Invasive armored catfish causing harm to Florida's manatees

[@2067792332977602]

Catfish: we'll clean you Manatee: I like being dirty!

[@EvelynHo-y3v]

Ya, tat was wat I tot so too....due to climate change, seems like the waters r having algae growth...n seems like these catfish r feeding on the algae...on the manatees ' back.... More like... Catfish: I've got ur back....

[@Oddworld2025]

Manatee: ask me first thanks.

[@EvelynHo-y3v]

@@Oddworld2025 🤭😆👍

[@christopherdsuza7531]

Ya I don't get why they made the comparison to mosquitos that feed on blood lol.

[@jameseddleman6944]

@@christopherdsuza7531 So, just my opinion...but since the first sailor to mistake one for a mermaid was due to the fact that it has all that stuff growing off it (looked like hair) So since the dawn of their kind, they are raised, and die with it on them. I'm no biologist but I assume that much like the slimy feel a frog has, its a protective coating, its also sun screen. For frog that layer also stops them from getting sick. This is a classic symbolic relationship, algae get to hitch a ride and spread its genome more and the Matinee gets a gross protective slime barrier. Did you know that you're body is more "Germs" than it is human? The human body contains trillions of microorganisms - outnumbering human cells by 10 to 1 So to compare humans and matinee, That red bull or alcohol you drink, that mountain dew is the catfish destroying your microorganisms. Taste great right? It will ruin your gut biome though, legit. Have fun coping with the fact we are a Germ with a little bit of human to it.

[@slewfootjr2658]

Manatee’s are dying off due to lack of sea grasses. The lack of sea grass is due to development and herbicide spraying in bodies of freshwater, canals, etc. This is just an attempt to put blame on something that has nothing to do with the real problem. If you live here and spend time outdoors you would be well aware that these fish have been here by the millions for over three decades.

[@TheAquariumDrizzle]

I fish canals in south fl, they are out there spraying ALL THE TIME, it's sad.

[@NicVandEmZ]

There definitely blaming another animal for issues it with the mantie easily solotion if they get close extinction breed them with a dugong

[@slowvalvebeck9074]

@@TheAquariumDrizzleit’s a hard battle to fight because they are also fighting invasive aquatic plants that can completely take over waterways.

[@vincentl.9469]

@@slowvalvebeck9074 the manatee looks like a giant slug..and a tasty meal for other animals . what is so bad about catfish ?

[@BAWWAABAAT-RA]

There are chemical companies that will do anything to stop public knowledge of the herbicides and pesticides, destroying the environment. Remember that co2 is completely foreign to the environment, and herbicides/ pesticides have always been there.

[@pakdolan]

I think someone should interview the manatee and find out what they feel about this.

[@Himfromduval]

Me personally I hate this mf I be floating then here come Steve and Ryan who wanna see what’s on me just to nibble what the talipais

[@zumair6957]

Bro was either really happy and relaxed after getting a message from plecos or really sad and depressed after getting molested by them nothing in between.

[@xtrm2009]

ok

[@HAWK1986X2]

Gators Farms should encourage people to catch them and donate them to them. If armor catfish could be used to feed Gators at those farms. Gators Farms should be able to pick them if that person meets the amount of LBS, in order for them to pick them up. It has to been something considerable in weight.

[@NillymNilly93]

I don't think gators can eat them, they too spiny and hard

[@eveningclicks7767]

Maybe they dismantle them? Like how sometimes gators are fed slabs of meat instead of the whole animal the meat came from even though a bunch of gators could take care of a whole pig or whatever.

[@twitteringothers5059]

@@NillymNilly93 Don't know about the spiny part but gators DEFINITELY won't have any problem with the hard part. Gators eat turtles. Those are harder to crack than a pleco.

[@rapunzelsempai]

I saw there is a company that makes pleco meat from Mexico into dog treats in California, the should expand and do that in Florida.

[@HAWK1986X2]

Exactly! Plecos can be a good source to feed our Gators. Companies should start Buying them like 1-2 dollars per pleco, they make the food to feed the gators, and they can sell the food to the farms at a reasonable price. WIN WIN SITUATION.@@rapunzelsempai

[@henryking1919]

The common pleco is very destructive. And what's worse is there are smaller varieties called the bristlenose or rubberlip pleco that stay 4-6 inches max. They look way better, easy to breed, and fairly cheap. Locally owned shops don't normally sell the common pleco but chain pet stores sell it to a kid and say a 10 gallon is fine for these when they need like 120 gallon tank to keep them well

[@Skyx5m50]

I have a rubber lip pleco and clown pleco. I love those guys.

