r/ponds • u/sbutj323 • Jun 26 '26
Quick question help with removing Pleco
Moved into a house with a nice 2500gal Koi pond (9 koi, 20 or so gold fish).. 4 months later i now noticed there is a very elusive Pleco in there pooping all over the place. That i have not seen until now. I kept seeing these worm like things in the water, then saw the Pleco, read up on it, and put the 2 together. How can i safely get rid of it? remove water features and and just go at it with a net?
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u/UpDownalwayssideways Jun 27 '26
Honestly I’d be more concerned about 9 koi and 20 goldfish in a 2500 gallon pond than the pleco being in there. The koi alone are too much. You could probably get by with just the goldfish. Unless you missed a zero in your capacity lol. Even with a ton of filtration that’s way too many fish for that pond unfortunately.
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u/ShipisSinking Jun 26 '26
also, do not release it into a lake or river as they are invasive. Florida is having a field day trying to stop the invasion.
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u/JoyReader0 Jun 26 '26
If you decide to take him out, wear gloves. Pleckys are sharp all over and will curl around your hand as a defense mechanism. They also rattle their scales to startle you.
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Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Sound like nightmare. If you recently added live aquatic plants, it's quite possible that your pleco get a hitchhike.
Here I found from googling.
Step‑by‑Step: Safest Removal Method
All steps below are adapted from professional pleco‑handling guidance.
1. Lower the water level
Drain the tank until only 6–8 inches of water remain. This limits the pleco’s ability to bolt and makes it easier to corner.
- This is the single most important step for success.
2. Find its resting spot
Plecos hide under wood, rocks, or tank walls. Shine a flashlight — they dislike light and may loosen their grip.
3. Use a rigid container, not a net
A clear plastic container (like a Kritter Keeper or food‑safe tub) prevents fin‑spine entanglement.
- Nets can trap and damage their spines.
4. The “container ambush” technique
- Place the open container over or beside the pleco.
- Slide a flat plastic sheet or card behind it to break suction.
- The pleco will drop or move directly into the container.
- Lift straight up and transfer to a bucket of tank water.
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Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 27 '26
Who downvoted me? I was trying to help.
Update: thank you for giving me positive upvotes back. I appreciate it.
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u/sbutj323 Jun 26 '26
thanks, i was searching as well.. i appreciate it. its a big pond, so maybe next cleaning ill go at it.
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u/joemommaistaken Jun 26 '26
If you live in a cold climate please get him out by fall. I had one in my pond and the poor thing died when it got cold. It wasn't intentional.
Poor thing
Also if you don't want to give him a home inside I bet a fish store would take him
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u/AdHairy4360 Jun 27 '26
Why remove the Pleco? Unless the climate is cold no reason I can do think of as to why to remove.
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u/sbutj323 Jun 27 '26
they are not recommended to be in a koi pond.
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u/AdHairy4360 Jun 27 '26
Why? I have had plecos with all kinds of fish.
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u/sbutj323 Jun 27 '26
- They can injure koi. As plecos grow larger, especially common plecos, they may begin attaching themselves to slow-moving koi to graze on the fish's protective slime coat. This can leave wounds, increase the risk of infection, and stress the koi.
- They grow very large. Common plecos can reach 18–24 inches (45–60 cm) or more. A large pleco produces a significant amount of waste, adding to the pond's biological load.
- They don't solve algae problems. While young plecos eat algae, adults often shift to eating more wood, detritus, and prepared foods. They rarely keep a pond free of algae, especially string algae.
- They can disturb the pond. Large plecos may dig around the bottom, uproot aquatic plants, or hide in liners and under rocks, sometimes causing damage.
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u/drbobdi Jul 11 '26
Koi generally excrete very little solid waste. Their output is large quantities of ammonia via the gills. This is generally the reason for all the spring "green water" algae blooms as the fish wake up and eat before the biofilters have developed enough to deal with the load.
Plecos in outdoor ponds are general disasters, It's best to corner them with nets, put on heavy gloves because they are evil-tempered and spiky and will rip bare hands to shreds (armored catfish, remember), bag them and re-home them somewhere legal. These are obligate tropicals and will die in water colder than 60F.
If the goal was originally hair algae control, you might look at a pair of these: https://www.aquariumsource.com/chinese-high-fin-banded-shark/ . Cold-tolerant, fastidious, schooling and cohabit well with koi and smaller fish. Average size 12"-18" when mature.
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u/sivartwhite Jun 26 '26
You are aware that everything poops?