Goldfish lend helping fin to livestock producers by keeping water clean

Cattle producers use natural method to clean tank water, increase beef quality

Twenty years ago, cattle rancher Glenn Treftz of Wetonka added a few goldfish to the stock tanks for his livestock.

He had no idea of the benefits the fish would provide.

“Someone suggested it as a way to keep your tanks clean. For a few bucks, you could pick up a plastic bag of the little fish and drop them in the outdoor (stock) tanks,” Treftz said. “I thought it was worth a try. They did well. The goldfish have always survived the winter even with several inches of ice on the tank. They stay in the tank year-round. Some fish even reached lengths of up to 13 and a half inches, adapting in size to their surroundings.”