pleco / pond question

[cichlid1409]

can you leave plecos in a pond year round with no heater ?

[MerrittA]

I would not recommend that, I would think that it gets too cold in Texas during the winter for them to survive in a pond. They can survive in water that is 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. :-)

[armthehomeless]

I wouldn't recommend it either...unless you have a VERY deep pond (6'+). I give mine away every year as it starts to get cold.

[amilcar]

it could work....the reason for that is that they are everywhere here in houston.....just walk by a bayou and youll see.....it has become a reality that the plecs have adapted and have been breeding for a while now..

[MerrittA]

What!? I guess people just let them go when they get too big.... That is soo bad for the natural ecosystems in Texas. With these new information, you could try it...

it could work....the reason for that is that they are everywhere here in houston.....just walk by a bayou and youll see.....it has become a reality that the plecs have adapted and have been breeding for a while now..

[76dragon]

I have killed 2-3 large plecos by not putting a heater in the pond in the winters here in Louisiana. Now i just put in a few heaters in November - April, and they are fine.

If you don't, you will see them floating in February when it gets really cold

[armthehomeless]

it could work....the reason for that is that they are everywhere here in houston.....just walk by a bayou and youll see.....it has become a reality that the plecs have adapted and have been breeding for a while now..

True ... plecos are all over the Houston bayous etc... but the difference between bayous and ponds is the volume of water/surface area. Unless your pond is deep, (or you put a heater in the pond) your pleco doesn't stand much of a chance.

There are lots of variables at play here, but I still say do something come winter time.

[cichlid1409]

cool, thanks guys . I'll let my co-worker know I have no idea about pond stuff.

[amilcar]

True ... plecos are all over the Houston bayous etc... but the difference between bayous and ponds is the volume of water/surface area. Unless your pond is deep, (or you put a heater in the pond) your pleco doesn't stand much of a chance.

There are lots of variables at play here, but I still say do something come winter time.

yeah.....but the best example I can give to you is....brays bayou.....okay most of it is on flat concrete.....when winter comes you will see quite a few dead ones here and there but some always make it.....but yeah you will be safer keeping it warm

[RMD55]

One of the things that has allowed plecos to survive the winter in the Houston bayous is that they can live in the brackish water in the ship channel. There are plants that release "warm water" into the ship channel and many of the plecos migrate to this area in the winter. Making the pond deeper will keep it cooler in the summer at the bottom, but the only help in the winter is that it will take longer to get cold as in the spring it will take longer to warm up because of the larger volume. Water is a unique liquid in that it reaches a maxium density at about 37 deg F so the coldest water in Houston will be at the bottom of the pond, because it rarely freezes here. To winter out side you need to hope for a warm winter or heat it some way.

[jeff]

so what do you do w/ 16"+ plecos in the winter. Im thinking about a storage tote. They dont need light. a few bubbles and a little water movement should work right.

[Mzungu]

Do you have a big tank inside? Is there no way you can heat the pond at all?

[jeff]

I could heat the pond. How much heat. how many heaters. its around 300 gal.
im selling my big tank that i used to bring them to during the winter. just dont know the cost of running a heater all winter.

[lilmissruffcountry]

I could heat the pond. How much heat. how many heaters. its around 300 gal.
im selling my big tank that i used to bring them to during the winter. just dont know the cost of running a heater all winter.

Cover it with a thick plastic...home depot carries something called visqueen(spelling?) its green house plastic. place a heat lamp under the plastic, an hope for the best...works for me, guppies make the winter in a 75 gal tub.

[jeff]

whats wrong w/ the tub idea