WILD PEARL CICHLIDS IN AUSTRALIA, Feral Geophagus brasiliensis are taking over our Waterways!

This beautiful aquarium fish has unfortunately started to make a bad name for it self, originally from South America this fish has been pretty popular in the aquarium industry in the past, unfortunately for them they are very tough and produce 100s of young readily, some would think this is a good thing but they can quickly overwhelm the owner hobbyist and their local fish store that can only sell so many.
We all hate the tough laws in Australia but if we're not responsible as pet owners they will only get tougher and here's a good example.
Us as hobbyists have a responsibility to first see if there is a demand for a fish before breeding it as it can't help it's own natural instinct to want to reproduce, I have made this short video to show just what could happen when things start to get out of hand.
If you want to keep these types of fish as I do my self just don't let them reproduce unless you definitely have people that want them or this is what could happen, most may feel sorry for the fish and think it's humane to release them, but what about all our poor natives that then have to deal with our mistake.
It is actually illegal to release even native fish into our waterways as even the natives can spread disease or cross breed with other fish locals to produce hybrids, nothing good can come from this practice unless licensed to do so, for example qualified restocking programs.
Thank you for watching I hope this was helpful and please don't release unwanted fish, if you see any strange fish or aquatic plants don't hesitate to report them to your local fisheries, you may help stop the spread and damage as you have seen in this video.

[@tonysteph]

Knowing that someone would've dumped their unwanted aquarium fish really annoys me as a fish keeper myself. If you want to keep fish, be responsible about it. If you're not prepared to care for these types of fish for the term of their life, don't buy them. And doing some proper research into the fish you're thinking of buying before buying it would be a great idea too. Thanks for bringing awareness to invasive species.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you for watching and your comment 🙂

[@ILLUSIVE_JP]

Best upload I've seen on KZbin for a while. Well done, thank you.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you for the nice comment! 🙂

[@colindeer4908]

I'm an old aquatist . These fish have got to be netted out of this system, pronto ! Great that there's a video out there, but we need to get in there and net the bloody things out !!! AND the place needs continued monitoring. Come on Australia !!!!!!

[@Whaleydavey]

I don’t know if extermination is possible. An example of this is Florida which has dozens of invasive fish species from their aquarium trade. I haven’t heard of them controlling and exterminating even one of the invasive species successfully. The problem is that you literally have to catch every fish. If even a half dozen are not caught - they can breed thousands in the next year or two and you are back at square one. Florida also has ridiculous numbers of nutria (a form of giant rodent) which grows to half a metre. They also have thousands of invasive reticulated pythons and Burmese pythons that grow up to 23 feet. Its a real ark of invasive species, over 500 at last count.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

I think the ship has sailed on these but hopefully we can stop others from getting in, they are in every nook and cranny of this system and others, the best we can do is maybe keep them down a little and stop the spread to other waterways that don't have them, this is the main reason for this video.

[@Whaleydavey]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Yes - education is key here. But unfortunately it just takes one idiot to do the wrong thing. If you can have idiots lighting fires in the middle of a 42 degree day, you will have idiots releasing fish into the system just to be contrary. If the waterway in this video weren’t so huge (like it was a small dam of 5 hectares) you could just bite the bullet and poison the waterway - make sure the Geophagus doesn’t escape the system. But this lake looks gigantic. The fear is this fish might get into other waterways during a mega flooding event. Same way those dozen bull sharks ended ip in that golf course when half of QLD was flooded.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@Whaleydavey The unfortunate part is the Brisbane River Cod is extinct from over fishing, but the good news is they are now releasing the Mary River Cod that is very similar to the Brisbane River system in large number, so this might bring a large predator back to combat these fish, something that has been lacking for years, we will see in a few years if it helps.

[@Whaleydavey]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Is that an ideal solution? I watched a KZbin video of how they introduced the Nile Perch into Lake Victoria on purpose. The lake had hundreds of different species of cichlids and most of them were threatened by the huge appetite of this giant fish. However if the Mary River Cod is of a similar size and similar behaviour as the cod it is replacing, I guess there shouldn’t be too much harm done.

[@bangazboom9925]

I love Australia but become saddened when travelling around and seeing the landscape overrun with weed and introduced pest animals. Even at home and seeing neighbourhood cats roaming around makes me hate people and their lack of respect and appreciation for our unique flora and fauna.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes same!

[@shibibi1]

You're absolutely not alone there. Roaming cats drive me crazy and the number of aquarium fish in our water ways is just depressing.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@shibibi1 I've always said, it's weird you need a permit to keep native wildlife that probably wouldn't cause any damage if it got away, but anyone can own a cat, one of the most destructive animals you could keep.

