Pleco Invasion - Trouble in Blue Spring State Park

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  • čas přidán 12. 11. 2018
  • This video highlights an infestation of invasive catfish in Blue Spring State Park in Florida. These non-native fish are causing serious problems in the park which serves as a winter refuge for manatees. Please don't ever release your aquarium fish into the wild!
    More info about Blue Spring State Park:
    www.floridastateparks.org/par...
    Underwater footage courtesy of:
    Bob Fanok
    / bfanok
    Matthew Clark
    / adventuresinflorida
    Thumbnail photo credit:
    Roman Burkardt
    sambafisch.de/
    Music: A Tale of Vengeance by Aakash Gandhi
    -------------------------------------------------
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    stevepolandaquatics.com

Komentáře • 3,7K

  • @coxie
    @coxie Před 5 lety +2640

    Some say he's still down there to this day, trying to catch plecos by hand

  • @IzzoWingChun
    @IzzoWingChun Před 3 lety +1086

    I bought one in 1996 and put it in a 55 gallon fish tank. It is 2021 and the MF'er is STILL alive and the only reason I have the damn tank is because he is the only fish left in it.

    • @Juno_Kujo
      @Juno_Kujo Před 3 lety +92

      wow lol, they are hardy fish

    • @ufos22
      @ufos22 Před 3 lety +35

      I bought everything to make a tarp to catch baby placos, (S. Florida) but $2 each at the local flee market was easier

    • @brianroberts5740
      @brianroberts5740 Před 3 lety +64

      I can actually understand that. I put a little 3" placo in one of our 55 gallon Cichlid tanks. I forgot about it for probably about a year.
      My Cichlids were doing great!!! From Petsmart, I paid like $ 4 to maybe $7 for a nice one.
      One day I couldn't find my Johanni. He didn't come to breakfast with the others.
      I have some pretty large flat rocks and lots of hiding places. I started removing some pieces and that Pleco shot out from under a rock and was HUGE!!! He had grown almost a foot in length. He was a BEAST!!!
      Ended up trading it for some zoanthid colonies. Was happy.

    • @innerpeacefindings671
      @innerpeacefindings671 Před 3 lety +8

      Awesome story

    • @PastelStudios
      @PastelStudios Před 3 lety +59

      damn the fish is older than me lmao.

  • @nucleartoilet4646
    @nucleartoilet4646 Před 4 lety +848

    I can't even catch the pleco in my aquarium, no idea how this guy is gonna grab them by hand.

    • @kgmc29
      @kgmc29 Před 4 lety

      NuclearTOILET why the **** are u goin to grab him like a toy

    • @wimpytheory8053
      @wimpytheory8053 Před 4 lety +1

      He's a live animal

    • @sleepy_dino8731
      @sleepy_dino8731 Před 3 lety +24

      NuclearTOILET maybe just trying to take him out of the tank🤷‍♀️

    • @chasethesun5603
      @chasethesun5603 Před 3 lety +28

      I trained mine to be okay with my touch, and I have to keep up with this because he's easily spooked. He looks forward to his daily pets, but if anyone else tries to touch him, he knows the difference and lets them know otherwise. But, wild plecos, they're strong and armored, there's no way to catch them without a net

    • @Cat-di9lg
      @Cat-di9lg Před 3 lety +3

      @@sleepy_dino8731 If they have to be moved like for a tank redo, leakage, or to another tank not being able to get them can cause damage to the fish, and others around it. When I moved mine to a bigger tank he swam into my turtle, got part of his fin bit off, and my turtle ran into the glass. With most fish you can use a net, but nets are dangerous for them, and it's just easier to grab them and get them where they gotta be.

  • @dwakeling1
    @dwakeling1 Před 4 lety +37

    0:32
    Look at all those chickens

  • @rm9308
    @rm9308 Před 5 lety +640

    "Divers are attempting to contain these fish."
    *contains zero fish

  • @mattmansarizona8868
    @mattmansarizona8868 Před 5 lety +725

    Shit. Supply me with beer, and a no limit fishing lisence. Might a take few days, but I'll get em out for ya. I wont eat em, but man I like fishing, and beer.

  • @madisondameron142
    @madisondameron142 Před 3 lety +201

    Hey friendly reminder that you shouldnt buy any animal, even a goldfish, without doing your research 🙃 They may need more space and care than you think

    • @madisondameron142
      @madisondameron142 Před 3 lety +12

      @@youtubeenjoyer-pf3tu I know, and a lot of people put them in fishbowls 😭

    • @user-lw4vi4oy2d
      @user-lw4vi4oy2d Před 3 lety +14

      Let's not forget about betta and neon tetra which are bought like rice and usually aren't valued that much higher either

    • @madisondameron142
      @madisondameron142 Před 3 lety +11

      @@user-lw4vi4oy2d Agreed. Hermit crabs are also a serious issue. There are so many animals out there being neglected it hurts my heart. All it takes is one google search

    • @madtabby66
      @madtabby66 Před 3 lety +3

      You also shouldn't toss them out!

    • @truthless8261
      @truthless8261 Před 3 lety +6

      the major fish store close to me sold 2 of these to a family member to clean a 75...im tired of fish stores that sell giant fish as just "community" fish. its bs. common pleco, redtail catfish, bala sharks. its stupid, and this video is a result of stores selling something that should be a order only fish.

  • @damianmartin4743
    @damianmartin4743 Před 3 lety +27

    In The Caribbean we in Trinidad and Tobago use them as food ,catch clean like any other fish and rub them against a rock till they turn white because they have an armor .Then put some oil,curry seasoning like onions ,garlic ,pepper and curry them with rice or dumplings,they must be well washed with lime or lemon first they taste great .

