Dangers of releasing pet fish into the wild

Pet owners warned against releasing guppies

The release of a single female pet fish into the wild can generate entire  new populations, even with no males present.

A new study reveals the guppy's ability to keep on reproducing earning the fish its reputation as one of the world's most invasive fish.

Researchers conducted an experiment where single wild female guppies were put into outdoor tanks. After two years, they discovered that almost all of the tanks contained populations of guppies, each founded by just one female.

Female guppies can store sperm in their reproductive tracts for many months after mating, and this enables single fish to establish populations, even when no males are present.

Seemingly harmless activities such as a child freeing a few pet fish or a concerned householder using guppies to control mosquitoes, can ultimately contribute to the reduction of biodiversity in freshwater habitats across the world.


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