[@______-xh4pn]

Rubber lip and bristlenose plecos are completely different species from each other and the common pleco. They’re not a problem thus far, and now more popular than the common pleco.

[@creative8569]

I know a few invasive species here in the USA that feed off the gubbament manatee. Wonder if you can name them? 🇺🇸

[@TheNguyenben85]

It is your ancestor white southern😂😂😂😂

[@hia5235]

Stop having fish as pets.

[@ffdd6102]

It's like a Mosquito that gives you a bath and doesn't break your skin

[@one4all885]

They are cleaners. Not blood suckers.

[@WSFM_Rex]

Yea i was about to say these news ppl don’t know what they’re talking about

[@Conarc-313]

@@WSFM_Rex Then you do some research and realize manatees actually dont seem to mind algae growing on them. Some speculate it actually helps prevent sunburn. How would you feel if your attempts on putting on sunscreen got removed shortly after? There needs to be a balance, and that is currently obviously out of proportion.

[@WSFM_Rex]

@@Conarc-313 😹chill out bro u r wrong af

[@Conarc-313]

@@WSFM_Rex Totally.

[@pisces363]

I see people are saying they doubt the plecos are stressing the manatees out. I had baby plecos in a 55 gallon aquarium. They eventually scraped the paint off the decorations. I can only imagine the irritation the manatees feel with several adult plecos constantly scraping their skin. That can’t feel good.

[@genericalfishtycoon3853]

Well I see you've got about the mental fortitude of a 5 year old to not see this is clearly about deflecting from the chemicals (herbicides/pesticides) they are using in the area, that will certainly result in the extinction of the manatees through loss of their natural resources in the next few decades. This is preemptive "wasn't my fault" work on behalf of the corporate interests that don't want to lose their cash cow over a sea cow. Congratulations on taking the bait hook line and sinker, you're genuinely easier to control than a Pleco. Suit and tie stooge!

[@oriraykai3610]

Did you ask the decorations? Maybe they were cheap Chinese decorations with lead paint that scrapes right off... 😆

[@SpdyCki]

No they’re not saying that they’re saying we as humans caused this in every way where did the pleccos come from? And why are the sea grasses destroyed?

[@bonD6002]

Algae comes off way easier than paint, so I doubt they'll use more force than necessary and aren't hurting the manatees. Otherwise there would be visible damage to their skin.

[@pisces363]

@@bonD6002 Good point. I didn’t see it that way.

[@kristinetrott5087]

SPOILER ALERT! Plecostamus don't only eat algae, they also eat fish eggs! I used to have breeding cichlids of Rainbow Rams and Kribensis (in different tanks) and kept some plecs in with to keep the tanks clean. I kept losing egg clutches and first blamed the parents. Then checked one Night w/ a flashlite: caught two of the plecs busily sucking up eggs - parents sleeping or couldn't see it! That's probably happening in the rivers and springs where the fish Used to live. Plecostomases are just BAD NEWS ALL AROUND!

[@TatsByTaco]

Dude I'm so mad. I got ejected from blue springs national park and had to argue against a fine for filling a tube full of these pests. Even the FWC officers were giving me a hard time even though I was not spearfishing, just catching them by hand.

[@BrandonWilliams-ln4og]

Really ? I live right by there lol

[@callusklaus2413]

Bizarre, isn't it widely known in yout area that these guys are pests?

[@hia5235]

@@callusklaus2413 cops here just want to tell you what to do.

[@mattizzle81]

Florida cops seem like assholes.

[@floridagirl386]

In orange city?

[@237KMT]

People either need to stop releasing exotic species or the exotic pet trade needs to be illegal.

[@Not-Ap]

They don't penalize it harshly enough. The state or federal gov needs to aggressively crackdown on exotic smugglers, shop owners, dealers, and owners like they do with drug dealers. People don't seem to take the threat of these exotic species seriously until they start attacking humans frequently. Nevermind other species..

[@hia5235]

yep, ban exotic fish import now.

[@dreadcthulhu1439]

There was an old Daily Show skit where their solutions were to keep importing other exotic animals to solve for the original problem (snakeheads)

[@austintrousdale2397]

I guess that's why the plecopologists up in here are so convinced that those fish "aren't hurting anything." They don't want *any* new reg's, even sensible ones.

[@XcobaltLion]

Yeah, animals need a passport and a license

[@g41133]

Pet stores/ those who sell animals MUST be regulated!!! Pet stores sell these fish as algae eaters, but what they don't emphasize is that these fish grow to HUGE sizes!

[@nesq4104]

Too late. These fish are everywhere now

[@g41133]

@@nesq4104 It's never too late! We can still do something about it!