    • @physetermacrocephalus2209
      @physetermacrocephalus2209 Před 3 lety +3

      This is the solution. Thank you for sharing

    • @prefersoxygen9373
      @prefersoxygen9373 Před 3 lety +2

      Damian! Go to blue spring and catch all you want!
      Then, we have a huge feast for the poor and impoverished, bring some friends too!

    • @persepolis80
      @persepolis80 Před 3 lety +1

      I was thinking the same thing too! I wonder how they taste?

    • @chewbacca4778
      @chewbacca4778 Před 3 lety +1

      Guyanese eat them, too.
      I see them in the market all the time. I couldn't; I find them unappealing.

  • @cr0wnTHEwitch
    @cr0wnTHEwitch Před 5 lety +1170

    The lake is under stocked you could fit at least 12 more Plecos.

    • @lizzybizzy771
      @lizzybizzy771 Před 4 lety +18

      cr0wnTHEwitch 😂😂😂

    • @NoName-oy2km
      @NoName-oy2km Před 4 lety +10

      Too funny....Every video post containing fish and water....there's always that one person who just has to comment ...

    • @dash3226
      @dash3226 Před 4 lety +5

      cr0wnTHEwitch underrated this needs more likes lmao

    • @aureumrose
      @aureumrose Před 4 lety +15

      Throw a few bettas in there and maybe it will be enough

    • @ethansexotics616
      @ethansexotics616 Před 4 lety +11

      @@aureumrose don't forget the good old goldfish to go with it.

  • @ronangameroipero
    @ronangameroipero Před 5 lety +1042

    Yup, those are common pleco. They're a native species here in Brazil. My advice, fish them using line and hook or arpoon, since they're bottom dwellers a net won't work, but a fish trap with vegetables inside might work well. You can eat them, the meat is good, so encouraging ppl to fish them would be a start to fight the invasion.

    • @robkit6681
      @robkit6681 Před 5 lety +82

      They taste like shit

    • @zj1710
      @zj1710 Před 5 lety +65

      Can we cook them and feed to pigs?

    • @Amatersuful
      @Amatersuful Před 5 lety +49

      or use them to catch lobster

    • @kewlztertc5386
      @kewlztertc5386 Před 5 lety +162

      @Tedy Umyoks Are you so young, that you can't understand preparation? I've had chicken that tasted awful, should I have written off all chicken?
      This is a type of Catfish, have you ever had "Blackened Catfish", or some Catfish Nuggets?
      Regular catfish isn't good if you wrap it in foil and bake it with lemon 🍋, it's not that kind of fish. You need to cornmeal batter it.

    • @kewlztertc5386
      @kewlztertc5386 Před 5 lety +54

      @Tedy Umyoks LOL, I'm not the one.
      But you were 6 years old? Kids find many things distasteful. I wonder why you bothered commenting. Do you proclaim your disgust for Broccoli, lima beans, or anything other than Pizza, ice cream, Sugary cereals and soda?

  • @Bruhman3
    @Bruhman3 Před 4 lety +53

    Don’t talk about my family like that

  • @STEVE-mn2ry
    @STEVE-mn2ry Před 4 lety +9

    Legend say the guy still catching those fish by hand

  • @obs_vicc4145
    @obs_vicc4145 Před 5 lety +363

    20,000 pleco’s
    11 failed attempts to catch 1 by hand
    That is indeed an uphill battle 😆

    • @NoName-oy2km
      @NoName-oy2km Před 4 lety +3

      I know rite....you would think a change of strategy is the obvious option.....

    • @jesjeet13
      @jesjeet13 Před 4 lety +4

      I would just set a net and spook them into it as they swim in herds. I bet in a few days all of them will be gone.

    • @chrislahay7086
      @chrislahay7086 Před 3 lety

      @@jesjeet13 forreal, would have all them things gone if I was down there, and allowed to do so;)

    • @lukeclarke8054
      @lukeclarke8054 Před 3 lety

      I see what you did.

    • @seanmorgan8128
      @seanmorgan8128 Před 3 lety

      maybe a net?

  • @shwolverine2300
    @shwolverine2300 Před 5 lety +1172

    Give people 50 cents for every pleco they catch they will extinct within a week

    • @Felix-fr8ze
      @Felix-fr8ze Před 5 lety +111

      someone will feed them for more

    • @chekhovsgun7729
      @chekhovsgun7729 Před 4 lety +304

      A government tried something like that somewhere in the East, but for invasive snakes instead. People just started breeding the snakes for quick cash. When the government caught wind and stopped the reward, people just released all the bred snakes, doubling the snake population.

    • @rubrawolf
      @rubrawolf Před 4 lety +39

      India, and it was with cobras. not invasive, but a nuisance to villages.

    • @gardenpondfishgreenhouse573
      @gardenpondfishgreenhouse573 Před 4 lety +112

      @@chekhovsgun7729 nobody would breed these for 50 cents or a buck, cost to much to feed and raise , catch , transport.

    • @Jeoni22
      @Jeoni22 Před 4 lety

      Lol

  • @MrGabrielJude
    @MrGabrielJude Před 4 lety +20

    Sounds like the makings of an annual cat fish fry festival to me.

  • @matambale
    @matambale Před 4 lety +24

    There's this thing called a "net"...

    • @buzzerking
      @buzzerking Před 3 lety

      They know. This diving sequence is for our benefit to see how big these guys get.

    • @sarahmericle8276
      @sarahmericle8276 Před 3 lety +2

      Yeah, but try emptying the net of those fish. Armored generally means spikey in fish

    • @matambale
      @matambale Před 3 lety +2

      @@sarahmericle8276 I have, many times. It's a pain.

  • @MoonGazelle
    @MoonGazelle Před 5 lety +210

    Last time I was at Blue Springs, the park ranger told me they had recently caught around 600 plecos in one day.