[@phuckGoogle]

If you need help spearing them let me know​@@australianbiotopes4563

[@reconnaissance7372]

I’m a Gold prospector and I’ve learned a lot about many invasive animals through the hobby. There’re so many thorny bushes here that are non native all through the gold fields. Diggers brought the blackberries and thorny trees to provide bush tucker, provide more habitat for non-native animals they brought here that they intended to hunt for food. And brought fish like European Carp, multiple Trout species, Redfin, multiple Perch species I’m probably missing some fish but all these non-native fish compete for resources with native animals not adapted for such competition, and they in turn become threatened by predation and competition for food. Reducing the populations of animals that have lived here and evolved on this land for literally unimaginable amounts of time. Whenever I’m out there it’s impossible to not see an invasive species of something. I always wonder if the old diggers knew that the thorn trees would just take over the fields and make a lot of the gold pretty inaccessible unless you’re wearing a damn EOD suit. I always feel like they’re laughing at me from their graves when I fall into an invasive thorn bush or something. Like they wanted future gold diggers to struggle.

[@koganinja100]

Great video Thanks I have goldfish and koi and would NEVER release unwanted fish in our natural environment. I like the fact you give the warning at the end of your video. Have sent your video to friends many of them work for our federal Quarantine dept. All the best Lewis Sydney

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! I have also tried to share it as well, hopefully these videos go viral and something might get done, I plan to do as many as I can on the invasive species in future, but I want them to be done well with good footage so they don't just get brushed off.

[@fintasticfishOfficial]

Thank you for bringing this to everyone’s attention, with all the normal life issues like the rent crisis and cost of living we really forgot our backyard friends. I hope some day we can get them out and have our amazing fish selection thriving again. ❤

[@australianbiotopes4563]

One can only hope, but it's probably here to stay unfortunately.

[@fintasticfishOfficial]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Yes, that is the sour thuth maybe one day

[@artvanderlay2390]

Then Australian aquarium hobbyists wonder why so many species are banned in Australia. This probably was released by a hobbyist.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes maybe, or maybe someone that just didn't know any better, that is the reason I made this video, to show people what could happen.

[@Timsfreshwatertanks]

Yup beautiful and majestic, in South America, or in your fish tank. Ugly when introduced as an invasive species. Anywhere! It’s a shame we can’t be more responsible as a species. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of aquarium hobbyists. It needs to be said more often. ✌️🦐🐟🤙

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you for watching! yes it is unfortunate and not really the fishes fault, they are just doing what comes naturally.

[@grmo7727]

Great video to bring awareness of the problem, I don't keep fish but have swum in a lot of local creeks and waterways and have seen first hand the impact of canetoad tadpoles on local fish especially in breeding spots... what a decline over only 3 years...!? 😢

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes you don't realise how much damage is done until you go back to these spots over and over, luckily for me this was a spot I have frequented a lot over time and have old footage of it, the good news it with this spot it will almost dry out from time to time so some will perish but others will get back down to larger water bodies, I have to seen damage from Cane Toads in small creeks but that's for another video.

[@joystic08]

Great work Jason! Thanks for all your efforts in conservation

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching! it takes an army I'm just a small part that doesn't want my kids growing up seeing these places destroyed 🙂

[@Flyingdinosaur69]

You are doing ssuch a great job with these recent videos.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! like everything it's a learning experience, when you see a documentary they have a whole crew to do it, but watching some of those on how they put them together actually helps me I love watching them and slowly pick up tips, it's been a process to get to this but I'm slowly starting to really get happy with them 🙂

[@VinhNguyen-yi1kk]

Thanks for keeping watch over our natives so that our future generations may get a chance to have first hand experience in its beauty. And also thank you for sharing mate! 🤗

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching! I'd love to document as much as I can and encourage others to do the same as we don't have enough out there on our native habitats and we have many nice biotopes.

[@Jumpingjoep]

Thanks for sharing and raising awareness.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

It's an important subject, Thanks for watching and feel free to share it around 🙂

[@noahthedino8838]

just quickly wanna thank you for the quality videos you post jeep it up!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! I try and better my self each time I learn a little more.

[@scottd8108]

Same in WA in the creeks near Newman (Kalgans pool track)- middle of the desert go for a swim and surrounded by mollys, plattys and cichlids.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

That really sucks, I went on a trip there with the late Gunther Schmida years ago to get habitat shots for his freshwater fishes book, there are some beautiful pristine spots around that neck of the woods to, I guess where ever they put in towns they will eventually have a pet shop and people will be irresponsible, it's a real shame though as WA does have pretty strict laws as far as they go, and you can see why.

