FISH owners are being warned not to dump their pets into public waterways.

The warning from the RSPCA comes after hundreds of fish were found gasping for air in a dried up pond at the Brook Country Park in Clacton.

Animal collection officer Joe White was called to the struggling fish as a large pond had evaporated reducing it to a muddy puddle with only an inch of water at the bottom.

The fish, which were all goldfish, were found gasping for air and swimming over another.

About 300 goldfish were found alive but about 50 were already dead. Mr White took a large container of water to try to rescue the goldfish.

He took the survivors to South Essex Wildlife Hospital.

Mr White continued: “When they were moved into freshwater they were coughing up lumps of mud.

“It was a really awful sight to see the fish flapping around and struggling in the mud.

“They were effectively suffocating in front of my eyes.”

Mr White suspects the goldfish were dumped in the pond as someone decided they no longer wanted to keep them.

He added: “They were left to breed in a large pond and the numbers have quickly spiralled out of control and over-populated a small amount of water.

“It’s been so hot and dry recently that, unfortunately, this small pond quickly dried up.

“It left these fish to die a slow and painful death.

“Thankfully someone spotted them in the nick of time and we were able to save most of them.” Mr White said ditching any animals was not acceptable.

He added: “We just urge people to be responsible pet owners and find a suitable new home for unwanted pet fish rather than abandoning them into water systems.”

It is an offence to release or allow to escape any non-native species into the wild.

In this case goldfish are non native to the UK.

Anyone who may have information about who dumped these fish should call the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

For more information about looking after fish, visit the RSPCA website at rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/fish.