PHOTOS: Arkansas home to largest producer of goldfish

Goldfish are loaded into trucks that take them to Pool Fisheries’ factory for sorting and spawning.
Goldfish are loaded into trucks that take them to Pool Fisheries’ factory for sorting and spawning.

One could say Pool Fisheries is a big fish in a small pond.

The family-owned goldfish farm outside Lonoke is the largest producer of goldfish in the United States, according to general manager Rodney Elmore. He estimates Pool Fisheries, which deals with PetSmart and wholesalers, supplies 80 percent of the goldfish at pet stores nationwide.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Workers seine fish at sunrise from a pond at Pool Fisheries.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Pool Fisheries ships millions of goldfish per week via special trucks with refrigeration.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Water fills spawning pools where the fish breed and lay eggs at Pool Fisheries.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Ice is added to the water to slow down the metabolism of the fish, making them more lethargic so they can survive the ride.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Pool Fisheries prepares its weekly shipment to PetSmart.

Mitchell Pe Masilun went on a fishing expedition for some splashy photographs.

-- Jennifer Christman

Style on 07/25/2017

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