[@johnnyc4441]

Great video, deeply saddened by the situation at hand and hope that it highlights and brings awareness to the public and to organisations that can try and eradicate the fish. It’s scary to think what our natural and native waterways can become 😢

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes it sure it, hopefully videos like this will bring awareness to the situation.

[@larsice9]

I appreciate your effort to make this more known in the hobby and public via youtube! Such a shame to destroy old ecosystems by irresponsibly releasing foreign fish.

[@rabmichelle7825]

This is such a sad story. But thanks for sharing it and keeping us informed.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes I love this area and filming the native fish, it's unfortunate I had to come across this.

[@WirraAquatics]

Great video Jason 👍🏽

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! and Thanks for watching 🙂

[@lukekelly6201]

Great message mate! People need to be more responsible!!!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! yes they do, some probably don't even realise, so I hope to spread the word.

[@willknight1005]

Excellent vid mate👍 After the floods a few years ago in SEQ, we caught a few Oscars and convic Cichlids.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! it wouldn't surprise me.

[@vwbusguy]

Where were the Oscars, we could have a fishing comp and call it the oscars

[@willknight1005]

@@vwbusguy LoL sounds good 👍 I've found them in a few places, the creek behind the Windaroo golf course and Pacific Pines park at the small lake that goes into the Coombabah wet lands. You would be surprised at the amount of South American chichlids that show up!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@willknight1005 Yeah pretty sad what gets around.

[@cristop5]

I've recently seen them in the Liege Street wetland and the Cygnia Waters wetland along the north shore of the Canning River.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

That's no good Thanks for letting us know.

[@zoeydeu2261]

Thanks! Have you thought about sharing this with Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland? I'm in NSW and our equivalent the NSW Department of Primary Industries issues fishing licenses and sends email newsletters to all recreational fishermen. If they share your story, there'll be hundreds of people willing to volunteer their time to catch these bastards. Will share this with my fishing friends to encourage them to catch them next time they're in Brissy.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

I have tried to share it where ever I can, I also have some friends here that work or have worked in that field that are sharing it as well, lets hope the word gets around, I am going to try and make more of these on other invasive species as I collect the footage as well to make more people aware of this, I'm also in local fish clubs and they have shared them as well, feel free to share it around as much as you can, Thanks 🙂

[@HarlanFord]

Well made! Great video

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks mate! 🙂

[@Suislide16]

Just came back from camping in Imbil State Forest near Kenilworth, caught one of those and a few green swordtail that are also super invasive apparently. 😢 I didnt have internet connection to check if it was invasive, now that i know, next time im there i will net them all.

[@kangaroo0177]

Good job for spreading awareness I live in Perth Western Australia and almost every lake in parks has pearls in them I even drove 3 hours away and still saw them

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! yes pretty upsetting news, once they are there I think they are there for good, I just hope they don't spread into other waterways over there, there are some pretty venerable fish in your neck of the woods.

[@kangaroo0177]

@@australianbiotopes4563Pearl cichlids can even live in salt water

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@kangaroo0177 Yeah I've mentioned that in other comments, they are very tough.

[@peteh7966]

Caught one a year ago in Bassendean...

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@peteh7966 Sad to see they are over there as well.

[@bonniegoodwin5653]

I’ve seen this kind of thing all over the place. They are beautiful fish, but it’s such a shame that they have ruined the place you like to frequently visit. I will say that the photography is awesome, and you quite eloquently told a very informational story! Great job!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! and thanks for watching.

[@holdehj]

great video dude keep it up 👍

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! 🙂

[@BradRichmondProjects]

So frustrating to see these Pearl Cichlids in our waterways. Just last weekend I visited Northbrook creek and pulled up over 150 of these in traps (all exterminated). So unfortunate to see their large populations taking over beautiful native Australian fish.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Nice one! I'm happy to hear you got out so many.

[@footagemissing]

Great video and footage. Such a horrible shame, impossible to eradicate now no doubt, man a few really stuff it up for the rest of us don't they, so frustrating.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes! they don't realise this fish could one day be deemed as noxious and then no one will be able to keep it, not to mention it will make it tougher to keep other fish as well.

[@Rigfish]

great video

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks!

