Pleco Invasion - Trouble in Blue Spring State Park

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:

Underwater footage courtesy of:

Bob Fanok

Matthew Clark

Thumbnail photo credit:
Roman Burkardt

Music: A Tale of Vengeance by Aakash Gandhi

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LET'S CONNECT!

[coxie]

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

[rm]

"Divers are attempting to contain these fish."

*contains zero fish

[IzzoWingChun]

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.

[ronann-zr]

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.

[madisondameron]

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

[crwnTHEwitch]

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

[obs_vicc]

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

[KGTropicals]

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

[nucleartoilet]

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

[MoonGazelle]

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

[STEVE-mnry]

Legend say the guy still catching those fish by hand

[mattmansarizona]

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.

[ramenhulo]

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

[sipery]

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.

[edub]

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

[shwolverine]

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

[Dovedose]

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

[AussieAquatic]

That is an INSANE number of Plecos 😨😨😨

[TheMikeharris]

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.

[martinkaz]

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