Any such matter can cause blockages, which can end up costing you money to repair.
What are the alternatives?
Dead goldfish will decompose and can easily be buried, while there are many alternatives to flushing for unwanted live fish. You could post online looking for a new owner; alternatively, you could ask around at schools, nurseries or nursing homes, which may relish the opportunity to look after a new pet.