[@colindeer9657]

Hi Davey, sorry for the late reply. Thank you for taking the time to respond. Much appreciate you commenting. Yes you’re quite right about the isolation aspect of populations. It only takes a furtive female to escape and it’s Florida all over again with rampant invasive species . In Florida, their tropical fish industry is huge. Imports into the States are massive. I have known of Australian Navy personnel buying their marine fish stock from Florida. I suppose my grave concern centres around our fragile waterways and our struggling natives which end up largely as being prey to the invaders due to the nature of the invasive species. And the fact that the invaders spawn so readily here and how the frey are protected . Coming from a scientific background, I just wish that the issue of invasion here, was pushed up the priority list. We are very likely to see total destruction of our natural tropical fish fresh water system to invasive species within a decade. 😢

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you for commenting but who is Davey, I know my name isn't and I'm the only person doing this channel 🙂

[@nrledites7120]

Another excellent video pin pointing what an invasive fish can do. Thanks

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! and thanks for watching 🙂

[@donohirst]

Its amazing that such hardy natives, but therefore specialists, are so susceptible to introduced species. Australia is particularly prone it seems, but even my country Britain is becoming home to more and more introduced species, zebra mussels all sorts

[@australianbiotopes4563]

We do have fish in Australia that will live in spots you wouldn't think a fish could, but we also have places that would be ideal to a whole range of fish, some of the coastal areas in the Sub Tropics and in the tropics are a couple of these where if exotic fish are released they pose a real threat, even down south in cooler waters has the trouble of cooler water species that will thrive.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Awesome video! It's really sad to see things like this happening all over the world. I quite often watch videos from Florida and that's just mind blowing how man invasive species they have down there. There are a lot of people that actually think invasive species aren't a problem which is even more insane.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! yes they are at a whole new level, I don't think there is any turning back from all the invasive species they have, that actually makes me worried we are heading down the same path.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@australianbiotopes4563 I'm worried about the same thing. I constantly get asked about Vampire Crabs in Australia. They are a banned species from what I am aware but sooner or later some idiot will sneak them in (if they haven't already) and we'll have a new invasive species disaster on our hands. They breed fast and are escape masters so even if people don't intentionally let them out they are good at escaping... We both know how that ends. I wish people were more responsible. At least hear in Europe super cold winters kill most things.

[@benwinter2420]

Chuck Palahniuk . . the sinister author of Fight Club , 'fiction' book . . recounted in the book Haunted . . the invasive species US

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@benwinter2420 Well even parasites have a limit we don't unfortunately.

[@benwinter2420]

Can go into rabbit control 'programs' in Australia in past . . but it seems a sore topic

[@Graterstuuf]

I’ve never known this fish was even in our waterways. This is crazy that they’re in reservoirs and waterways. I’ve never come across them.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

They are still patchy but they are slowly spreading unfortunately, they don't readily take bait like most fish being that they are sand sifters, still they do occasionally get caught.

[@ningaloo]

Keep reporting great work

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! I definitely will 🙂

[@smokeypc73]

Great video. This might be a dumb question but how do they survive our winter temperatures? I thought they were a warm water species or do they just adapt.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Southern South America probably gets colder then here, we are used to seeing all the jungles but we aren't much different.

[@KeepingFishWithMarty]

Hi Jason, is this the northbrook creek system?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes the lower reaches.

[@johncitizen5377]

Cichlid are insane. I had one small convict take on two large Oscars. It had to be moved to a different aquarium.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes they can be really aggressive.

[@Bonnie10au]

This is so sad! People are irresponsible when it comes to get rid of their pets. Our species is very good in destroying the planet. We live 20 min away from Wivenhoe Dam but I didn't know about this huge problem. Thanks for the video, Jason.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes very sad indeed! it's not your fault not knowing, most don't know what goes on even in our local waterways, my aim is to change that as much as I can, mostly it is out of sight and out of mind to most but it's just as important as say our Koala habitat as everything has a chain reaction effect.

[@Bonnie10au]

@@australianbiotopes4563 we need more people like you. People who don't close their eyes and take action. So much damage has been done by introducing species from other countries. Just look at the cane toads, foxes, rabbits... The list is endless. I feel sorry for those animals too because it wasn't their fault that they ended up in Australia.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@Bonnie10au Exactly! Thank you, I just want our kids to enjoy what I have.

[@kinlun21]

I use to keep and bred these years ago. Quite prolific breeders and aggressive fish as well.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes they look nice but not the best aquarium fish, I had 10 in a tank, they all got killed but one pair that started to breed, pretty aggressive fish.

[@whoosh8618]

At 4.14 when the river starts to be noticeable of damage that's when you chuck in big starving catfish from fish farms tried it in carp worked sorta just to many carp but it brought the numbers down abit

[@australianbiotopes4563]

They are actually releasing a whole heap of Mary River Cod into the catchment to replace the closely related now extinct Brisbane River Cod, so hopefully when they grow they will cut down the numbers of them and Tilapia, it will be good food for them anyway.

