I'm not gonna lie; when I first stumbled across this information, I was a little bit shocked.

Evidently, Montana Fish and Wildlife in Parks has discovered multiple instances of aquarium fish being put into Montana Waters.

I can't quite understand the logic as to why somebody would do this.

Maybe at the moment, they think it's a good idea instead of just flushing the unwanted fish down the toilet, but needless to say, this causes major problems for the ecosystem.

Don't Release Aquarium Fish In Montana

First and foremost, the aquarium fish will likely not survive, and if they do survive, they cause numerous problems for the native fish.

The biggest issue is that the native species are unable to compete with the invasive species for food or don't know how to compete with them.

Earlier this spring, Montana fish and wildlife officials identified not one but two species that were the result of people dumping aquarium fish into Montana waters.

Aquarium Fish In Montana Waters

The first detection was made at Finley Point in Flathead Lake.

Officials found Mystery Snails in the lake.

You might think that the snails were not identified, hence the name, but that actually is a species of snail. It is found in many waters out west.

However, this was the first mystery snail population found in Montana.

The other report was an angler near Bozeman catching a Dojo Loach in a small pond.

The Dojo Loach is native to East Asia and is a popular aquarium pet in the United States.

For more information on how releasing pets into the wild can negatively impact habitat, visit www.dontletitloose.com.

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