    • @austinfishing3691
      @austinfishing3691 Před 4 lety +2

      They only eat algey

    • @austinfishing3691
      @austinfishing3691 Před 4 lety +1

      Mostly

    • @austinfishing3691
      @austinfishing3691 Před 4 lety +6

      I didn’t mean to comment

    • @Iookitstony
      @Iookitstony Před 4 lety +42

      @@austinfishing3691 Haha. Too late. Everything you said will be used against you in the court of public opinion.

    • @ChuckD59
      @ChuckD59 Před 3 lety +1

      @@austinfishing3691 I've had two "standard" plecos for around ten years and that's true, but one of mine has learned to wait for the food for the other fish and will start running his sucker along the surface for snacks.

  • @ramenhulo381
    @ramenhulo381 Před 4 lety +105

    I agree with whoever said to pay 50 cents for each one caught.

  • @crimegeek
    @crimegeek Před 3 lety +7

    All the OG Pokémon peeps have “gotta catch em all” playing in their head. At least I do 😆

  • @jsauce666
    @jsauce666 Před 3 lety +5

    I live about 15 minutes from Blue Spring and I have seen those plecos in the spring.

    • @stonyxpress7079
      @stonyxpress7079 Před 3 lety

      Are u allowed to catch some urself? Dang,u culd make $ ,they n demand for lge ones?

  • @edub1170
    @edub1170 Před 5 lety +93

    I have grown up in this area and have gone to blue springs my entire life. I often snorkel with these giant schools of pleco. They have no natural predators and are multiplying at an exponential rate. I have seen this phenomenon at almost every spring I have been to in Florida - they have completely invaded Ocala national forest which has many many springs like blue springs. I have also seen schools of giant pacu and several species of cichlids in these waters - it’s heartbreaking

    • @nautilus2612
      @nautilus2612 Před 5 lety +11

      @SDD525
      Natural selection applies to animals who have to deal with harsh environments.
      These plecos have no predators so no selection takes place, they just multiply until the whole biome is ruined.

    • @lefmankan
      @lefmankan Před 5 lety +3

      @@nautilus2612 Natural selection applies to every single organism. Whether they have natural predators or not.

    • @nautilus2612
      @nautilus2612 Před 5 lety +8

      @@lefmankan
      Of course, but mortality is what triggers it.
      If these fish aren't getting killed, they aren't going to change, just increase and increase.
      This is how animals like the nautilus or the coelacanth remained unchanged for millions of years.

    • @nautilus2612
      @nautilus2612 Před 5 lety +14

      @SDD525
      What happens to the plecostomus population is irrelevant after the biome where they've been introduced is wrecked beyond repair, and the complete depletion of nutrients and vegetable matter is more likely to induce mass extinction than mutation anyway.
      When a natural habitat is threatened by an alien species your concern should be the protection of the habitat, not the pest. Reconsider your priorities.
      As for coelacanths evolving, how many millions of years ago did the event you're hinting at happened? Because the prehistoric fossils that have been found are pretty much identical to the currently existing specimen.

    • @bryanjordan8876
      @bryanjordan8876 Před 5 lety

      @SDD525 waiting long enough for the resources to become limited is super detrimental to the ecosystem and the species that live there, though. Sure, they will eventually wipe themselves out, along with literally everything else that is competing with them and everything they are thriving off of.

  • @AussieAquatic
    @AussieAquatic Před 5 lety +88

    That is an INSANE number of Plecos 😨😨😨

  • @MaddyBlu9724
    @MaddyBlu9724 Před 3 lety +14

    Kind of rolling my eyes at all the people going "well we should just fish them until they are all gone!" As if no one has ever thought of that and they are being super clever. We wouldnt have any invasive species if getting rid of them was that simple.

  • @jgreeter
    @jgreeter Před 4 lety +6

    I lived in the Amazon for 6 months and, in my experience, armored algae eaters like this were among the very tastiest fish I encountered. Would definitely recommend having them in stew or grilled in their shell. Get eating!!

  • @martinkaz06666
    @martinkaz06666 Před 5 lety +274

    We had this problem in a local lake, people just started taking them out with nets, drying them and using them as plant fertilizer

    • @viiiderekae
      @viiiderekae Před 5 lety +14

      Cool they do that with tilapia here

    • @beautifuldurian
      @beautifuldurian Před 4 lety +27

      vinod kumar Tilapia is tasty fish. Can fry them or steam. Both taste nice. If found in pond, they have muddy smell so use ginger or spices to kill the smell.

    • @user-tz9jh6pv2j
      @user-tz9jh6pv2j Před 2 lety +9

      @@beautifuldurian yeah i wish i had invasive tilapia in my area. steam em up and get some chili sauce on it. delicious

    • @fakenewslarry4599
      @fakenewslarry4599 Před rokem +2

      Rude

    • @praddzzz
      @praddzzz Před rokem +1

      They survive out of water for few days know?

  • @tommelli5428
    @tommelli5428 Před 5 lety +51

    I collected thousands of plecos from South Florida canals over the years..sold each one for between $5 (wholesale) and $25 (retail)
    very easy to catch in clear water with snorkel gear and a net. In only 3 to 4 hours, I typically would catch 20 to 30 every time..then a quick 15 minute drive to sell them at local fish farm/koi pond business. I'm amazed more people aren't doing it. The $$ was good, great exercise, enjoyable, no boss, and get paid in cash tax free !

  • @phishENchimps
    @phishENchimps Před měsícem

    I love Blue Springs Park. decades ago, I used to go there with my family. When my dad told me I couldn't keep my fish anymore, I released them back into the wild. it was great to see them the next year. haven't been back in years either. I miss my 3 inch Pleco's.

  • @himjim2469
    @himjim2469 Před 3 lety +2

    I started going to this spring back in the late 70s. You never saw one of these fish until about 20 years ago, after that they started multiplying like crazy. It was heartbreaking to see them completely take over

  • @KGTropicals
    @KGTropicals Před 5 lety +332

    I believe I’ve just watched Steve Poland’s next viral video!! Well done my friend, what a great way to raise awareness!!!

