Our 4 beloved plecostamus aka The Fab Four had done well last winter in their outdoor pond. Then this winter happened and it was a different story. We woke up to a temp of 34° out of the blue and got them out, in a panic. There was no time to research or seek help. We simply ran on adrenaline, fear, and love. One was already gone. RIP Bert 😭 We worked diligently by putting them into a large bucket of warmer water and then hubby sprang into action. He held each one belly up at the water line, allowing oxygen into their lungs and massaged them gently at the same time. He didn't leave their side. They are 2 1/2 - 6 yrs old, 9-14" long. For the record, we live in Florida where we have very mild winters and not a single snowflake. We did a ton of research and keep an eye on the weather. I cried all day. We truly LOVE our fish (3 aquariums, 2 koi ponds). I am happy to report that, by some miracle, 2 of the 4 have fully recovered. We haven't totally given up on the 3rd one but he's alive. I want y'all to learn from our mistakes and also to know there is hope, if caught in time. I have yet to find another single success story. Stay alert. You can't undo a tragedy.
@AeroRangerStudios
6 жыл бұрын
Good for you Diana that you were able to save some. All 4 of mine were lost when our temps hit 16F unexpectantly. I can't believe there are people who don't like this video. They are truely Pleco haters. I love my sucker fish :) My new ones I obtained 2 years ago are already big. Thank you for watching. I too learned the hard way
@dianaoliver8493
6 жыл бұрын
AeroRanger My heart aches for you. I know how fishkeeping is a ton of research, trial, and error. Mistakes are just that, unintentional. Lesson learned, now we use that wisdom for others and in the future ourselves. I think people hit thumbs down simply because of the topic. Don't let it get to ya. We are not in this for money or popularity. We want our fish (all our pets) to thrive. Hang in there. We know what you are going through.
@sarahk4047
5 жыл бұрын
Diana Oliver I love how much you care and love your animals, as I do! Wish more people did. God bless xox
@Gk22632
Жыл бұрын
Even though this was 5 years ago, did you put them in warm water straight from the 35 degree pond?? Because the pleco most likely had naturally slowed down their metabolisms and limited movement to survive the cold
@danpollina8721
28 күн бұрын
8 years later...still helpful!!
@AeroRangerStudios
21 күн бұрын
Thank you! I think the temperature I mentioned in this video is too cold. Like 50, etc., or even 70. Plecos need like 76 degrees. Those who have in ground ponds that go deep are okay because the water will be warmer at the bottom during the winter. You can use trough heaters, I did for a couple of years when I had horses, but you really have to watch close when ice comes around if the water gets cold. Plecos need to come in the house for the winter if you have an above ground pond. Thanks for the comment!
@josephjohnson1406
3 ай бұрын
I realize this is quite an aged post but do you realize how sensitive fish are to noise. How insane living in such a chamber with such constantly loud splattering of the water must be.
@AeroRangerStudios
3 ай бұрын
Hi, yeah our fish love their waterfalls and swim all around them. We don't have small ponds anymore but large ones with waterfalls and they pool & School all around them, so it they hate them, they sure aren't acting like it. We have Koi and Goldfish and they love their waterfalls
@Katseye102
6 жыл бұрын
Sorry for your loss. Hard lesson learned sadly. Bring them in before it gets cold.
@FinesseMuse
5 жыл бұрын
MULTIPLE issues here. Issue 1 - WAY too many fish in that little pond. Issue 2 - pleco CAN and DO survive quite well in outdoor ponds, (as you did mention in your video) BUT ONLY in ponds that have enough depth to keep the pleco warm *and* also have a heater for the depths of the coldest parts of winter. Issue 3 - all 4 of the pleco died for 3 reasons, 1) they went from a bigger body of water into something WAY to small, 2) they already froze 3) you didn't put an air stone in each of the 1gal ice cream tubs to add oxygen to the water and create circulation in the water, ultimately they suffocated Issue 4 - the pond is ABOVE ground, rather than in ground where the earth in ground can provide insulation and warmth for ALL of the fish. Yes you've done a decent job of trying to, more or less, create a "green house" for the pond, but I would *highly* recommend that you put any pond *in ground* for the sake of your koi and gold fish to survive the winter better. Issue 5 - the air your supplying to the pond is at the surface of the water, (yes as the fish swim around they will circulate the water, BUT without an adequate amount of oxygen and movement of the water itself) the fish will ultimately suffocate and be less active to stir the water enough to circulate the oxygen. You need to put an air stone or some sort of bubbler *at the bottom* of a pond this size to create some sort of agitation to water movement helping to better create an oxygen rich environment. Anyone else with pleco, they are fabulous fish, yes there a great addition to indoor tanks and outdoor ponds (of adequate size and set up). This link here; kzitem.info/news/bejne/zn-Z0qubmoB_pm0 For Greg Wittstock The Pond Guy Is a perfect example of the right size pond that's needed for pleco to survive in an outdoor pond. I hope this information is helpful. Peace 😎😎
@garrettnoe2707
6 жыл бұрын
thanks for letting us know, your video is appreciated!
