Would a thousand of these fish be able to clean up the

[Matthew28]

Would a thousand of these fish be able to clean up the green filth in our pool that Trump fucked up?

Anyone know of a giant green pool that needs some natural maintenance? This guy’s available and enthusiastic

Link to tweet

[Matthew28]

1. I think this fish is the solution.

[Emile]

2. Is this a tropical fish?

[Matthew28]

3. It's a fancy goldfish, most likely a Ranchu

It's a fancy goldfish, most likely a Ranchu (or possibly an Oranda).

@volcaholic1

From the X post video, it's a classic fancy goldfish with a large, bumpy "wen" (the fleshy head growth), rounded body, and prominent eyes. It's actively eating long strands of green filamentous algae (string algae), which explains the humorous "natural maintenance" caption for a giant green pool.

@volcaholic1

Key identifying features:Wen (head growth): The textured, cauliflower-like lump on top of the head is a hallmark of Ranchu and Oranda varieties.
Body shape: Short, egg-shaped body typical of fancy goldfish (selectively bred from common goldfish).
Color: Pale orange/peach with some yellow tones.
Behavior: Enthusiastically munching algae, which these fish do well in ponds or large setups.

Ranchu goldfish are a Japanese breed often called "lionheads" due to their wen; Orandas are similar but usually have a dorsal fin (this one appears finless on top, pointing more to Ranchu). Fancy goldfish like these are popular in ponds and can help control algae, though they're best in well-maintained water (not heavily treated pools).

youtube.com

One reply in the thread even calls it a "ranchu goldfish" directly.

@volcaholic1

These are hardy but sensitive to poor water quality—perfect for a joke about cleaning up green water! If you have more details or another angle, I can refine this.

[Matthew28]

4. No, it's not a tropical fish. It's a coldwater/temperate fish

No, it's not a tropical fish. It's a coldwater/temperate fish (specifically a fancy goldfish variety like Ranchu or Oranda).Why it's not tropical:Temperature preferences: Fancy goldfish like Ranchus and Orandas do best in cooler water, typically 65–74°F (18–23°C). They can tolerate a wider range (down to near-freezing in ponds or up to the mid-80s°F briefly), but long-term tropical heat (75–82°F / 24–28°C, standard for tropical fish) stresses them, speeds up metabolism, shortens lifespan, and increases risks like swim bladder issues or organ strain.

aqueon.com

Origins: Goldfish (Carassius auratus) come from temperate East Asia. While some modern breeders (e.g., in Thailand) raise them in warmer conditions, they are still classified as coldwater fish, not true tropicals.

jimmygoldfish.com

Comparison to tropical fish: Tropical species (like tetras, bettas, or most cichlids) need consistently warm, heated water and often come from equatorial regions. Goldfish thrive in unheated indoor tanks or outdoor ponds that experience seasonal changes.

In the video, this guy is happily eating algae in what looks like a large pond setup—perfect for its hardy, coldwater nature. If you're thinking of keeping one, avoid mixing it with true tropical fish due to mismatched needs. Let me know if you have care questions!

[Emile]

8. Thanks for the information. Thinking that would be a great way

to control algae in my pond. But they wouldn't work in my pond because, they don't grow large enough to keep from getting eaten.

[TheBlackAdder]

5. An Ozone Infusion Pump can clear lakes and will not harm waterfoul. If done right, it will protect them from pathogens.

They just need to spend a grand or two on a pump to generate enough ozone to kill the algae and bacteria, while remaining safe to drink. Just one ozone pump will clear a small lake in a few days. But this administration are the fuckups who can't shoot straight.

[orthoclad]

11. But the water will still be full of

the river-water nutrients which are feeding the bloom. It would return.

I don't know where they tap the river to fill the Pool, but the Potomac upstream had a massive sewage spill a few months ago. Much of the nutrients released have flushed downstream, but I bet a lot of N and P still lurks in that river.

[Grim Chieftain]

6. Let's just throw Trump in and let him suck it up

He created the problem...

[multigraincracker]

7. Add his DOJ lawyers for help.

[Maru Kitteh]

9. Only if it's a shitless fish. A complete ecosystem is required OR chemical sterilization.

That’s how environments work. Humans don’t seem to grasp this very well. We are part of a larger system. That which we kill, will kill us.

[orthoclad]

13. Yes. It's an ecosystem, not a swimming pool.

They fill it with Potomac River water. Over a long period of time it will be depleted of nutrients, with cleaning of dead bulk.

[. I like "shitless fish". Could be a great band name : ). ]

[orthoclad]

10. Invasive species. They would colonize the Potomac,

which has more than enough invasive species already. Goldfish are pollution-tolerant; I've seen them in streams which won't support any other fish.

The Pool is filled with river water. I assume they filter it, using a mesh too coarse to filter algae cells, but which removes the native grazer species which keep the Potomac from looking like this. The solution would be to introduce native grazers like snails, insects, and algae-eating fish.

The blue color accelerates the growth, but it doesn't cause it. The algae are blooming because the river water they filled it with is loaded with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. In an environment artificially free from grazers algae grows like crazy, until the rich soup of nutrients is depleted. Then they die, rot, and stink; the water loses the oxygen.

The Pool is like an oxbow lake filled with river water from a flood but with animals filtered out. It's an aquarium, an artificial ecosystem, not a swimming pool. Two very different things.

The vandal is Nature.

Aquarium keepers decades ago had the goal of the "balanced aquarium" (is that still a thing?), with just enough plants to provide oxygen and eat up the nutrients.

But the Feds are now a science-depleted ecosystem.

[malaise]

12. I recommend that they fill it with pirhanas

and then drop Sloppy in by way of THE CLAW😀

[orthoclad]

14. And snakeheads

They're in the Potomac now.

Snakehead Terror is a 2004 Canadian-American made-for-television science fiction-horror film and is one of two Sci Fi Channel films based on the snakehead fish incident in a Crofton, Maryland, pond.[1] The other film is Frankenfish.[3] ...
Snakehead fish invade Cultus Lake in the small town of Cultus, Maryland, although the town's police department poisons the lake, seemingly killing all of the fish. Two years later, bodies begin showing up in the lake
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakehead_Terror

Also see"Frankenfish".

"Welcome to the bottom of the food chain"

The first sighting of snakeheads in the US was very near DC.

[malaise]

15. Bwaaaah

Perfect 😀