    • @StevePolandAquatics
      @StevePolandAquatics  Před 5 lety +12

      Thanks John. This is something that everyone in the hobby needs to be aware of.

    • @sassilou
      @sassilou Před 5 lety +1

      Omg 😲 theres so many of them...

    • @AG.Floats
      @AG.Floats Před 5 lety

      Lol.

    • @whatcanieat3327
      @whatcanieat3327 Před 5 lety

      We need to find the fish that can eat this fish. Steve Poland Aquatics

    • @serval_fpv
      @serval_fpv Před 5 lety

      Bullshit hes just stole someones video and talked over the top of it !!

  • @Sg-bg7xp
    @Sg-bg7xp Před 5 lety +314

    Florida should start a pet food and fertilizer business. Dog, fish, reptile and cat foods based with invasive animals such as pleco catfish and python snakes. This would generate money as well as get the public involved in the capture if a payment plan was established.

    • @96corollawithjustkindofaba73
      @96corollawithjustkindofaba73 Před 5 lety +8

      Awesome idea

    • @grass_snake80
      @grass_snake80 Před 5 lety +17

      problem is wild animals are usually full of so many parasites its too much work for not enough reward to process them into something safe for pet food

    • @Sg-bg7xp
      @Sg-bg7xp Před 5 lety +19

      @@grass_snake80 the idea isnt really for profit though it would be nice. The main focus would be conservation. So im sure a profit margin would be low if any. But it would generate enough income to keep the program going. And the end product dosnt have to be for american pets. May be to hard to hit fda standards. But would be fine for south American or asian standards. Fertilizers would be a lot easier to standardize.

    • @toxic1698
      @toxic1698 Před 5 lety +19

      @@grass_snake80 I believe most pet foods are cooked to an extent.

    • @nautilus2612
      @nautilus2612 Před 5 lety +18

      @@grass_snake80
      This is why we cook our food.

  • @TheMikeharris7
    @TheMikeharris7 Před 3 lety

    They're in the San Marcos river in San Marcos as well. Cool river in central Texas with fast flowing crystal clear water. Lot of endangered species in it that live only in that river system. Not sure if the plecos are that prevalent in it though. I've snorkeled there and have seen some huge ones.

  • @juliomachado9221
    @juliomachado9221 Před 3 lety +7

    It's looking like the fish we have on Brasil, very popular we call cascudo and delicius meat fish and I like make a dish called moqueca witch is fish stew!

    • @repticare101
      @repticare101 Před 3 lety +1

      they are the same fish. invasive species are those devices from an external source. plecos are from south america

  • @NoName-oy2km
    @NoName-oy2km Před 4 lety +20

    Legend has it, that man is still in those waters chasing Plecos...not yet caught a single one....

  • @JEMHull-gf9el
    @JEMHull-gf9el Před 5 lety +22

    They should have all the flordia fisherman have a throwing net competition to see who can bag most plecos by weight.

    • @Bruhman3
      @Bruhman3 Před 5 lety

      They'll let my family back won't they?

    • @GingerAle4Life
      @GingerAle4Life Před 5 lety

      Best solution I've read so far

  • @ZombifiedWatermelon
    @ZombifiedWatermelon Před 27 dny

    Pythons, Boas, Monkeys, Monitor Lizards, Giant African Land Snails, Geckos, Iguanas, Knife Fish, Lion Fish....and now Plecos.
    Florida has basically become Jurassic Park after the power went out.

  • @stardust3796
    @stardust3796 Před 2 lety +1

    These fish are extremely adorable

  • @DanHiteshew-oneandonly
    @DanHiteshew-oneandonly Před 5 lety +184

    Wow. I didn't know they were overpopulating like that! That was nuts! Those manatees don't stand a chance.

    • @oohhehee8967
      @oohhehee8967 Před 5 lety +6

      introduce otters in the spring

    • @destroier920
      @destroier920 Před 5 lety +18

      @@oohhehee8967 And the you discover that otters either don't eat these fish or that when they exterminate these fish that they start preying on othe species and devastate their numbers. You can't fight one invasive species with another, it never ends well, e.g. cane toads in Australia, mongoose in Hawaii etc.

    • @freelo5127
      @freelo5127 Před 5 lety +6

      @@destroier920 I'm pretty sure otters are native here in florida. i mean ive seen em in the wild here and there. dunno could be wrong though.

    • @H4Carson
      @H4Carson Před 5 lety +7

      @@destroier920 otters already live in FL springs

    • @destroier920
      @destroier920 Před 5 lety +1

      ​ FREELO @@H4Carson Not from Florida, so I didn't know that otters were indigenous, but then they obviously don't leave an impact on the population of this fish species.
      Edit: Also I was just being more general concerning the idea of introducing a new species to curb an existing invasive species. If you could utilise a native species without causing an imbalance in the ecosystem then there shouldn't be an issue.just

  • @CHloE748
    @CHloE748 Před 5 lety +98

    Watching you try to catch one and failing every time was the most unsatisfying thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It hurts.

    • @janeking8065
      @janeking8065 Před 3 lety +5

      Fabio Fricati Plecos are invasive and can damage the environment.They are actually trying to do good for the environment by catching the plecos.

    • @jameskoch7190
      @jameskoch7190 Před 3 lety +1

      Well Honey you have never met me, but give me time.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪

    • @Noname-613
      @Noname-613 Před 3 lety

      @@janeking8065 it’s not like the fish are doing it in purpose. Another good example of ‘human intervention’

    • @iprincemajestic2.0
      @iprincemajestic2.0 Před rokem

      😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

  • @catklyst
    @catklyst Před 3 lety +1

    The chad pleco suckerfish vs the virgin diver. No contest.

