SPECIES OF THE MONTH | 水產百科網

2019年12月4日—Forthosewhofishfreshwaterponds,lakesandstreams,youprobablyhavecaughtaprehistoriclookingcatfishwiththickboneyplateswhichare ...

This month’s Species Spotlight focuses on another non-native species introduced once again by the releasing of aquarium fish into the waters of South Florida. For those who fish freshwater ponds, lakes and streams, you probably have caught a prehistoric looking catfish with thick boney plates which are commonly referred to as armored catfish or Plecos. These suckermouth catfish are native to tropical South America and Central America and were introduced to Florida back in the 1950’s as part of the growing aquarium trade. In home aquariums, they are used to clean the bottom of the aquarium and control algae and detritus build-up.

In Florida there are three dominant species of armored catfish swimming in our waters, the Sailfin Catfish, the vermiculated Sailfin and the Hypostomus (Plecos). However there are probably many other subspecies located in isolated ponds and canals freed from th...