[@oriraykai3610]

Most common sense solution that you NEVER hear from these state employee dolts. Problems means job security for them or what?

[@SilencedByYoutube]

It's not up to the fish stores to tell the buyer how big they get. It's every pet owner's responsibility to research this information before owning any animal.

[@g41133]

@@SilencedByKZbinThe responsibilty is also on pet store owners and pet dealers since they are selling these poor animals!

[@madmerdhyntheblack911]

they initially only eat algae but when they get big enough they suck smaller fish right up. I've seen that a few times.

[@mikecrystalrobert7898]

Sure sure they not talking about little fish they talking about 800lbs manatees

[@Maybe1Someday]

That sucks

[@fubey8x]

and?

[@alexanderg1935]

​@@fubey8xIt causes massive damage to the ecosystem.

[@Jinx-z2g]

@@alexanderg1935cause imbalance but thats it. No pleco is killing a manatee

[@deeo2417]

As an aquarium hobbyist even I say , they’ve gotta crack down on the aquarium trade

[@Fish_tank75]

No what they need to do is educate people on fishes care needs Such as telling people how big these fishes get and providing easier ways to discard of fish Saying this as another aquarium hobbiest

[@deeo2417]

@@Fish_tank75 yeah but the reality is , if they sell them at the fish store. They’re going to end up in the waterways.

[@Surprise_Inspection]

​@@Fish_tank75We NEED to regulate all fish sales, and do background checks on all fish purchases. Anyone found harbouring fish without a liscense will be sent to prison, and their ability to own fish revoked permanently!

[@Fish_tank75]

@@deeo2417 that may be true but releasing is often a consequence of ignorance when buying fish

[@aldoaranda4222]

In México there’s a guy who’s making dog food with the catfish.👍

[@jameswatson2843]

In Florida there needs to be a guy who makes dog food with the catfish.

[@abhijitkalita6228]

These fish are in my area too, i am from Assam (india) . These fishes appeared out of nowhere in our district , now they are everywhere. I don't know who brought them to assam(india),but they first apeared almost 5-6 years ago.🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲

[@HTC-1337]

These fish are very concerning , they are looking and armed like they swim to heavy piranha invest area with 5 meter anaconda living there! Probably there area is wild covered with plants and roots so there reproducing here is endless

[@brianmpofu2295]

Sad to hear that. Our world is so fragile and yet we busy fighting each other instead of tending to nature

[@eveningclicks7767]

Sadly ecosystems in South America are being destroyed. Some of those fish that were exported are being preserved in the at home aquarium hobby or the aquariums you pay money to see.

[@oriraykai3610]

This whole invasive animal thing is a conspiracy by devil worshipers i think...

[@badanimator984]

That's why people say that if you can't keep a fish don't buy one and don't throw them in lakes or ponds

[@artofdisguy3401]

Use large sized fish traps baited with algae pellets,, drop a trap in the water, wait an hour pull out empty repeat,,, Those Plecos are ravenous for algae pellets,, once catch they make great fertilizer for crops

[@chaosdweller]

Making and reading yt names is a real art form haha.

[@Great_Lakes_Discus]

I feel like these arnt harming the manatees in any way. It’s easily researchable to tell what’s causing the populations to drop. It’s not the fish I’ll tell you that much.

[@hia5235]

The local catfish are obviously absent now: wonder why.

[@Great_Lakes_Discus]

@@hia5235 I never said anything about the local catfish tho did I. And the local catfish would kick these guy’s ass stop lying

[@EdA-qh7qr]

They need to stop all the power boats were the manatee are I have seen a lot of them with scars on there backs and catfish didn't do that

[@Buu...]

@@Great_Lakes_Discus I agree with your statement. In no way is a fish cleaning filth off an animal a bad thing. Sharks and other creatures who have cleaners regularly also kick off trying to remove them from time to time. Doesn't mean theyre going to die. The positives outweigh the negatives

[@Sociopatrick]

It’s crazy when stupid people disregard the work of informed specialists and just arbitrarily decide their opinion is correct

[@mattypants]

This is very sad. Manatee are so awesome. I have a giant pleco, but he's in an aquarium where he belongs.

[@jimoldenkotte7579]

Well hé doesnt rly belong in a aquarium either 😅

[@mattypants]

@jimoldenkotte7579 he's a pet. Where else would I put him? The bathroom tube? He's in a live planted 240gal aquarium and eats a specialized diet. He lives better than he ever would in the wild or the sad little tank I got him from.

[@jimoldenkotte7579]

@@mattypants still. They came from the wild until we put them in a aquarium. So hé doesnt rly belong in your aquarium does he?😜 Its the whole reason they got in the water with the manitees in the first place cus ppl dump them there.