[@matrandall4213]

They are every where in Perth area

[@TtimWh]

What a shame we've got another pest putting pressure on our waterways. Lovely clear water though! Which creek is this? Is it deep enough for snorkelling?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes nice place to snorkel, it's the lower reaches of Northbrook Creek.

[@keirenle]

Cichlid is a good fish to eat, may be we should drop a few lines down and get ourselves a free dinner

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes they are healthy in that pristine water to.

[@Runnermuck3000]

Which waterway was this filmed in?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

The lower reaches of Northbrook Creek.

[@MarcDavidReich]

Beautiful work. Question, is there a large predatory native fish that could be introduced to eat these guys? I know introducing fish to systems they don’t belong in is problematic, but if for example, on of the large cods (like the Murray or Mary) could live here, at least they’re a native fish controlling numbers.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

I'm happy you actually asked, there is some good news, the Mary River Cod is very similar to the now extinct Brisbane River Cod and they are now releasing a pile of them back into the Brisbane River System, so it may take a few years but I think they will help with the control a little bit and it brings a large predatory fish back into the system that should be in there anyway, I have actually got a hold of a young one that once it grows a little I want to do a biotope aquarium for to do a video on, so I'm looking forward to that as well. A little good news to hopefully combat this sad video 🙂

[@sirgregoir]

I've spotted them in Cairns QLD creeks, living also in the canals through the city. Shocked me amd was sad to see

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes it's bad for invasive up there unfortunately, the warm tropical climate doesn't help, at least down this way a lot dies off through winter, but a few tough survive.

[@jameswkwahry]

I catch them all the way up the headwaters of the creeks n rivers feeding the Brisbane River.. and in billabongs all thru the forestry..they everywhere :(

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes I've seen them pretty far up to, they get into every little corner, I've seen them plowing through a inch of water.

[@Teetothajay]

I’ve seen them on the Sunshine Coast qld. In fresh water parts on a salt water system

[@australianbiotopes4563]

They are a little tolerant of salt as well so through heavy rain they may move from one body to another if conditions are right.

[@mickduggan4793]

They been around for awhile. 1997 I 1st recorded finding one in a waterbody near Maryborough

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes I know they have been here for years, but just in the last few years they have become so prolific.

[@damien6961]

1:52 is that a tetra ? Which creek is it ?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

No it's an Australian Smelt.

[@majorbruster5916]

Is there an eradication programme similar to the one with crucian carp? Does the government know about their presence?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Not that I'm aware of, that is one of the reasons for this video.

[@geoffbreen2386]

2 Questions. Are they the only fish in QLD waterways with the metallic pattern on the face, so it cannot be mistaken for a native? Are they any good to eat?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes, there are a few saltwater species but they are the only freshwater ones.

[@geoffbreen2386]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Thanks, any good to eat? I'm in Yeppoon. Any sighting of them in the Rocky region?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@geoffbreen2386 Depends if you like freshwater fish I guess, no they are pretty localised to here for now.

[@Flacooo]

So lures or bait?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

I think bait would be better.

[@SwannyRiv]

They are even thick in every pond in Perth Wa.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Pretty sad to hear, WA is pretty strict with their laws to.

[@jenkodiesel5768]

Thank you for your dedicated work. This country has way too many imports, in the water and in the streets.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@MrCites1]

There used to be lots of lungfish in that area

[@australianbiotopes4563]

There still is.

[@Graterstuuf]

How can we battle it as fisherman?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

The best we can do is to catch them young, they go for baits as a younger fish much more readily than the older fish.

[@phuckGoogle]

Are they good eating?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

No reason why not, just like any other freshwater fish, probably taste nice smoked, and can be collected as they are only invasive unlike Tilapia that are noxious, the only problem is they are a bit fussy with what they eat as adults being sand sifters, I dropped a pile of live worms in front of them while snorkelling and they ignored them and kept sifting, you may get the odd one, the young readily take the bait though and grow fast, so maybe good for aquaculture.

[@timothykorner3080]

If they were below the dam, i would've thought that they could've gotten out of tanks in houses when they went under during the floods. It's sad to know that people have deliberately released them, as they cant get up that side of the dam wall, unless it was from houses that went under in the upper catchment areas.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Not to mention they have been there longer than from the last few floods, the only difference I've noticed is that they seem to breeding much more rapidly now, or maybe there is just a whole lot more that they are being noticed more.

[@Sur640]

Throw some Oscar’s into the mix 😂

[@australianbiotopes4563]

That will just make it even worse.

