What kind of fish is this?

[gregg mckee]

I caught this yesterday in a freshwater pond a few miles from our place on Pine Island, FL.  I’m guessing it’s some kind of ornamental koi that someone released.  The pond is full of non-native species like blue tilapia and mayan cichlids.  This fish ate a small bluegill popper and put up a lousy fight.  Any exact ID’s?

[regan c. kenyon jr.]

I don’t think its a koi.

[Andrew Barclay]

I think it may be a butterfly koi.

[Andrew Wright]

I am with Andrew. My parents have a koi pond with several butterfly koi, and that fish has all the same characteristics.

[gregg mckee]

I think that might be it.

[gregg mckee]

By the way, how big do they get?

[Darrin Terry]

I don’t know from Koi, but the first thing that went through my head was “Monster Beta”.

;D
Obviously it’s not, but those fins draped down instantly reminded me of the betas my dad had when I was a kid.

[Andrew Wright]

I haven’t seen them get much bigger than the one that you caught. I have seen a couple of regular koi in a neighborhood pond get up around 20 lbs though.  

[tradd d]

That’s a Heires, the most poisonous fish alive…be very careful 😮

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