RIPPLE partners with Water Colors Aquarium Gallery to host exotic fish surrender event

Paige Filice<filicepa@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Do you have aquarium plants or fish you can no longer care for? Surrender unwanted freshwater fish and plants at the RIPPLE event on October 26 at Water Colors Aquarium Gallery in Grand Rapids.

For decorative purposes.
Photo via Canva.com.

The Reduce Invasive Pet and Plant Escapes program (RIPPLE) is partnering with the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery in Grand Rapids to host a free Exotic Fish Surrender Event on Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 11 AM to 3 PM. The public is welcome to surrender common freshwater aquarium species including fish and plants for free. No other species will be accepted such as small mammals, reptiles, or amphibians. The event will take place at the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery store located at 453 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

The goal of the event is to offer a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to releasing unwanted aquarium species into Michigan’s lakes and streams. Many plants and animals found in aquariums have been imported from other parts of the world and while they are fun to enjoy as pets, they can be harmful and invasive if they are released into the wild. Popular non-native plants and fish are bred to grow quickly and be environmentally hardy, making them excellent additions to household aquariums but sometimes detrimental if introduced to our native ecosystems. It is never safe to release unwanted water garden or aquarium plants and animals into natural waterways.

Michigan State University Extension has fostered strong partnerships with pet and garden retailers to reach as many aquarium and pond owners as possible with the RIPPLE program. Through RIPPLE, retailers are supplied free products to display in their store and handouts for customers, stressing the importance of not releasing species into the wild.

RIPPLE's education initiatives are coordinated by MSU Extension in partnership with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. RIPPLE is funded by the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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