[@mattypants]

@jimoldenkotte7579 I'm pretty sure he came from some fish factory, I doubt anyone was catching him mid breakfast from a stream so I could have a pet... They are there due to irresponsible pet owners. People dump children into slavery for their next fix, we shouldn't be all that surprised they toss their pet fish into a pond.

[@richardjohnson9543]

They look like a really primitive version of catfish, as if they haven't changed much since dinosaurs were around

[@brad1840]

What happens when you let people import whatever they want and keep it as a pet

[@Surprise_Inspection]

Exactly. Lower class people need to be more heavily regulated, and punished like children when they disobey. Obviously the wealthy should be able to buy whatever they want, because they have all of the necessary requirements to own whatever they want. Requirements: Money ✔️ Vast amounts of land to house their tigers and Tanks and things ✅

[@eerye70]

Those plecos are great for an aquarium. Someone had to have dumped them in the water because they were too large for their tank. Its sad that they are stressing out such a sweet amazing creature.

[@dwaynejohnson3578]

Rite

[@drinny26]

At least the alligators figured out the placos are delicious.

[@Pete_952]

I had a 1 foot pleco in my fish tank. Came home from work, and that guy climbed out and went for a walk. He left the living room, went down the hallway, and went into a bedroom. He was still alive when i got home!

[@moons4768]

He was looking for your wife

[@pale_n_tired]

what lmfao 💀😂

[@FishRfun]

I live near st Petersburg. I have a blue eyed, lemon longfin bristlenose pleco. They only get to about 5 inches, and he's priceless really because he's such a great example of the species, so there's no way I'd let him, or any of my fish, snails, shrimp or plants get in to the ecosystem. I live right next to a nature preserve. But yes, irresponsible fish owners, just like any irresponsible pet owner, can cause major problems

[@igorjee]

Good. But St Petersburg gets freaking cold in the winter. I don't anywhere in Russia would an Amazonian fish survive, except fro some thermal spring.

[@FishRfun]

@@igorjee st Petersburg Florida

[@igorjee]

@@FishRfun Oh FFS Bloody USA, stop stealing others' names @#$^*&!

[@voterthatreads158]

I am very happy that these journalists cover invasive species but why do reporters have to say such stupid things like "a cross between a cat, a fish, and armor?" Try to be professional when discussing important stories.

[@mysticamethyst1398]

Or you could just deal with just because you make a light hearted joke doesn't mean you're not professional. Dry isn't always necessary it's boring. BTW I'm a professional.

[@voterthatreads158]

@@mysticamethyst1398 Fair point

[@SheepHaterUY]

The dumbing-down and childlike reporting, animal documentaries, educational programming, etc. Sickening

[@jase123111]

It seems that a lot of TV in America is made for very simple and stupid idiots lol

[@sylkelster]

​@@SheepHaterUYWhat are your thoughts on what Discovery and TLC have become? Can't get any dumber than that.

[@SA-247]

A Manatee being catfished never thought I'd see the day.

[@noahshields507]

Local lake in LA, i whatched in the last ten years seeing one or two every year to know seeing one every 2 feet the rate at which plecos breeed is astounding

[@GeneratorXY]

The invasives at the southern border are doing more harm.

[@MyLibertyTV]

I think the humans are more stressed about this than the Manatees. 😂

[@Surprise_Inspection]

They will eat a hole in goldfish, so I don't doubt they can eat a hole in actual flesh.

[@BlanBonco]

Sounds like they aren't friendly cleaner fish types more like unwanted homeless windshield cleaners

[@Abstractsvision]

@@BlanBonco😂😂💀💀

[@WillyK51]

@@Surprise_Inspection When starved, in a Acuarium, they hunt and eat fish, they will eat dead fish also. But with so much algae in the wild, I don't think they will dig through the skin. I have no Idea if they are Harmfull to Manatees. Guess researchers will tell

[@lylesloth1275]

the thumbnail made it look like the manatee was wearing an armor helmet of atlantis

[@ejohnson3131]

I thought they were turning plecos into fertizer? I remember watching another video on that.

[@madman2555]

Not to mention they can live a day out of water, they are hard to kill.

[@dvdvppt]

One question…are the catfish delicious?

[@Aaaaaaaaaa5934]

Its a delicacy in Asia

[@mujkocka]

Look it up, so Japanese guy caught some in Japan and cooked them. He said 5/10 . Not too bad deep fried. Very stinky guts though.

[@karenthomas4707]

🤔 Can you eat these catfish? If so just catch and cook. Add them to the Florida restaurant menus! Yes?