  • @praveenkumar-hk2oy
    @praveenkumar-hk2oy Před 3 lety +1

    Even flowerhorns get afraid while watching pleco

  • @dantediavolo4147
    @dantediavolo4147 Před 5 lety +24

    In the Amazon, there are some chefs who have learned to use the Pleco's eggs as a delicious substitute for Caviar.
    Maybe the solution is to create a market for the product and farm them to keep their numbers in check or exterminate them.
    If we can't beat them, Eat them.

    • @maain9474
      @maain9474 Před 4 lety +3

      And people still harvest sturgeon for their caviar, when there is already a plentiful invasive alternative available.

    • @pauldefazio3480
      @pauldefazio3480 Před 3 lety +2

      I've got some iguana meat I'd like to sell you

    • @timothy4011
      @timothy4011 Před 3 lety

      Maain Alternative? Based off of what? What some guy just said on CZcams? You clowns 🤡 would believe anything

  • @WesleyAPEX
    @WesleyAPEX Před 5 lety +460

    Those big ones can be sold 50$ each

    • @Bruhman3
      @Bruhman3 Před 5 lety +21

      Size don't matter

    • @tamaraschmidt7231
      @tamaraschmidt7231 Před 5 lety +14

      I'll buy one.

    • @maggiep9007
      @maggiep9007 Před 5 lety +61

      @@Bruhman3 You heard it here first, everyone.

    •  Před 5 lety +37

      Pfft! You can't even give them away.

    • @420homelands
      @420homelands Před 5 lety +32

      What planet do those big ones go for $50? You can’t even give them away at that size

  • @GratefulDickhead
    @GratefulDickhead Před 2 lety

    Cool aquarium Bro!

  • @TeardownOZ2CPU
    @TeardownOZ2CPU Před 3 lety

    I was there, diving, a few years ago, fantastic location, did not see one single Pleco, darn that hurts to see this place ruined like this, it is impossible to solve, no matter how good and effective you think you could create nets and traps, you still overlook at least a few, and then bingo, back in trouble a few years later

  • @PrimeTimeAquatics
    @PrimeTimeAquatics Před 5 lety +63

    Steve thank you so much for making this video! I'm going to pass it along to some of my colleagues who talk about invasive species.

  • @bradleyboodoosingh9016
    @bradleyboodoosingh9016 Před 5 lety +83

    These things are actually caught and eaten (usually curried) in Trinidad and Tobago. Seriously. A shoal like this would legit be enough to feed a village.
    The snouts and find are cut off and the fish gets gutted. After there it's seasoned to taste and dropped in a pot - usually served with rice and dhal.
    I personally don't eat it because these things creep me TF out but for some people it's delicious.

    • @twasbrillig33
      @twasbrillig33 Před 5 lety +1

      I would think the flesh tastes like algae because that's their primary food source

    • @timhorvat7432
      @timhorvat7432 Před 5 lety +2

      Yeah I can’t imagine it would taste that good or even have that much meat on it

    • @steveaustin6983
      @steveaustin6983 Před 5 lety +3

      Nihcas it is commonly eaten in Trinidad. He is correct.

    • @imin2461
      @imin2461 Před 5 lety

      Isnt dhal a lizard
      Edit: wait thats a type of curry the lizard is a dhab

    • @c.j.rogers2422
      @c.j.rogers2422 Před 5 lety +13

      @@twasbrillig33 Uhh...no. Does ribeye taste like grass?

  • @sipery
    @sipery Před 3 lety +4

    I need to go there and get some for my 520-gallon tank project, those are probably titan plecos or maybe royal plecos idk for sure tho.

    • @marnickshobby4465
      @marnickshobby4465 Před 3 lety

      These are hypostumos plecostumos if im right, if These where titan pleco's or royals everyone would try to collect them.

  • @FNGof2010
    @FNGof2010 Před 2 lety

    Dynamite Pleco fishing when? C'MON FLORIDA MAN!

  • @Solace6428
    @Solace6428 Před 5 lety +33

    My family has taken in a few large plecos as rescues over the years. Some have been stunted through having a tank that was too small. They do make good aquarium pets, provided you have a tank that's big enough. We currently only have one. Big Bad Barry. If we hold a cucumber in the water, he will come and eat it from our hands.
    Edit: I strongly urge you not to get one as a pet unless you have at least 100 litres per fish, as they grow very large.

    • @cat-yy2ji
      @cat-yy2ji Před rokem +1

      Is he alive now

    • @billydeewilliams9104
      @billydeewilliams9104 Před rokem

      @@cat-yy2ji Yes, but he can't respond. He only has fins. He ate Sapphic Solace.

    • @OfficialPuns
      @OfficialPuns Před 5 měsíci

      100 liters is way to small. 200- 250 liters per fish, these things grow huge and are extremly sad fish in such small aquarium

  • @BenOchart
    @BenOchart Před 5 lety +17

    Very frustrating situation. Hopefully this gets taken care of soon. Thanks for posting.

  • @mariasurio6388
    @mariasurio6388 Před 3 lety +1

    Fishkeepers: *it's free real estate*

  • @AnggaTirtaFL
    @AnggaTirtaFL Před 3 lety +1

    The most terrifying thing about this fish is they are out side of the food chain. Over populated pleco can disturb the balance of the ecosystem.

  • @brian1157
    @brian1157 Před 5 lety +6

    I used to study the water quality of Florida's springs. It's insane how fast these fish have taken over. The only spring fed River in northern Florida I have seen that has not yet been infested is Rainbow Springs in Dunnellon, FL. They're thriving off of the explosion of algae in the water which has been caused by fertilizers getting into the aquifer. It's only going to get worse.

  • @ivan.e82
    @ivan.e82 Před 5 lety +5

    Thanks for showing insight on this, and its not just here everywhere in florida with all kinds of fish, peacock bass, Oscars, pacu, red tail cats and their hybreeds.