[@submergedpredators]

What the name of the creeks and dams they are in would like to go remove them from the waterways

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Try the lower reaches of Northbrook Creek rest area, there are heaps of them there.

[@warrenvincent8252]

I am surprised that they can handle the low water temp in winter Wivenhoe dam

[@australianbiotopes4563]

They live in the same types of temps. in South America, not the whole of South America is tropical, a bit like our country really.

[@TheCaptainbeefylog]

It was bad enough when we were dealing with carp and tilapia. Lately (the last 5-6 years) I've been hearing more and more reports of these fish around the western areas of Brisbane. Then plecostomus. Then oscars. I even read reports of peacock bass found near Mackay. Rumors of wolf and jaguar cichlids and red devils are also getting about. We're starting to look a lot more like Florida every day it seems.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

I've actually seen the Red Devils in Forest Lake, but you can't fish there, someone showed me a pic of Texans down the Gold Coast, it's really sad, this type of thing will toughen the laws on keeping if people aren't careful, it's getting that way a bit, if we aren't careful we got the perfect temps. here we will be the Florida of Australia.

[@TheCaptainbeefylog]

@@australianbiotopes4563 a big annoyance for me is being prohibitted by various councils from fishing for pests due to "public safety".

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@TheCaptainbeefylog Yes I agree, it's peoples fault though, I used to fish my local lake and they would show a blind eye to it, then people started leaving their unwanted line with hooks and sinkers and unwanted bait behind, they also would lite fires along the bank at night to keep warm, and basically just ruined it for everyone, people started complaining and now they have cracked down on it, once this type of thing happens it's hard to reverse the damage done, now the fish will keep breeding unchecked and overflow into our waterways, I think the local councils need to get onto this if people can't fish for them, it's their responsibility to eradicate them, or it's basically just a breeding program for a noxious species.

[@paradigmystic3123]

Invasive species are terrible & perhaps impossible to stop (eg. Carp) once introduced. Fish keepers and owners of foreign species perhaps, need licencing. This may pay for education. I'm happy for such, if introduced, as it would be a step forward to stopping such blights

[@SvGemstar]

What's the fisheries doing to stop the spreading of this species ?. Gerard.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Not much as far as I know.

[@TheAbeKane]

Music is a bit loud at some points bro. Solid info though, cheers

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for your feedback, yes I noticed my self once it was published, I fixed it in the next one.

[@TheAbeKane]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Keep up the good work. Very informative

[@n5688434]

More berra would help ?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes it would but unfortunately if we have one cold snap in these impoundments they all die as it can get to cold for them, good news is they are releasing a heap of Mary River Cod into the system, but it will take a few years for them to grow.

[@davidoakley3658]

Great video but would be good to turn down the background music so we can hear what you are saying.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching! and thanks for your feedback, yes it was a bit loud in this one sorry 🙂

[@CarrionQueer]

As if the Tilapia, livebearers and carp weren't bad enough

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Exactly! mate it is upsetting to see.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@mseeker369 Yes we will never be rid of them, I have seen them in just about every creek up the east coast of QLD.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@mseeker369 Yes they have been in there for awhile, hopefully the Mary River Cod they are now releasing will cut them down a bit.

[@GU-24-WD]

I removed one from Wivanhoe dam about 6 months ago and have since caught fry(babies) at another dam while visually seeing a breeding pair that I was un able to catch although if I had a cast net that could have been a different story

[@australianbiotopes4563]

If I would of been able to use a spear or spear gun I could of got a whole heap of them but just like cast nets they are illegal to use in freshwater creeks that aren't tidal.

[@GU-24-WD]

@@australianbiotopes4563 I haven't looked into cast net laws I'm from NSW but staying in Qld for awhile so learn something new everyday but yeah next time I'm at this dam they'll be my target species

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@GU-24-WD You can in tidal brackish though, that was like last time I went down to NSW and found out you can't use them down there, they should really change the laws nation wide, it would make things easier.

[@stevengough4424]

Tilapia have become a major problem in Brisbane creeks and waterways

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Tilapia have become a problem in just about every creek from the sub tropics of NSW to Far North QLD along the coastal waterways inland to the Great Dividing Range, this is why I posted this, it could happen with these as well if we're not careful, it's bad enough having one, we don't want another.

[@jasonwaite9154]

With the amount of floods they’ve had in SE Queensland, I’d imagine a lot of these fish could of entered the environment accidentally

[@australianbiotopes4563]

These were around long before the floods, the only thing the floods probably did was help spread them even more.