[@MeltdownxPR]

Yes you can eat them

[@kenneth27205]

Yes but they have a hard armor

[@DongWang-m4n]

@@kenneth27205 Tell the florida tyrones that pleco taste like chicken. These plecos nggas wood vanish in one week.

[@MysteriMustacheToast]

They are very dirty bottom dwellers that have a strong smell. They’re not very good to eat by modern, urbanized standards but there are ethnic groups that have traditionally used them as a food source.

[@DanMorgan-bh5fv]

@@kenneth27205 Imagine how dull your filet knife gets after just one.

[@manofsan]

Break out the fishing rods men!

[@joesalvator5878]

Remora often attach themselves to Manatees when they are in salt water. I doubt the plecos stress them that much. They might even appreciate the cleansing.

[@Jinx-z2g]

Plecos arent harmful

[@Bt26x]

It’s time to start having catfish tournaments every weekend. Catfish are fun to catch too.

[@tomtommyl805]

Lionfish, pythons and NOW WHAT ???

[@noelramirez1551]

They supposedly found some Nile crocodiles in the everglades

[@southwesthardypalms]

Nile Monitor Lizards

[@johnh539]

This is neither just a Florida problem nor is it just a Manatee problem. These catfish are some of the most popular in the pet trade ALL around the world anywhere there are fish keepers you will find them. Consider an Amazonian pool at the end of the dry season long since dried out and turned to soil under this dry earth you will finde them sheltering waiting fo the floods; when these waters arrive the fish are exposed to a change from dry at say 27 degrees C(Assuming day time) down into glacial run off water at say 6 C.( PH approx. 7 at source or higher due to glacial mineral content) When these pools were drying out they were concentrating the acidification caused by thousands of leaves decomposing down to a PH. of cerca 2 (or lower), acid enough to cause a tingling sensation on your hand. These natural variations in their environment meen that they have evolved the ability to live almost anywhere including short foray's out to sea ( so they follow the manatees out ). They evolved to survive any attempt to eat them from land and water based predators the amazon could offer. On one of those full size ones each extendable Gill spike will be nearly 3" ( 7cm approx) and razor sharp and they hurt so much that I think, it might be more than just a physical defence. I was spiked by a "Pet" only 12" rather than a near 3 foot wild one and I could feel it for days. Human nature Laziness, compassion and stupidity are all amongst the reasons people poot fish down the toilet or release them into the wild ,or as in florida keep them in outdoer ponds until the next flash flood washes everything away. They are the fastest speeding invasive fish on earth and need to be banned from the pet trade before they become unmanageable in more habitats. As a fish keeper myself I will continue to encourage Aquarists to speak against them in shops and clubs etc. The only way I would have one again is if I really thought that otherwise it would not be disposed of properly. Sadly a particular problem with these fish as they live for decades and will eventually outgrow all but public display sized tanks.

[@unagisama5476]

Hard to believe NBC, those fish are invasive yes, but I think stress by catfish is the last thing manatees have to worry about. What's the main cause of their decline, stress?, don't think so

[@Bruh-uk7hw]

Just another bullshit reason so they can avoid the actual problems

[@unagisama5476]

What ?, don't see your comment. Thank the Narrow minded collective toxic culture we allow today. And Stress still ain't causal factor for the decline.

[@hia5235]

and what about the other catfish the invasives displace / make extinct.

[@unagisama5476]

@@hia5235 ur still answering with a question. They differ in trophic levels and even though pleco's are territorial when nesting and burrow into shore walls it's nowhere near that much of a stressor to manatees. As other comments have mentioned, it's more likely by boat traffic or herbicides that poison their aquatic plant diet they get stressed. Pleco's need to be collected that's for sure.

[@nobrainsnoheadache2434]

100% stress - from loss of habitat and human encroachment with boats etc. They need a certain environment to thrive (not just to 'survive'), and the less they get of it the more stressed they get, just like you, and it causes issues like opportunistic parasites, or viral issues. You bet it's stress. Plecos no, more of a symbiotic relationship but I don't know if (like sloths) vegetation growing on them is normal. There sure were a lot in that clip though, and that could well be very, um, stressful :)

[@johnwick-ii6il]

Probably never occurred to these experts that the Manatees might benefit from it. especially in some undiscovered way.

[@danh5397]

Time to hire some trained professional spear gunners

[@brandonhouston3683]

Armoured catfish and pleco are completely different species pleco are not a catfish at all

[@wk.7348]

Somehow sharks, whales and rays swim around with remora stuck to them their whole lives but these catfish clean the algae off manatees and it's going to be the death of them. LOL

[@jayseaandfriends]

Sharks, whales and rays have co-evolved alongside remora creating a symbiotic relationship for millions of years, this is fairly recent

[@EdA-qh7qr]

​@@jayseaandfriendsgive them time they will get used to them

[@eveningclicks7767]

They will have to learn to live together it seems. The manatees will evolve and tolerate pleco kisses.