  • @urmom4449
    @urmom4449 Před 3 lety +1

    I’ve had one as a pet for 11 years now and he is almost a foot long. How long did it take for those plecos to get that big? It must be an ongoing issue spanning over a large period of time I guess.

    • @Zag328
      @Zag328 Před 3 lety

      Had one for 3 years that got to 1.5'. Doesn't take them too long, ended up giving him to someone with a pond.

  • @hasib4joy
    @hasib4joy Před 2 lety

    Same here in Bangladesh. This Foul fishes has been invaded 2 big rivers of Bangladesh. These fish eats other small fishes, Fish eggs and Larva. Nothing smaller then its mouth size is safe from its attack. Now our local species are in danger of extinction. And the way this fishes reproduce themselves is terrifying.

  • @HeatherNielsenScarletAquatics

    Thank you for sharing this Steve. I shared it. I wish everyone was aware of the harm releasing fish into the wild can cause.

  • @BlackyBrownDestruction9337
    @BlackyBrownDestruction9337 Před 5 lety +18

    Sell them to pet stores around the country, they are in high demand. They sell for around $20 in Colorado for that size. You'll be so rich if you sold them for $5.

    • @sdqsdq6274
      @sdqsdq6274 Před 3 lety

      a big one cost more then 50 cents here

    • @mlft8625
      @mlft8625 Před 3 lety

      A 1,5 inch pleco sells for €10 here in belgium, not cheap

    • @robmoorman827
      @robmoorman827 Před 2 lety +1

      must a a commercial fishing permit to sell marine livestock

    • @ClumsyCars
      @ClumsyCars Před 2 lety

      @@robmoorman827 ahahahahahaha

  • @MyVeinsRunDry9711
    @MyVeinsRunDry9711 Před 3 lety

    Thank you for making this known

  • @ronaldharris6569
    @ronaldharris6569 Před 3 lety

    Are they edible and the same as commercial farmed catfish fillets? If so commercial harvesting would reduce them quickly especially if sent to the Asia markets

  • @TMAquatics
    @TMAquatics Před 5 lety +354

    If only they were zebra plecos 🤔

    • @alextchieng7621
      @alextchieng7621 Před 5 lety +3

      ☝️

    • @DomimoD_YG
      @DomimoD_YG Před 5 lety +34

      Exactly what i was thinking.. If they were a better looking kind of pleco they would not have that problem.

    • @mangala666
      @mangala666 Před 5 lety +26

      Well, a pleco that doesn’t out grow tanks constantly...

    • @jacobhathcock2484
      @jacobhathcock2484 Před 5 lety +14

      Royals are better

    • @jaymzmeh4595
      @jaymzmeh4595 Před 5 lety +46

      How would that make it better...an invasive species is still invasive

  • @jeffarp7409
    @jeffarp7409 Před 5 lety +7

    Yep, I used to have some of these in my aquarium years ago they are one tuff amazonian catfish with armor they are tuffer than a box of nails.

  • @billderinbaja3883
    @billderinbaja3883 Před 3 lety +4

    3 questions: (1) Are Pleko edible and good? (2) When are you calling the local spearfishing clubs? (3) Can you pay a small bounty, say $0.25 per fish? If so, that population will be thinned to nothing in a few weeks.

  • @stuffplaces8424
    @stuffplaces8424 Před 4 lety +8

    I was snorkeling there with my kids over the summer and I thought it looked just like our pleco but bigger we saw a few of them definitely didn't see that many of them but wow I knew it was plecos! What a bummer people do this. Don't be lazy folks rehome your unwanted animals and creatures!

  • @billybob9961
    @billybob9961 Před 5 lety +29

    I suggest the diver uses a net next time

    • @StevePolandAquatics
      @StevePolandAquatics  Před 5 lety +4

      They are using nets and lots of other methods. This was just showing how quick they are.

    • @billybob9961
      @billybob9961 Před 5 lety

      Steve Poland Aquatics Got it thank you They are very fast and I think beautiful

  • @HUKIT.
    @HUKIT. Před 5 lety +39

    It’s always shocking how much of an impact a few idiots can do to the planet.

    • @evilflow7359
      @evilflow7359 Před 5 lety +5

      Just a few? The earth is infected with idiots.

    • @BFjordsman
      @BFjordsman Před 5 lety

      @@evilflow7359 lol it's exponential

  • @CoinsAndCapsaicin
    @CoinsAndCapsaicin Před 3 lety

    So these are the same fish that normally stick to the side of a fish tank?

  • @davidkomen5283
    @davidkomen5283 Před 3 lety

    I used to go there all the time back in the 80's.

  • @adamc7918
    @adamc7918 Před 5 lety +6

    Great video steve. This video is gonna go huge and I hope it does because SO MANY people do this and are clueless to the butterfly effect they are creating

    • @StevePolandAquatics
      @StevePolandAquatics  Před 5 lety +1

      Thanks Adam. All we can do is try to educate people.

    • @adamc7918
      @adamc7918 Před 5 lety

      @@StevePolandAquatics I'm calling 4 million

  • @LacoteCohen
    @LacoteCohen Před 5 lety +47

    This is happening here in South Florida with the Pacu

    • @AProtokid
      @AProtokid Před 5 lety +27

      florida is literally just a cesspool of ecological disgraces

    • @SpeekofDee
      @SpeekofDee Před 5 lety +8

      Don't people eat pacus in other countries? I wonder if plecos taste any good. xD

    • @pinguinopenguin2559
      @pinguinopenguin2559 Před 5 lety +6

      Pacu Barbacue is absolutely delicious

    • @mandymagnolia1966
      @mandymagnolia1966 Před 5 lety +1

      Marcel du plessis - I mean, if the Everglades had to open up a hunting season on the pythons in the Everglades, its bad down here. The animals get too big and they just dump them, it’s sad that people get an animal without being fully aware of what it needs

    • @wyzemann
      @wyzemann Před 5 lety +5

      MandyMagnolia19 People get certain “pets” because they’re cheaply and easily obtainable. When an animal is scarce & hard on the wallet, I’ve noticed how standoffish and reluctant folks are. More thought is put into the consequences of ownership.
      So, the more people impulsively grab at cheap exotic pets, the more abuse and abandonment they endure.
      Honestly, thoughtless/moronic humans are the absolute WORST invasive species 🤦🏾‍♂️.