[@thesolaraquarium]

wait till he meets the aussie carp. surprised the bass are afraid of this guy… must be agressive alright.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

The carp are just docile and feed the same as them, these even attacked my camera when they had young, I don't blame the bass 🙂

[@essomthegiraffe5621]

I do need new fish for my aquarium

[@australianbiotopes4563]

There is plenty out there.

[@308V8HZ]

What we need is a native predator to be introduced to this dam because as we aquarists know big fish eat little fish . There will be obvious decimation to other species but these can easily be re-stocked .

[@australianbiotopes4563]

We used to have one, the Brisbane River Cod, but is now extinct , the goo news is they are now re-stocking the Mary River Cod back into the system, they have just not long released thousands of fingerlings, they are really closely related to our extinct cod and I think in a few years when they start to get size to them it will help.

[@jaymieackland4753]

How can I get in touch with you?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

You can look me up on Facebook, Jason Sulda and PM me, if I don't reply try again as I do miss some, I get a lot of messages.

[@madaboutmilitaria3630]

Wow I had no idea😢why are people so irresponsible😢

[@australianbiotopes4563]

It may not just be people being irresponsible, it could also be lack of education, some people don't know any better and don't want to harm the fish and think by setting them free is an option, that is one of the reason for these videos to educate, yes there are probably irresponsible people as well, our local fish club has done up a heap of posters to educate people as well and we have as a group started to hand them out to fish stores to try and help this problem, hopefully it will stop it as much as it can, Most good stores will take unwanted fish back as well as an option to be re-homed.

[@rivermonstersaustralia2743]

Looks like green terror

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Similar but the Green Terror is from the western side of South America, they are both in the family cichlidae but different sub family, apparently they are around in small numbers to in other areas.

[@skinnydog6665]

What a shame, if the aussie bass is cautious of these they must be ferocious

[@australianbiotopes4563]

We will have to wait and see how they go up agains the thousands of Mary River Cod that have been released into the system to replace the now extinct Brisbane River Cod, maybe it will restore the balance, we can only hope 🙂

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I knew that this would happen. Who let these into the country in the 1st place ??

[@australianbiotopes4563]

They have been here for a long time, unfortunately this happens, that's why I made this video, hopefully it will educate people.

[@eionmark7424]

Box net the creek for 3 years to try deplete the numbers?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

I've been trying, I get everything else but them, they don't seem to want to go into traps, you get the occasional one, the young are easy to catch on hooks but the adults are more fussy, as earth eaters, I even threw live worms in front of them while snorkelling and they ignored them and just kept chewing the bottom.

[@ladypeiandtheclown5410]

@@australianbiotopes4563can you spear them instead?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@ladypeiandtheclown5410 It's illegal to spear fish in freshwater or I would of done that, while I was snorkelling you could see how close I could get to them, they weren't afraid.

[@ladypeiandtheclown5410]

@@australianbiotopes4563 damn that’s a shame

[@damor4878]

As a local SE qld I've been told there are jack Dempsey and green terror in nth pine dam. I've seen oscars in our local creeks as well.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yeah there is heaps around, I've even seen Flowerhorns in Forest Lake but none have taken off like these yet other than Tilapia.

[@ophirdog]

Some people are so irresponsible.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes or just don't have the knowledge.

[@MichaelBrown-no8gh]

I've caught at least a hundred of these bastards in my local creek they make it so hard to catch any natives

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yeah it's annoying but better out then in, next time I go out and catch some big ones I'm going to see how they taste, maybe smoke them, the good thing is you can take them home where you can't with the Tilapia.

[@rrotley1]

Sadly, there will always be people who just don't GAF about the impact of their actions on the Australian enviroment no matter how much information/education is out there. Is the infestation of pearl cichlids so large it cannot be eliminated?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Pretty much, they are right through the system now, and have been found elsewhere as well, with the amount of young they have and how successful they are, I think we are stuck with them.

[@rrotley1]

@@australianbiotopes4563 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@Southside_fishn]

I’ve gone out and caught 12 down the bottom

[@Southside_fishn]

Out the bottom of the spill near the road might even be the same spot

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@Southside_fishn Yeah sounds like it.

[@willywatto2582]

My fish tank 😂

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Good inspiration for a tank 🙂

[@ralphstern2845]

What is wrong with some of these aquaculturists? Why would you release an exotic pest? Madness

[@NameName-do9hj]

Thankyou Bloody carp of the North 😢

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Not quite but getting there, I'd say Tilapia take that roll, still not good though.

[@matthewj6154]

It's been warm for an extended periot, eventually a nasty winter will knock em out I imagine. Still, idiots dumping Cichlids and taking out the native stuff in the mean time.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

These have been here for probably over 20 years and are cold tolerant, they come from South America but the areas they come from pretty much match our climate in SEQ. they probably won't get down further south but if they get into some of the waterways further north there could be more problems, they have just become more prolific in the past few years so they are seen a lot more.