[@oriraykai3610]

As a person who identifies as a manatee, I resent your inference that I "get with the shark" program... 😆

[@SlaughterSkorzenyJamesViceroy]

Now they're going to blame Mexico as usually 😂

[@fleendarthemagnificent7372]

The problem here aside from the idiots that turn them loose from their aquarium is that the pet stores that sell these fish do not bother to tell people that they get huge. The local store here sells them without any forewarning about how big these fish get, how quickly they grow, and that they cannot be let loose in other environments. Humans are careless and irresponsible. That is why these things happen.

[@jdelacruz6854]

Can they be turned into protein?

[@carlosamaris]

of course! in many countries of latin america we make a really good fish soup with 'em.

[@givemeabreakdoc]

“The aquarium trade.” Get rid of it. It serves no purpose anyway. Except to introduce invasive species.

[@zortesh]

I mean, that's true of pretty much all pets not just fish.

[@MarsterKanobi]

I don't know if my comment will be read. They rarely do. But I think maybe the solution could be to create something that the algae can grow on that will attract the attention of the fish instead of the manatees?

[@IWantU2Know]

STOP SELLING THEM! common précis get released I’m sure after Pet stores say oh buy one! Not mentioning how big they get… It should be illegal to sell them

[@SuperJay12jay]

It's humans that are hurting manatee. That's the major problem. Pollution and people releasing non-native plecos.

[@Axle1324]

Fund a bounty program. $5 per catfish and see them dissappear. People will be shoulder to shoulder with fishing rods.

[@Sixth_SSense]

More than $5

[@Reader999]

Make it $20. That'll get them hopping along.

[@DongWang-m4n]

You can't catch them with a fishing pole. Their mouths look like a round p ssy with tiny teeth that they use to scrape on rocks to eat the algae and whatever off them.

[@hia5235]

that is not enough money.

[@tookiezzz2898]

@@hia5235 5 bucks a fish. 20 fish a day (conservatively). 500 bucks for 5 days. 26,000 a year. Yes its not much. But I bet there are more then a few anglers who would do this to supplement their income.

[@tee4946]

The solution is to get them from the springs after the freezes.

[@LostBeetle]

The way "plecos" rolled off that woman's tongue means she either has or has had an aquarium.

[@IntrepidDivergence]

No it doesn't.

[@LostBeetle]

@@IntrepidDivergence Yea it does.

[@vanbilly8387]

Pet stores will sell anything to make money, no matter how bad it turns out for all involved. There is no education until after the fact. Plecos are sold to people under the guise of cleaning home fish tanks, which they do accel at for a time, but eventually they outgrow their tanks and end up being dumped into the wild. They should be banned from being sold in the US at this point, along with many other animal species.

[@RoseTorn411]

Are they even doing anything to control or eliminate them? Smh

[@doogandoggin2571]

I remember my cousin releasing his pleco in the lake. This was 40 years ago. That fish may still be alive. We just didn't know better then.

[@reggieomnifarious9898]

It looks like they are cleaning them up!!!

[@DongWang-m4n]

I want to tell you a secret: pleco taste exactly like chicken. Now tell your homies and get to work on getting them for the block party cookout.

[@hia5235]

the algae isnt bad for them though....

[@kuroe-chan5190]

I mean I’m sure they are annoying but it’s the lack of sea grass as someone said above! They are starving! A crystal river community successful removed hydrila mess that clogged and destroyed a lot of their food and now Indian river lagoon is working on rescuing so many suffering from starvation or cold stress. We as humans must do our part as well. Keep the waters cleaner

[@bonD6002]

"Imagine being swarmed by a cloud of mosquitos. That's kinda what it feels like to these sea cows." Mosquitoes are not catfish, they suck your blood and leave you itching. Plecos don't do that, they're basically cleaning the manatee. If it was harmful then there should be signs of physical damage on the skin, which there isn't. This is a distraction for the real cause of what's endangering the manatees: human activity.

[@kennethsatria6607]

Aw the poor manatee swarmed as it was sitting on the bottom XD

[@MrShawnbfromjersey]

How do they taste?