  • @larrylarry1368
    @larrylarry1368 Před 4 lety

    This type of fish is unbelievable. I did an unintentional experiment years ago. I was changing water of my fish tank and I had a pleco fish about 6 inch long. I put all my fishes in a bucket and placed the pleco in a small tank separately. The small tank had nearly no room for the pleco to swim. I placed the bucket and the small tank at the balcony. I took the bucket of fishes back to the fish tank after I changed the tank water. But forgot about the pleco. The pleco was left in a small tank at the balcony for a month. Given there were rainy days and sunny days in that month. One day I went to the balcony to pick up something and I saw the pleco. It was very much alive and well.

  • @nixnadar
    @nixnadar Před 3 lety +8

    The guy that released the first mating pair right now🙄

  • @Valhalla_Heathen
    @Valhalla_Heathen Před 5 lety +9

    Forget Petco and PetSmart, I’m coming here to get me some plecos

  • @manuelbolt9945
    @manuelbolt9945 Před 5 lety +6

    Very informative video, thanku for sharing with us..

  • @sajitharebin
    @sajitharebin Před 3 lety

    In my area this fish is called sucker(as it sucks dirt out of aquarium wall).
    This fish is now present in almost all canals in my area like The lake you mentioned.
    Is there any way to make a change?
    Because all the native fish like snakehead are getting extinct.

  • @LouisianaAstroRambler
    @LouisianaAstroRambler Před 4 lety +1

    I've been dying to visit this place, beautiful area..

  • @usetobeasurferchick
    @usetobeasurferchick Před 5 lety +206

    Screw raising awareness, its seems to me that a coordinated effort of divers with nets could put a huge dent in their population immediately. People like to photograph or film issues, but no one wants to DO anything about them!!! We have become a society of voyeurs...

    • @fishyfishyfishy500akabs8
      @fishyfishyfishy500akabs8 Před 5 lety +6

      these things rip nets

    • @j.t.molina7223
      @j.t.molina7223 Před 5 lety +13

      They rip most nets, and only experienced pleco grabbers can grab them. Commercial fishing tactics are what you want.

    • @fishyfishyfishy500akabs8
      @fishyfishyfishy500akabs8 Před 5 lety +7

      @@j.t.molina7223 trawling or near bottom nets might actually save the environment here, if some guy watched it and made sure to let manatees avoid them

    • @c.j.rogers2422
      @c.j.rogers2422 Před 5 lety +6

      This is in a state park, so forget spears, nets, traps, etc.

    • @fishyfishyfishy500akabs8
      @fishyfishyfishy500akabs8 Před 5 lety +3

      @@c.j.rogers2422 dangit

  • @jaduenas
    @jaduenas Před 5 lety +6

    The situation is out of hand here in Florida... :(

    • @cmerton
      @cmerton Před 3 lety +4

      Every situation imaginable is out of hand in Florida.

  • @joesmith201212
    @joesmith201212 Před 3 lety

    I used to live in Florida back in the 70s and I kept a few in my tank but they got too big so I just released them in to the near by stream, I do always wonder how are they doing now?

    • @sonofaquack6987
      @sonofaquack6987 Před 3 lety

      Oh, probably wasn’t the best idea lol

    • @pixazelz
      @pixazelz Před 3 lety

      you should be ashamed it was really shitty doing that

  • @yuyicat9885
    @yuyicat9885 Před rokem

    plecos are so cute I love them but we definitely need to put a stop to that invasion if it isn't over yet

  • @HeavyhandedDame
    @HeavyhandedDame Před 5 lety +4

    What frustrates me is that pet store like Petco and Petsmart aren't called out for selling these fish and misinforming customers about how big they get and that they're not even the best algae eater. Customers buy these fish being told that they'll stay small only to end up with a foot long fish in their 30 gal. tank. They feel bad and think the best move is to let them go not knowing they can find fish trading programs or sell them. Or they think that's too much work.
    I believe Petco and Petsmart are the huge part of invasive species being a problem. If they made it mandatory to test/educate employees on the animals they keep and to actual educate buyers about the animals their selling we could take a step closer to getting to the root of the problem.
    Pets would be in better home environments, live longer and they wouldn't be abused due to negligence perpetuated by the pet stores.

    • @PeterJohnson76
      @PeterJohnson76 Před 5 lety

      I've had one for 5 years and it's just over 2 inches

  • @WesleyAPEX
    @WesleyAPEX Před 5 lety +9

    They’re in Houston and south Texas too

  • @reptilrrudy2389
    @reptilrrudy2389 Před měsícem

    That pleco is also invasive in Indonesia, including Pterygoplichthys pardalis and Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus.

  • @danoakley6538
    @danoakley6538 Před 3 lety +1

    We had a hard freeze like 12 years ago. There was thousands of dead pleco and also tilapia on the st.johns lake Monroe. Its been years since I went to blue springs to swim. I would think if they shocked the water with electricity they would be easy to scoop them up.

  • @Tomahawk1999
    @Tomahawk1999 Před 5 lety +3

    legend is the dude is tryin to grab those cat fish to this day

    • @serenityscall6658
      @serenityscall6658 Před 5 lety +1

      when I saw that I was like:"Is he actually expecting to get one?"

  • @rustyshackleford2627
    @rustyshackleford2627 Před 5 lety +17

    Omg there’s thousands and thousands of them and they are pleco’s..!!!!! I have one in my 55 gallon aquarium and that’s where he’s gonna stay..!!!

