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This gives new meaning to the phrase, big fish.
A massive 9-pound goldfish has been discovered in a South Carolina lake after officials were performing a routine water quality test, a report says.
Ty Houck, the director of greenways, natural and historic resources at the Greenville County parks department, told The State he did not know how long the fish had been in Oak Grove Lake, but guessed it was someone's pet that they didn't want anymore.
(Credit: Greenville County Rec)
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“Our guess is someone didn’t want to kill their fish but couldn’t take care of it anymore,” Houck told the news outlet.
Greenville Rec also posted a photo of the fantastic fish to their Facebook page.
Though most goldfish are tiny, largely living in small bowls, Houck said their size can vary greatly, recalling one from his own childhood.
“They grow to the size of their environment,” he added.
Given its large size, it's likely that it could be very old, with Houck's mother referring to it as Methuselah.
“This might be the Methuselah for Oak Grove Lake,” Houck said of the 9-pound fish, while also noting its survival skills.
In addition to its longevity, Houck said the goldfish must have some pretty good survival skills after some dredging was done at the lake’s headwaters earlier this year.
Goldfish aren't native to South Carolina lakes, but are not considered invasive. Commenting on its size, Houck also noted the lake is healthy and not a result of any nuclear exposure.
“We are not downstream of nuclear power plant,” Houck explained. “It’s actually just the opposite.
“It is obviously healthy enough at Oak Grove Lake for that goldfish to get that big,” he added.