[@TherealNiqqa]

horrible

[@ikigai47]

Just throw large heavy planks of glass, or plastic in the area. It will attract algae and plecos

[@dmannnnnnn6934]

I have one and it’s small but I have it in a community 250 gallon it will eventually grow big but I am responsible I will keep upgrading if I have too until the day it dies please people be responsible and don’t let them loose when they get big

[@DongWang-m4n]

Why do you keep a pleco for? Ugly fish with no personality and doesn't even move most of the time. Ugly and lazy are its two most common traits.

[@dmannnnnnn6934]

@@DongWang-m4n lol speak for yourself my guy is active and always swims to the front of the tank when I’m around the tank he has a great personality I love my pleco he is pretty active I love him

[@DongWang-m4n]

@@dmannnnnnn6934 Tell me where you live. If you close by, I'll break in and take your pleco out the tank and microwave his a ss like I did mine after I got bored with him

[@mineagin]

In a fish tank pleco dont eat allergy. Pleco cling to other fish n chue them

[@justinmccain1896]

Oh wow a crazy infestation of plecos! I wish I could take them home to my large pond.

[@shellylozano1052]

Had some they prefer your freshly killed fancy aquarium fish that keep dying from the dirty water they promote. They only eat algae as a last resort.

[@williamneigum7002]

plecos eat more then just alge

[@Chief_Of_Sinners]

There are signs everywhere forbidding this behavior.

[@WarPigstheHun]

Give all the manatees and porpoises and sea lions guns! They will Stand Their Ground!

[@austintrousdale2397]

And that's how we'll get to Florida Man(atee)

[@guineapiglady2841]

Sea lions gotta go!!!

[@reidnorton6794]

Manatees are too nice for this earth.

[@jackjohnson1128]

Armored catfish situation

[@racer7174]

Great band name

[@jordyb57]

This is INSANE!! I’m FREAKING OUT… This isn’t right 😢

[@averevolution301]

Armored Catfish are native to South America in the Amazon River, where they naturally cohabitate with the Amazonian Manatee.

[@oriraykai3610]

Maybe the manatee down there are snowflakes now because of constant harrassment by the catfish? Again, did anyone ASK the MANATEE? 😆

[@philn5703]

I had one of these on my line by Lakeland. Had a minnow on for bait. Shook out the hook before I could land it. Looked to be about 16". I'm from WI and haven't seen them before, other than in aquariums.

[@picollojr9009]

I think there is something off with those news

[@philn5703]

@@picollojr9009 They're listed as an invasive species in the lakes at Tenoroc, where we were fishing. I had it up on the surface & had a very clear look at it.

[@cactuscosyusa]

I wonder if they really know it's harming the Manatees or that's just something she imagines. Maybe having algae removed is a pleasurable experience for them.

[@DanMorgan-bh5fv]

lol

[@jimmystrickland1034]

The roe of these particular catfish are highly prized and extremely expensive in Europe. Nobody takes advantage of this in Florida. Seems like a hell of a business opportunity. There are millions of pounds of them infesting Florida fresh waterways. There is a market for the smaller brown hoplo armored catfish here though.

[@villiamkarl-gustavlundberg5422]

Manatees can get cold? But they have so much blubber.

[@_just_looking_thank_you]

Looks are deceiving. In fact, they have no blubber at all, like their relatives the elephants. That they’re so large is due to their massive digestive tracts.

[@Vernonu9]

Pleco: Gimme your delicious algae! *nom nom nom nom Slow Manatee: Oh noes! Everyone's after me Lucky Charms!

[@christinajohnson3378]

Lies, all lies

[@Learn-N-Burn]

I mean they look so clean now

[@vetiarvind]

Encourage fishing of this species. Surely, it's edible? Home cooked catfish sounds great.

[@0rluh]

It's not really. Extremely difficult to get into the body to eat it.

[@deciduousgaming1714]

They’re bottom feeders, too so I wouldn’t recommend trying.

[@xx_Joker_xx]

PEOPLE... stop releasing your pets into the "wild".

[@casienwhey]

You could argue that humans are the ultimate invasive species because we brought all the other ones to Florida.

[@buhomorado2244]

A Mexican fisherman also had the same problem someone let their pet fish out. But he turned it around and turns the pleco into pet feed.

[@Vinegaroon]

The manatees don’t look distressed tbh. They might enjoy it. That being said the fish is still a problem fir the ecosystem

[@tonnyy7019]

That’s what I’m saying, nature is just taking its turn on changing/ cooperating with a new species in its ecosystem

[@Sawrattan]

Then why does it keep flicking its tail as if thrashing about.

[@eveningclicks7767]

It tickles. Honestly I think the manatee just seems annoyed. It will get over it if the plecos are not removed.

[@tobiasrietveld3819]

Yes, lets contradict the expert...

