A Pacific Northwest family has shared the heart-stopping discovery of what was lurking beneath the waters of their home pond in a video on TikTok.
The clip begins with a scene of carefree summer fun, with kids paddling in a pond. However, this quickly turned into something a little more alarming when mother Alicia showed viewers a huge sturgeon swimming in the very same pond.
Alicia, who is known as @chickenlittles on TikTok, told Newsweek that the freshwater fish had been living in the pond since her family purchased the house.
@chickenlittles
“We aren’t 100 percent sure how it got here. However, he is clearly thriving, so we have no plans on trying to relocate him,” the mom of there said.
Known for their size and ancient lineage, sturgeons are typically found in oceans and rivers, particularly in North America, Europe and Asia. Sturgeon can grow impressively large, with some species reaching lengths of over 18 feet and weighing up to 2,000 pounds.
Alicia told Newsweek that her children, Gage and Stormie, weren’t intimidated by the prehistoric-looking creature as it doesn’t have teeth. Sturgeon are what’s called “bottom feeders,” which means they typically feed near the bottom of a body of water.
“My kids were so excited, they are as equally fascinated by him and are not scared to still swim in the water,” she said.
In fact, the family has embraced the fish, which they’ve named Steve the Sturgeon. After spotting him in the water, they fed him some treats and returned the following day to “admire his presence” again.
Alicia’s video has gained over one million views and hundreds of comments from other social media users, who were both amazed and concerned by the ancient fish species.
“It’s a bottom feeder and keeps the pond clean. He won’t hurt the kids,” one user wrote.
That said, one user claimed that they had been “dragged down” by a sturgeon when they were around 8 years old and urged Alicia to be careful because she believes they aren’t safe.
Someone asked the original poster how the sturgeon got in the pond in the first place. Alicia believes the previous owners put it in there.
Others chimed in with their sturgeon stories: “I have one called Sheldon,” one user commented.
“We have a 32-year-old sturgeon. Those aren’t spikes. He can’t hurt you. They [live] up to 60 years in our rivers,” another wrote.
Another agreed and commented: “Their backs aren’t sharp. They’re just little bumps. He’s a gentle giant.”
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