Conservationists removed invasive carp from a pond in Colorado.

Footage shows the Colorado Parks and Wildlife holding some of the 14 bighead carp that they captured in Jack B Tomlinson Park pond in Arvada on May 15.

A concerned local tipped off wildlife officers about the sighting of the monster fish swimming in the waterways.

The removal operation targeted bighead carp, members of the Asian carp family. These carp pose a significant threat to native ecosystems due to their voracious appetite for plankton.

These invasive fish, introduced to Colorado waters in 1992 as part of a national study, can outcompete native species for resources, disrupting the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems.

CPW Invasive Species Program Manager Robert Walters said: 'Bighead carp are filter feeders capable of rapid growth, posing a formidable challenge to native species.

'Their removal is crucial to safeguarding the biodiversity of our waterways.'

The fish had an average weight of up to 46 pounds and spanned over three feet in length.

Despite their initial introduction over two decades ago, there were no signs of natural reproduction.

Kyle Battige, senior aquatic biologist for CPW's northeast region, added: 'This operation was initiated thanks to a tip from an angler.'

Philip Sorensen, CPW District Wildlife Manager for Westminster and Arvada, said: 'We rely on the public to report sightings of invasive species in their neighbourhoods.'