Tag: Plecostomus

Fishing

Record temps create carp spawning conditions
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This Plecostomus must have been in someone’s aquarium. (Credit Jim Burns)

OK, I know it sounds crazy, but carp were chasing each other, jumping out of the water and love was in the air. In other words, a mini-spawn is on. Weather in Long Beach topped out at 87 degrees breaking the record of 84 set in 1975, according to the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, I didn’t catch this deceased  Plecostomus, but was thrilled to finally see one.

 

Aquarium lovers might know this heavily armored bottom feeder as a “janitor fish,” one that comes from the Amazon to clean the algae off your tank. Tthe species grows to 2 feet and sometimes end up in the river.

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Crazy-hot temperatures for December found lots of carp jumping out of the water, a bad sign for catching them.

See you on the river, Jim Burns

 

Creatures

Alien vs. Plecostomus
Here's lookin' at you, kid. (Grove Pashley)
Here’s lookin’ at you, kid. (Grove Pashley)

Grove Pashley, of L.A. River Kayak Safari, spotted this odd-looking river denizen near Victory Boulevard and wondered what in the heck it was.

“Plecostomus,” replied biologist Sabrina Drill by email, “we’ve spotted them in that area before.”

Aquarium lovers might know this heavily armored bottom feeder as a “janitor fish,” one that comes from the Amazon to clean the algae off your tank. In this case, looks like when he got too big (the species grows to 2 feet), plunk, the river became his new home.

Remember besides sending in pics here for an ID, you can also use the INaturalist app.

See you on the river, Jim Burns