[@alisonphilp7497]

It’s such A shame that aquarium owners don’t know enough about wat happens if u let aquarium fish go in foreign waters people just need to be educated a little when they buy fish not just a sale

[@australianbiotopes4563]

One of the reasons I thought I would make it my mission, as a dedicated aquarium owner my self I feel it's my responsibility with a channel like this, most aquarium stores are very responsible but you do get the odd one that doesn't care, I have actually been unfortunate to work at one of these and I have to say I left as soon as I found out, I didn't want anything to do with them, it's a sad practice.

[@RoBot9491]

I just don’t understand why there are not greater restrictions on species the aquarium trade can sell, and why criminalising the release of non native species cannot be reinforced at point of sale. Mum and dad getting little Johnny a fishtank for his room may not have any idea they are doing the wrong thing in liberating the family pet once its outgrown its tank. Educate these people at point of sale and warn of the severe consequences, environmentally as well as legally.

[@jokervienna6433]

Sad news indeed. It somehow makes it worse that it is a very majestic and beautiful fish (I have kept Geophagus myself). I feel I am not logical here, it is a destructive fish (Geophagus - Eartheater), so it should not be there. Not sure what can be done, but perhaps they are tasty? A 20-30 cm fish should be ok for one person.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes the problem I have found is the young fish take a bait readily but the adults don't seem to be bothered by even worms, I was swimming with them and dropped some worms in front of them and they acted like they weren't even there and just kept sucking up the bottom, this poses another problem trying to catch the larger ones, people who do probably just get lucky, if spear fishing was aloud in our freshwaters I would of got a good number of them, they aren't scared.

[@jokervienna6433]

@@australianbiotopes4563 not even worms, eh? Perhaps it might work with small hooks and small shrimp? Like "bottomfishing"? But you are smart, so you might have already tried that. For spearfishing, since Australia is hard around invasive species, it might be possible to get an exception? But I know, "someone" has to act and that "someone" does likely not have much time available. There are many good ideas, if "someone" just had the energy and time to go for it. That means that I don´t think you should do this, but it might inspire some others. My man, you go and do your own stuff!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@jokervienna6433 People have already tried to get around the laws with the spear fishing for invasive species, it's like talking to a brick wall a law it a law, it's just like we have man made lakes full of invasive species and they have no fishing signs, it's like the governing bodies are against trying to fix the problem, I have tried small shrimp before as well, they just don't seem interested, I did think they would of gone for the worms but they are hard headed.

[@jokervienna6433]

@@australianbiotopes4563 that is some other sad parts then. It is the time to act when some folks recognize a problem, and it could kind of "easily" be fixed. But with authorities having that view, well, hello rabbits and foxes again. Do it like Florida. Doh. It just makes me sad. I wish you and everyone that show these things all the best of luck! I guess luck (or going illegal) is the way. All the best! /JV

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@jokervienna6433 Thanks!

[@Antipodean33]

I thought it is illegal to import any non native animal into this country. I thought I couldn't import foreign snakes and lizards for example, I also had no idea about the aquarium industry, are they exempt from this importation law? I'll tell you something, some people are absolute garbage, isn't Australia infested with enough damaging feral animals as it is without importing more exotics and releasing them

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Over the years the authorities have learnt, a lot of these fish were here before the tougher laws as are some reptiles, the difference is they have made people hand reptiles in, but there are a certain amount of fish that can still be imported as they don't pose a treat, but others do slip through as well and as bio security is overwhelmed and underfunded they can't keep up with it all, once these get into a system they are a lot harder to get rid of as well, but these fish have been here for many years, some have been re-called but others haven't, if this keeps going it will only get tougher though.

[@berinasnaturestories]

It is sad that people have been advised to limit the fish, they are so beautiful. The activity of the fish and how they protect their young is awesome. It ends with good news, nice to hear that you protect them too.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

I don't protect them they are a feral species and do a lot of damage, there is no good outcome, they are destroying the local ecosystem and there is no way now to stop them.

[@berinasnaturestories]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Ooooh! I understand now.

[@GratefulOutlook]

Well people wreck everything don't they?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Sure do.

[@nielsmadsen7750]

I think Australian Environmental Departments and Fisheries have to step up and start banning the sale of harmful non-endemic species to save our own wildlife, repair damaged habitat. The list of noxious fish and plant species is just growing bigger, from Gambusia to Tilapia and on and on. You can't sell Queensland as a pristine natural wilderness anymore; that is a joke.