What is happening with the goldfish in Lake Cornelia, Minnesota?

The town of Edina in Minnesota has been dealing with an influx of invasive goldfish in Lake Cornelia, with the population exploding and the fish even mutating into much larger versions.

How are the authorities in Edina, Minnesota addressing the goldfish problem?

The town has partnered with the Minnesota Zoo, which now buys the captured invasive fish to feed to animals like bears, sea lions, and otters.

How have the zoo animals reacted to the new goldfish food?

While the brown bears, sea lions, and otters have welcomed the new delicacy, the black bears, leopards, and tigers are still getting used to the strange new food.

Home / Environment / Mutant Goldfish Takeover: Minnesota Lake Becomes Feeding Ground for Zoo Animals

Mutant Goldfish Takeover: Minnesota Lake Becomes Feeding Ground for Zoo Animals

9 Oct, 2025

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Summary

50,000 invasive goldfish removed from Lake Cornelia in 2023
Goldfish have mutated, doubling in size despite declining numbers
Minnesota Zoo buys captured fish to feed to bears, sea lions, and otters

Mutant Goldfish Takeover: Minnesota Lake Becomes Feeding Ground for Zoo Animals

In a unique twist to an environmental crisis, a town in Minnesota has found a way to use the influx of invasive goldfish in a local lake to feed zoo animals. The town of Edina has been grappling with a goldfish takeover of Lake Cornelia, with the population exploding and the fish even mutating into much larger versions.

Last year, in 2023, around 50,000 of the critters were removed from the lake, and so far in 2025, over 8,500 have been caught. The surprising part is that despite the declining numbers, the total weight of the catches remains about the same, as some of the goldfish have doubled in size through mutation.