Wild Pleco in Florida

[Red Devil]

He is mighty handsome monster pleco ... common or not..when they get that big they are unique..

 

[N.C.]

bad@$$

 

[Ramesh]

Great catch, I am very impressed with just how beautiful that Pleco is and what a monster!!

My secound thought though was what is it doing living in a Florida cannal?
I fear that such exotic introductions give responsible fishkeepers a bad name and put undue pressure on native species and resources.
Yes it is a wonderful species and beautiful fish but another example of poor animal husbandry and a reflection of a disposable "not my problem" society.

 

[rhettdepauw]

truly awesome, will you ship?

 

[Camshaft Ramrod]

what is it doing living in a Florida cannal?

There is not a body of water in Florida that doesn't have at least one of these. They have taken over down here.

 

[jrjerin]

Nice Catch

 

[zerojquan85]

dang... thats awesome.... i dont those are native to Florida.... thanks for sharing.. that is one awesome pleco to have...

Very cool!

 

[b_tenant]

That saves having to grow them out for 6 years or so. Not so much of a novelty though if you can walk into your back yard and see them every day.

 

[uncwnells]

thats crazy, awesome pleco, I am also loving the mini boots.

 

[swede]

There is not a body of water in Florida that doesn't have at least one of these. They have taken over down here.

agreed. they even have postings at some parks about how the sailfin pleco was introduced to the waterways as a non native species. They don't fit in our eco system and therefore their population is wild. any waterway here has plenty of these guys as well as hydrilla.