28KK jpeg 180mm (9.2in) TL fish from the Barcoo River, Tambo, Queensland. Peter Unmack photo.

Size

To around 400mm (16in) TL.

Introduced Distribution & Abundance

There have most likely been at least two independent introductions of goldfish in the Cooper Creek Drainage. They have present in the upper reaches of the Barcoo River for many years (Merrick & Schmida 1984). They are now widespread in the Thompson River (Rob Wager, pers. comm.). They have also been recently recorded from Coongie Lakes (Reid & Puckridge 1990; Glover 1990); however, they were apparently first introduced there in the 1970's (Pierce 1993). They are also known from a reservoir associated with the sewage plant at Woomera in the Gairdner Drainage since 1956-7, where it was probably unintentionally introduced during local flooding (Glover 1979). Goldfish have also been widely introduced throughout much of South-Eastern and Eastern Australia since the late 1870's. They are now common and widespread in most major rivers there. This species is native to Eastern Asia (Merrick & Schmida 1984).

Threats

The primary threat is probably competition for food and other resources. Other threats may include the introduction and persistence of parasites (such as Lernea sp.) that commonly occur on goldfish.

Important References

Glover, C. J. M. 1979. Studies on central Australian fishes: further observations and records, part 1. South Australian Naturalist. 53(4): 35-44.

Glover, C. J. M. 1982. Adaptations of fishes in arid Australia. In, Evolution of the Flora and Fauna of Arid Australia. Eds. Barker, W. R. & Greenslade, P. J. M., pp 241-246. Peacock Publications, Adelaide.

Merrick, J. R. & Schmida, G. E. 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes: Biology and Management. Griffith Press Ltd. 409pp.

Pierce, B. E. 1993. "Up the creek" South Australia's channel country and its major waterways. SAFISH Magazine. 17(4): 4-8. (previously published by the South Australian Fisheries Department)

Reid, J. R. W. & Puckridge, J. T. 1990. Coongie Lakes. In, Natural History of the North-East Deserts. Eds. Tyler, M. J., Twidale, C. R., Davies, M., & Wells, C. B. Royal Society of South Australia, Adelaide. pp 119-131.

This file was last modified:  18 March 2003