More than 4,000 goldfish have invaded the 12 acre Teller Lake near Valmont Road in Boulder County, Colorado.

Reports claim an individual dropped a few goldfish into the lake a few years ago. The offspring of these few goldfish have exploded and are estimated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) experts to now number over 4,000.

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As an exotic species not native to the lake, these seemingly harmless goldfish can be potentially disastrous for the lake's natural ecosystem and biodiversity.

CPW spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said officials might drain the lake to solve this goldfish infestation. The agency originally stated it would stun the fish with electric shocks, collect them from the surface and take them to a raptor rehabilitation center.

Apart from this invasive goldfish, may indigenous fish species thrive in the lake such as bluegills, channel catfish and tiger muskies. Churchill says tiger muskies also aren't native to the lake but have been tolerated since they help control the undesirable populations of suckers.

The lake is considered to outside the Boulder city limits but is still under the jurisdiction of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks department. According to Open Space and Mountain Parks spokesman Phillip Yates said the agency hasn't yet decided on a specific strategy for the lake restoration with CPW.

Many locals have already contacted the wildlife center to help out with the goldfish removal project. Officials aren't looking for the public to help them, though.

Since the area is a wetland marsh, there are natural resources in the region that should be preserved and maintained and human interference from people removing fish from the lake isn't desirable.

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