08/05/2026
Finders Keepers… Right?
If you find it in your local creek, you can keep it in your fish tank… right?
These days, you have to be a little more careful about what you collect and decide to take home. As a kid, I loved collecting fish and whatever else I could find in local drains and creeks. To be honest, not much has changed on that front.
I was lucky enough to grow up in the Northern Territory and was able to catch Rainbowfish, Purple-spotted Gudgeons, freshwater crabs, and even Fantail Guppies. At the time, I had no idea the guppies weren’t native fish. I just thought it was great that I could find them in the drain across from my house. They looked fantastic in a fish tank too.
These days, I still enjoy setting a few fish traps to see what’s around, and I have to say, the Crimson-spotted Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi) from the Coomera River are spectacular. I’ve also caught Long-claw Shrimp, Empire Gudgeons, and Flathead Gudgeons — all native species that ended up in my aquarium at home.
Before collecting any native fish, it’s well worth checking the regulations, as bag limits still apply. Some areas may also have restricted access during breeding seasons, and certain species may even be protected and required to be returned to the water if caught.
For anyone local to South East Queensland, the regulations around fish traps can be found here:
https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/boating-fishing/rec-fishing/rules/equipment
What Else Might You Catch?
Aside from native fish and shrimp, South East Queensland waterways are home to a number of invasive species, and it’s important to be able to identify what you catch.
These can include:
• Swordtails
• Platies
• Mollies
• Guppies
• Goldfish
• Texas Cichlids
• Pearl Cichlids
• Chinese Weatherfish
• Gambusia (Mosquito Fish)
• Carp
• Tilapia
On the Gold Coast especially, we also have an Australian native, the Barred Grunter, living outside its natural range, where it has become quite a nuisance species. Apparently, they’re pretty good eating too — check out this video from Adam Kilpatrick Fishing:
Adam Kilpatrick Fishing – Barred Grunter Video
https://youtu.be/vMbv9Sp4Poo?si=8gOxumEVIkt39G6B
What Can You Keep?
Most of these invasive species can legally be kept if caught. Pearl Cichlids and Texas Cichlids, for example, can make fantastic display fish or even live food for larger predatory species.
However, if you don’t want them, you can’t simply release them back into the creek — they don’t belong there.
Tilapia, Carp, Chinese Weathelfish and Mosquito Fish are classified as restricted noxious species in Queensland. They must not be:
• Taken home
• Given away
• Sold
• Transported
• Released back into the wild
These fish must be humanely euthanised and disposed of appropriately, either by burial or in a rubbish bin.
For many of these exotic species, one of the cleanest and simplest euthanasia methods is an ice slurry (ice water).
The Problem With “Accidental Pets”
Recently, I’ve seen several Facebook posts where people asked for help identifying a fish they caught in a local creek and later kept in their aquarium — only for it to grow into a very large fish. The fish was clearly a Tilapia.
Keeping one is often an honest mistake, especially when the fish is small. The real problem comes later: what do you do with it?
By law in Queensland, Tilapia cannot be kept because they are a restricted noxious fish. Unfortunately, once a fish has been raised as a pet, doing the legally correct thing becomes much harder emotionally than it would have been when it was first caught. This is one reason these fish are so often illegally released into waterways after they outgrow home aquariums.
The Easy Ones
Platies, guppies, mollies and swordtails are fantastic beginner fish and can still be found locally in a huge variety of colours. If you’re trapping in local waterways and removing a few from the system, you’re actually doing the environment a favour 😊
For anyone interested in trapping fish locally, there are also some great tips from Goldfish on YouTube right here in South East Queensland:
https://www.youtube.com/
swordtail https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/other/swordtail
Platy https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/other/platy
Goldfish https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/other/goldfish
Texas Cichlid https://www.facebook.com/biosecurityqld/photos/-we-were-recently-alerted-to-several-suspected-exotic-cichlids-released-into-a-p/1122016099951476/
Pearl Cichlid https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4792
Gambusia (mosquito fish) https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/gambusia
Carp https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/carp
Tilapia https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/tilapia
Chinese Weatherfish https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/chinese-weatherfish
Barred Grunter https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/boating-fishing/rec-fishing/fish-species-guide/fish-species-id/species-page?grid=1yfamx5n9Gq92Ky9FKK6qY&id=2d4MTITRTr9G6HOLHyVvoI
