Can a pleco live in an outdoor pond??

[fishboy123]

I have a common pleco and a sailfin pleco.in a 64l tank who seems like they have not got enough space any more. I have a koi/goldfish pond in my garden an was wondering if I put them in there next summer and they can gradually get used to the cold weather for winter. The pond is 4ft deep and is roughly 400 to 500g.

 

[Goldguru]

comfort temp zone for most pleco's is 24-30C.

 

[fishboy123]

The pond at summer will be about 24c but in winter it will drop to about 4c and below. I have heard that they get used to the cold??

 

[Andy Sager]

The pond at summer will be about 24c but in winter it will drop to about 4c and below. I have heard that they get used to the cold??

Not necessarily. Here in FL, we are inundated with feral Plecos and when we had the 2 winters where it froze in Central FL, there were so many dead Plecos floating that they produced a health hazard in those areas.
If you can provide some form of warmth during the winter, they will have a better chance of surviving.

 

[fishboy123]

That was probably because the plecos were all used to the hot temp that when it went cold the was no time to adjust whereas where i am it hardly ever snows.

 

[fishboy123]

Is there anyway i can heat the pond during winter?

 

[Andy Sager]

That was probably because the plecos were all used to the hot temp that when it went cold the was no time to adjust whereas where i am it hardly ever snows.

That's not true, the areas in which there were massive deaths routinely get into the 40s and 50s during winter nights but it was when it dropped into the lower 40s and 30s that there was massive dieoffs of animals and fish that are not used to Florida's "usual weather" in winter. Also, during those years, the temps were not hot today and freezing tomorrow so the fish had plenty of time to get acclimated to colder temps.

As for heating the pond, yes, they do make pond heaters. You may not have to do the whole pond but just an area that the fish would have to get warm in.

 

[fishboy123]

Would one of them floating pond heaters work?

 

[Hleverett]

It would be cost prohibited to thy and heat a Koi pond. You could have a large heated indoor tank to over winter them in but that's a lot of problems too. I live in Southeast Texas and had 2 Pleco in it. They survived several years. I never saw a benefit in them being in the pond and trying to get them out of a Koi net is an adventure !

 

[Andy Sager]

Would one of them floating pond heaters work?

Considering that I have no idea where you live or the climate you are talking about or the type of heater you are looking at, I can't answer that question. I suggest you talk to the manufacturer of the product and see if it will work under your circumstances.

 

[Hleverett]

Floating pond heater just keeps a small hole open in the ice they don't warm a pond

 

[fishboy123]

What sort of heater would I need to keep a part of the pond warm over winter

 

[Hleverett]

It would be almost impossible to heat a pond .

 

[fishboy123]

Will a 200l tank be ok for two large plecos for the winter?

 

[Fresh2o]

How large are the plecos?
Will they be the only occupants in the tank?
I'm assuming this is a temporary setup (as in overwintering the plecos indoors in a heated tank). I suppose if you keep up with water changes and monitor the parameters then they should be fine.

 

[fishboy123]

Well all the fish from my 64l tank will be going in aswell and yes it is only temporary for the winter. They will be in the pond in summer

 

[fishboy123]

The plecos are only about 4 inches at the moment but will get big when they spend the whole summer in the pond

 

[fishboy123]

Will my two plecos be alright in a storage tub in my room at room temp. The lowest it will get is 15c. The 64l tank is not big enough for them now and I won't be getting the 200l tank until Christmas. Do you think they will be ok in the tub without a heater untill christmas or are they better of staying in the 64l tank? Oh and the tub is a long 110l

 

[fishboy123]

Also there are 4 weather loaches in my pond at the moment an i was wondering if they would be ok through the winter?? What is the lowest temp that they can handle?

 

[skradtim]

I have a common pleco and a sailfin pleco.in a 64l tank who seems like they have not got enough space any more. I have a koi/goldfish pond in my garden an was wondering if I put them in there next summer and they can gradually get used to the cold weather for winter. The pond is 4ft deep and is roughly 400 to 500g.

I could be wrong but I think they are more native to tropical areas. I don't think they could adjust to colds that extreme. It might cost you a small fortune to heat that pond. Electric heat is one of the worst ways to go money wise. Their probably are alternatives though like gas. If you can go with Natural gas over propane. It's cheaper. Could also somehow link up a wood stove or pellet stove.