    • @BFjordsman
      @BFjordsman Před 5 lety

      Once a pleco get over 6 inches it's useless. If your tank is non aggressive ,otocincalus cats 1per 10gallons is the way to go

    • @shooter-ey9dv
      @shooter-ey9dv Před 4 lety

      @@BFjordsman you can get more otos than that I have 6 in a 20 gallon if someone had to follow that rule if you had ten you would have to get a 100 gallon they don't take up that much space

    • @BFjordsman
      @BFjordsman Před 4 lety

      @@shooter-ey9dv your right, I should have specified my number was a minimum to keep glass clean

    • @shooter-ey9dv
      @shooter-ey9dv Před 4 lety

      @@BFjordsman oh ok you also forgot that they need to be in a shoal of 6 (people might tell you 3 so they are more likely to sell you the fish)

  • @stevenmc7170
    @stevenmc7170 Před 4 lety +1

    This is extremely upsetting. I grew up in Gainesville and would spend many summer days snorkeling Blue and Ginnie Springs, tube down the Ichetucknee River...
    This is the 1st time I've heard about this. We love our Florida manatees and then fact that these invasive fish are disrupting and stressing out the manatees really
    pisses me off.

  • @fishlivesmatter
    @fishlivesmatter Před 3 lety

    No wonder the water is so crystal clear

  • @BigDsmoke
    @BigDsmoke Před 5 lety +4

    I've seen footage like this of divers swimming through thousands o flippin plecos. Goldfish invasions are bad in lakes in some parts of the country too. I've heard of invasive plants too its insane & a huge huge problem

  • @nathang.2705
    @nathang.2705 Před 5 lety +23

    Hold a fishing tournament there

  • @cubsfan1205
    @cubsfan1205 Před 3 lety +5

    When you own a pleco 😳😳

  • @redc9787
    @redc9787 Před 3 lety

    if you can't catch em, can we trap em? i heard they are good for aquariums as janitors.

  • @tatsuhirosatou5513
    @tatsuhirosatou5513 Před 5 lety +12

    The over population of sealions in Oregon and Washington are a bigger deal they are very close to making sturgeon extinct in the region, and it illegal to do anything about it despite the seals being as far upriver as the Bonneville dam.

  • @matthewparker82
    @matthewparker82 Před 5 lety +109

    Although they are invasive and destroying the ecosystem there is something beautiful about them all schooling together

    • @sapio9968
      @sapio9968 Před 5 lety +6

      but it destroys native species... they eat other fish eggs, you see how there's no other fish around? that's what they do to the environment.

    • @matthewparker82
      @matthewparker82 Před 5 lety +17

      I know that that why I said in my comment although they are invasive and destroying the ecosystem I am not denying that they are destroying everything I'm simply saying the is something beautiful about them school together

    • @sapio9968
      @sapio9968 Před 5 lety +1

      matthew parker oh, my bad. It’s interesting how this is happening everywhere, there are 2 locations with invading plecos in massive numbers driving native species to none existent in China right now. Do people not have any brains?

    • @matthewparker82
      @matthewparker82 Před 5 lety +3

      People seem to think that because they live in water and there's a stream next to there house they will release them there so they can have a better life not thinking about consequences and it's shocking

    • @iDerp69
      @iDerp69 Před 5 lety +4

      I love my pleco in my aquarium... looks just like these. However, these plecos are an invasive species and a pest, and should be culled completely.

  • @brianbaker253
    @brianbaker253 Před 2 lety

    i have been there and seen them, there is
    some really good fishing just outside the river enterance

  • @jayanthh2319
    @jayanthh2319 Před 3 lety +1

    Is the problem solved now?

  • @imanuelyulio521
    @imanuelyulio521 Před 5 lety +15

    In my homeland, they have economical value. Their meats can be the ingredient of some delicacies like "otak-otak", "somay" or "cilok". Maybe you can send them to my place. lol 🤣🤣 🤣🤣

    • @didiasroni399
      @didiasroni399 Před 5 lety +1

      Mana ada ikan sapu2 di olah?? Otak2 dan siomay pake ikan laut.

    • @imanuelyulio521
      @imanuelyulio521 Před 5 lety

      Iya.

    • @harunmasiku5686
      @harunmasiku5686 Před 5 lety +2

      Mamang siomay ciliwung ngapa nyasar dimari???

    • @wisnusutopo127
      @wisnusutopo127 Před 5 lety

      Dibikin sate lilit jg bisa

    • @rogereisenfaust8983
      @rogereisenfaust8983 Před 5 lety +1

      Otak otak is made of saltwater fish. Siomay is typically made of chicken ffs and sometimes saltwater fish as well. Besides, siomay is a Chinese food anyway.
      There's no way they're intended to be made of such a toxic and fairly harmful species as plecos in mind. Don't spread false information, dumbass.

  • @richardmyhan8755
    @richardmyhan8755 Před 5 lety +18

    Put them on the menu

    • @Bruhman3
      @Bruhman3 Před 5 lety

      The menu of adoption?

  • @subreel12000
    @subreel12000 Před 3 lety +2

    Literary live next door to blue springs, all the state parks with springs in central Florida fill up to capacity on weekends from April-Sept and at around 10am and let people in when people leave, it’s a big money maker for the state,
    Every so often a few parks will close to swimming because of too much algae in the water , which than no one goes to the park, the park in the city next to orange city in DeBary closed the swimming permanently due to the algae and made it free entrance, one of the parks in Seminole county even brought these same type of plecos in to help because their park swimming was closed over an entire year, wouldn’t put it past the people here doing that seeing the problem the other parks have had and loss of revenue and it just got out of hand

  • @eronacalloway9159
    @eronacalloway9159 Před 4 lety

    Hurricane Andrew in 1992 caused MOST of the invasive fish problem in Florida. A Hypostomus Fish can for 30 or more years. I had one for over 20 years.