And I am you and what I see is me

Dumping anything out of an aquarium—fish, animals, and plants—can have devastating consequences for Texas’ natural waterbodies. This is true for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. Never dump them into a natural body of water or flush them down the toilet.

THE NEXT INVASIVE SPECIES COULD COME FROM YOUR AQUARIUM.

Your aquarium fish, animals and plants are likely not native to Texas. This makes them an invasive species. When they’re dumped into the wild they can introduce disease or become serious predators, killing off local fish colonies, and damaging reefs and vegetation that keep our underwater ecosystem alive and healthy.

THE LIONFISH INVASION

What started as a beautiful pet is wreaking havoc on our coastal ecosystem. Lionfish are from the West Pacific Ocean and don’t belong here. They are believed to have been released in Florida by unsuspecting aquarium owners and have been spreading rapidly since. This aggressive and venomous fish can grow up to 19 inches long and has no natural predators here. It has become a major pest causing enormous ecological and economic damage. This invasion has reduced the number of local fish like juvenile grouper and snapper, shrimp and crab species. They can also completely strip reefs. If you see one, report it immediately.