Florida Catfish Feast On Forclosed Pool's Algae

August 22, 2009

Florida's foreclosed homes don't just have unmowed lawns and broken windows. Some also have swimming pools full of stagnant rainwater and overrun with algae. One village has taken a novel approach to cleaning those pools; instead of hiring pool services, residents are letting the catfish loose.

Dave Hoy of the Shiner Shack fish farm says many aquarium owners would recognize the fish as a larger version of a pleco, the docile, sucker-mouthed fish usually stuck to the side of a tank. Hoy's plecos have been hired by the village of Wellington in Palm Beach County to chow down on the scum collecting in the pools of abandoned properties.

Plecos are a kind of catfish, Hoy says, and are very communal, very social. For a medium-sized pool, he'll drop about 15 fish in the water and "let nature kind of take its course."

These aren't the same catfish you'd usually find in a sandwich bun, but Hoy says they could be good eating. "We did do a little study with the university," he says. "[We] gathered them up some of these fish, cleaned them up, and they sent them over to Italy. I believe they had some chefs that experimented with some dishes there and said that it is quite good."

Considering all the fish the village is fattening up, Hoy might be on to something. "There might be another use here," he laughs. "We might be developing a new marketplace."

Krista Capps (armoredcatfish) wrote:

I study fish ecology in Mexico and am working in areas that have been invaded and negatively impacted by introduced plecos. Due to introductions to attempt to control algae and releases from the aquarium trade, these fishes have been introduced to warm water systems throughout the globe. In Mexico, pleco invasion has been attributed to collapses in local fisheries and subsequent economic losses from impoverished regions. These patterns have also been documented in the Philippines and Thailand. In Florida, pleco invasion is negatively affecting natural spring systems, destroying river banks, and altering manatee behavior.

Plecos may provide a novel and cheaper approach to cleaning pools; however, NPR listeners considering using them for pool maintenance should know to make sure to keep them in captivity to prevent future invasions. Although plecos were described as “communal and social" in the story, they can attain huge populations, decrease water quality, and negatively affect native species.In this time of a changing climate and environment, we all need to consider what we are adding to and taking away from our local ecosystems.
Monday, August 24, 2009 9:04:15 PM

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cathleen farr (SuperNova) wrote:

i had an aquarium some years ago and i loved my little Pleco! he was awsome at keeping the tank clean & alge free. i'm quite certain these pools have been drained and are chemical free but fill up with rain water. It is a great concept but should be approached intelligently
Sunday, August 23, 2009 9:01:55 AM

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Allison Pease (aapease) wrote:

I am in complete agreement with Joseph. "Pleco" catfish have been introduced (they're native to tropical South America) throughout the world, and it has become a very serious problem. Established, non-native populations are a nuisance in tropical and subtropical areas across the globe (including in Florida). Placing these fish in outdoor pools, especially in places like Florida with lots of very hospitable habitats nearby for them to invade, is very irresponsible. The effects these fish have on native ecosystems in not yet fully understood. Please don't try this at home, and check out plecoinvasion.org for more information on this issue. I encourage NPR to report on the serious ecological risks involved with this kind of practice.
Sunday, August 23, 2009 12:11:52 AM

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linda maddox (lindagm) wrote:

I heard this on the radio - interesting solution to I'm sure a big problem in FL. But ditto Johnathan - what about the chemical treatments in these pools? That can't be hospitable to fish. Secondly, the comment about piecos being good eating? Ugh - you eat what the fish ate. I uh, really have no interest in eating a fish that was fed by eating the pond scum and algae out of stagnant pools. No thanks.
Saturday, August 22, 2009 11:52:19 PM

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Joseph Middleton (Joe_Middleton) wrote:

There is nothing natural about this, and it should not be encouraged. The release of non-native fish into a habitat where they did not exist previously causes all sorts of issues. A pool may sound like a captive environment, but as pools have drains and overflows the fish can be released into local waterways very quickly.

Instead of letting the pools go scummy green -- and create health hazards by allowing mosquitos to breed there -- why not simply empty them?
Saturday, August 22, 2009 8:21:48 PM

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Jonathan Addelston (Listener3_14159) wrote:

I have two questions: (1) Do these pools with algae still have chlorine treatment? I'd think it is dangerous to put small fish into pools without checking the pH and other water conditions - they would die quickly. (2) Do the fish get retrieved from the pools and get used again or are they left and forgotten in the pools? The story is interesting, but a bit incomplete from these perspectives. As a tropical fish hobbyist, I think the discussion of what these plecos might be like as food was a bit bizarre.
Saturday, August 22, 2009 5:46:46 PM

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Elizabeth Kennedy (Yipee) wrote:

What a great idea! Always like to see a natural, symbiotic approach.