I have a small retention pond in my neighborhood that I regularly fish for bass.  It has a lot of bass, a few bluegill, crappie, and some sort of tilapia that was just introduced.

Today I noticed new beds that are the same size as bass beds, but they're very close to shore.  At the edge of the bed closest to shore there is a hole, and I noticed a tail sticking out of the hole.  The tail was sort of whispy.  I looked closer and there were fish carcasses and bones laying all around outside the hole.  When I poked the tail with a stick, this good sized fish comes out that looks like a cross between a shark and a catfish.  It looked like it weighed close to 4 or 5 pounds and was dark with spots all over its body.  I shoved a stick into the hole - which juts straight into shore - and it was over a foot deep.

Anybody have any idea what it could be?

It was a cat or bullhead. At that size it would have to be a cat. With spots it would be a channel cat.

They guard eggs and fry in old muskrat holes, but will dig into substrate too.

It was a cat or bullhead. At that size it would have to be a cat. With spots it would be a channel cat.

They guard eggs and fry in old muskrat holes, but will dig into substrate too.

I know what a channel cat is, and I used to catch them in the pond several years ago.  I was looking online and it looks a lot like this:

that is a pleco, it is an "algae eater "for fish tanks. but they will scavange any thing including fish eggs and they like dark spaces.

That looks like an algae eater. Like the one in my aquarium, only bigger.  :-?

could be what we call armored catfish down here, they will undercut the shore to spawn, and therefore seem to destroy the shoreline

Finally caught it with a shrimp net. That was it.

http://img24.imageshack.us/i/dscn1373z.jpg/

http://img11.imageshack.us/i/dscn1375e.jpg/

http://img23.imageshack.us/i/dscn1381.jpg/

http://img11.imageshack.us/i/dscn1376pnd.jpg/

thats definatly an algea eater but looks kinda freaky. i would leave it there as if there is more they will control algea growth

that is a pleco, it is an "algae eater "for fish tanks. but they will scavange any thing including fish eggs and they like dark spaces.

x1,000,000

Yeah 100% fact that is a Pleco.

This is in Orlando Florida by the way.

pleco can survive in natural waters?

in florida, the pleco can live, the water stays warm enough. in the St. Johns and Rodman res. we have counted up to 400in one day.

are they considered an invasive species? do they harm the fishery?

Send um too me i need my ponds cleanned  really bad cant even fish um unless the wind blows it one way or another

in florida, the pleco can live, the water stays warm enough. in the St. Johns and Rodman res. we have counted up to 400in one day.

thats wild i never knew that, thanks!!

are they considered an invasive species? do they harm the fishery?

i don't think plecos are considered an invasive species, they're just exotics....

Plecostomus is what you have there. Somebody must have dumped an aquarium.

wow....i've never seen a pleco in the wild....must have been from a large tank....mine is only 3'' long

That thing I'd huge!!

Pleco, armored cat, sailfish cat.........all pretty much the same, they are everywhere here.

Hypostomus plecostomus (Plecostomus catfish) is the scientific name for a type of freshwater tropical Central and South American fish belonging to the family Loricariidae. They are large algae eaters, and to differentiate them from small algae eaters, they are often referred to as plecostomus, often abbreviated as plecos or plecs. Plecostomus fish have been known to get 5 feet in length with unverified sightings in the wild of 8 feet.

in florida, the pleco can live, the water stays warm enough. in the St. Johns and Rodman res. we have counted up to 400in one day.

X2

It's astounding how many exotic species are established here now (and I'm just talking about the fish!).

Intersting. I've never seen one of them before.