Officials in western Canada are urging people not to flush their pet goldfish down the toilet because they're surviving and multiplying at an alarming rate, BBC reported.

According to claims of the provincial government, some of these blinged up critters have grown to the size of dinner plates, and are multiplying like bunnies from Lethbridge to Fort McMurray.

Kate Wilson, an aquatic invasive species coordinator at Alberta Environment and Parks, said in a statement that it is quite surprising that the fish have grown in abundance at a very fast rate, CBCnews reports.

In one such case, nearly 40 of the domestic fish species were pulled from a stormwater pond in the municipality of Wood Buffalo.

Wilson admitted that it was really scary because it means they're reproducing in the wild, getting quite large and surviving winters that far north.

"Approximately one third of the invasive species out there that threaten native aquatic environments are from aquariums and the ornamental trade", she said.

Alberta has currently declared itself 'rat-free', and maintains a rat hotline for any resident who believes to have sighted one of the furry fellows.

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) have been known to grow to up to 19 inches long, and are omnivorous predators in the wild, gobbling crustaceans, insects, and various plant matter as they swim.

They have a memory-span of at least three months and can be trained to recognize and to react to color signals, and perform tricks.

The local government is also launching campaign Don't Let It Loose to make owners aware of the dangers of flushing their fish down the toilet. The campaign will target pet stores, businesses.