The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning people not to release aquarium fish into the state's waterways. The warning came after a non-native clown knife fish was found dead in a central Vermont pond.
Fisheries Biologist Shawn Good says it's likely the 17-inch fish had been someone's pet, but it outgrew its aquarium and was released.
The clown knife fish is a native of Southeast Asia and it cannot survive temperatures below 55 degrees.
Many invasive species of fish and plants have been introduced into North American waterways by people releasing aquarium species. People who release aquarium fish can be subjected to $500 fine.
If a dangerous fish were released it could have required biologists to kill all the fish in the pond to keep them from spreading.
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