[@ttinnovations3310]

New story yes, but still the only think annoying them the most are humans

[@invaderjoshua6280]

I honestly wonder why you bother reporting on this. Yes it sucks but this has been common for almost 20 years now in Florida. I’ve been seeing news of this exact thing with plecos since I was a kid. I’m 27 now. The simple truth is this species like the peacock bass, redtail catfish, and many more are fully established. It’s to late to be doing anything so why is this news worthy? Invasive also implies its invading, the invading process is over its fully established, and a native species at this point as it has reproduced in Florida. In fact after 20 years most of these fish born in the waters probably are from Florida.

[@BeBurrito]

Invasive implies nuisance. Insects and beetles reproduce daily and there are hundreds of generations within your lifetime. Are we going to stop calling them invasive after a dat? You can take up the nomenclature with all of Ecology at their annual conference.

[@jaronl.7500]

This Pleco problem is a huge problem in the America’s. It’s going to change our waters a lot in the next few decades.

[@Introcapri]

We need to save our manatees

[@nickferro6627]

The world is completely out of balance

[@Tsampl]

You just need to create a predator that preys on them and then it’ll be solved

[@madmerdhyntheblack911]

but then the predator outcompetes the native predator species and that's just another invasive.

[@W47689]

@@madmerdhyntheblack911 exactly

[@TatsByTaco]

Ah yes, like the Burmese python and the Argentinan tegu..

[@DongWang-m4n]

@@madmerdhyntheblack911 Yeah, you don't introduce one alien species to get rid of another, and that's why it's a stupid idea. My idea is to tell the Tyrones in florida that if you fry pleco, it tastes exactly like fried chicken. Watch them disappear in one week. Would be entertaining to see Tyrones standing next to each other shoulder to shoulder while firing their 9mm into the water.

[@domystic20]

I’ve always thought that this armored catfish are mutated monsters from the sewers. I always saw them in the canals where i walk after i have my class back in college.

[@connie6705]

They should be banned from the aquarium hobby! Aquarium stores (not all) are being just as irresponsible as the people letting them go into the local water ways. Can’t traps somehow be set for them to remove them? Ship them back to where they came from.

[@HAWK1986X2]

If they want one, they should catch it from the wild and ban them from buying one from the store.

[@HTC-1337]

Why would you ship them back? This fished is armed for areas were wild life excist , rivers are big and trees have roots going into the water! South amerika has still a lot of nature and everything there has a lot of colors , faces or armor or is giant in sise on average. This thing is like a tank made for different areas and can only eat and fuck in the empty water probably

[@Skyx5m50]

I have 3 plecos in my pond. They are fine fish for aquariums if the owner knows what they’re doing

[@DongWang-m4n]

*Connie* They've been in the hobby longer than you've been alive, which I figure is about 60 years. As for shipping them back to where they came from (South America), shipping costs are calculated by weight and one gallon of water is 8lbs. You seem to be a dumb a ss woman.

[@adriancano3991]

Look like they cleaning them up. Wonder if they actually enjoy it

[@heidiembrey4917]

They clearly dont .

[@jerrydiaz0123]

I’m confused I had mine for 7 years but never grew more than 5 to 6 inches life span is 10 to 15 was mine defective

[@eveningclicks7767]

There are different types of plecos out there. Maybe you had a different kind of pleco. But it is possible to sometimes stunt the growth of a fish. You can Google about how that happens. There are a few variables involved.

[@nobrainsnoheadache2434]

I can say with confidence you had a bristlenose, commonly called a bristlenose pleco but not a pleco at all, it's an ancistrus. There are dwarf species available but they are even smaller. A regular pleco cam grow to almost a metre in the wild. They will quickly outgrow most tanks under 100G, they are destructive because of their size, and they poop accordingly. I took a foot long one out of a 35 gallon tank with a fishing net. They can grow on you in terms of attractiveness and the markings are nice, but unless you have the space, for 99% of people a regular pleco should not be on the shopping list. Same goes for many of the fancy plecos, but for a different reason lol $$$$$

[@its_derk8777]

Bring them to Maryland. They keep our waters clean.

[@BenziitOfemme]

Legalize pleco hunting right now...PLECO are horrible !!

[@jaykayelem7386]

I love how the sea cow explains the sea cow situation

[@varietyboypsn]

excuse you?

[@Reegan-de5rj]

it’s not a sea cow stellar sea cows have been extinct for a long time now

[@marciawood2061]

Manatees are protected. Get rid of the catfish.

[@mariebaxter473]

As a fish keeper it looked more like a cleaning station to me that they have out on the coral reef , the Manatee seemed to settle in one spot and wait for the catfish to come to them. (what does cat fish taste like ? )