@AeroRangerStudios
6 ай бұрын
Thanks!!
@gardenstategoldfish698
6 ай бұрын
Sorry you lost your plecos, do you think they could survive 50 F water? My basement gets that cold max and wanted to maybe add one, it’s warm during spring summer and most of fall but winter gets that cold
@AeroRangerStudios
6 ай бұрын
They need warm water like 70 degrees. If your water is cold or gonna be cold, you need to get them out and wait until the water is warm. Get a temp stick to check it. These are tropical fish and need warm water.
@RedrumTV5150
3 жыл бұрын
Dude, that's a wash bucket, not a pond. And wayyyyy overstocked.💯
@AeroRangerStudios
6 ай бұрын
Yup Lesson Learned
@thegreatcommisar2924
5 жыл бұрын
Plecos are fine in winter ponds but you my at have a minimal of 300 watt heater as well as the pleco must be pretty big
@yeexiong1942
3 жыл бұрын
Hey they said that pleco can survive outside of water for ten days is it true can you put that to a test because I will really like to see if it's true
@AeroRangerStudios
6 ай бұрын
I think that would be a Craw Fish or Crawdad. Plecos would last about 4 minutes out of water
@jessenauertz714
7 жыл бұрын
Could they of died from lack of oxygen in those little buckets?
@AeroRangerStudios
6 жыл бұрын
No, I had the lids on but not fully on just to help keep them from jumping out once they thawed out, but they never thawed out. I know not to smother them.
@AeroRangerStudios
6 жыл бұрын
No, they were frozen solid when I took them out of the pond. The lids were never put on fully, I was hoping they would thaw out but no they were already dead
@jasonthurston799
3 жыл бұрын
@@AeroRangerStudios Doesn't matter if the lids were not on fully, they needed the water to be highly oxygenated (air stone) in case they get the slightest amount of blood circulation and perhaps some oxygen can be absorbed through their skin.
@AeroRangerStudios
3 жыл бұрын
@@jasonthurston799 Thank you for your input. I left this video up to help anyone and everyone who has Plecos to not go through what I did. I wish I could rewind time and go back and NOT stock the pond so full and get those Plecos out before it got too cold. So everyone who sees this video, DON'T do what I did!!
@jasonthurston799
3 жыл бұрын
@@AeroRangerStudios Honorable!
@justjenn23
6 жыл бұрын
Dude that's cruelty. They deserve better
@AeroRangerStudios
6 жыл бұрын
Yes it is cruel, however it was also unintentional, so I made this video so those who have Plecos in a pond outside will be aware that they cannot be in cold water when the Fall comes if you live in an area where it gets cold outside. I got them when they were tiny at Petsmart and after 3 years, they were really big for the indoor tank. They do well outside as long as you don't have a freeze or continuous cold weather below 65 degrees. They need to be moved back inside. Glad you understand why I made this video and listen to my last words of the video for advice
@mikeydoesit6753
4 жыл бұрын
#microwave on thaw for 4 mins in a bowl of water. Worked for mine I have been thawing them out for about 6 years now with no problems. My pond is 4 feet deep and they only freeze like bomb pops a few times a year 😊
@brandongriggs5198
7 жыл бұрын
did they die?
@AeroRangerStudios
7 жыл бұрын
Yes Brandon, they all died, at the end of the video I showed them all dead :(
@johnysmith3891
7 жыл бұрын
Overstocked
@AeroRangerStudios
7 жыл бұрын
Johny you are right, I had way too many fish in that small 260 gallon tank. Since then I have added more tanks and spread the fish out. I have also replaced my plecos and will take them out and bring them in about the middle of September. I am in the process of building a fish pond inground.
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