That is one of the cleanest rivers in an urban area that I have ever seen. Keep up the good work of preserving such a valuable resource.

Unfortunately, stores like Petco and Petsmart sell plecostamus and so many get big (8 - 10+ inches) and outgrow popular 5, 10, 20 gallon fish tanks. The stores don’t tell buyers, so they buy a cute 1 inch fish and after a year or so their little baby algae eater has outgrown their tanks, and the big box stores won’t take them back. So what is your average person to do? The pet stores ought to have signs that clearly state that these fish get big. These fish also make a mess of aquariums when they get big because they like to dig. Privately owned fish stores often will take these fish and resell them, also pond stores will take fish for resell, but again people don’t know. Sometimes you can actually get a few bucks for your trade in. People need to do their homework when they buy a living creature. That said a plecostamus would not survive in just any body of water in the US as they can’t survive cold water. The San Marcos River is spring fed so it stays about 70 degrees year round, so these tropical fish can adapt to that. You won’t find these fish in most of the Texas rivers and lakes, just ones that are spring fed and stay constant temperature year round. For anyone who wants a plecostamus that stays smaller (3 to 4 inches) buy a Bristlenose plecostamus instead of the other varieties. There are a huge variety of Bristlenose plecos. I have a pair in my large aquarium that are a beautiful orange color. Do your homework people.

The San Marcos River is one of the most beautiful environments I've ever seen, comparable to ocean reefs. It must be protected.

Bro… I’m born & raised in Hawai’i. Your pole spear skills are excellent.

You guys should use what we do to breed Plecos in the hobby but as a way to keep them from undercutting the concrete banks and to get them in a place that's easy to catch them. They are nocturnal so they like tight dark places, we use PVC pipe for this, you could use cinder blocks larger diameter PVC pipe. Personally I'd make a trap consisting off a largish dark container with a number of 2 inch PVC no longer than a foot with a typical fish trap inverted cone maybe badminton birdies, this will entice them to enterer especially if you bait it with some stinky algae wafers. Check daily and you'll be removing thousands a week

Invasive fish from clean water make excellent fertilizer. Fish emulsion is $20 a gallon.

Just don't forget about the apple snails

I knew Nick and his brother back in college. Really cool dudes, great people. It's pretty awesome to see Nick is still spearing invasive species, and has grown his operations. The San Marcos river is beautiful, clear, and pretty chilly. Floated and kayaked it plenty of times myself.

Stop releasing your plecos, people!

As a Texan who grew up on this river let me just say y'all are doing a great job at conservation on this water way.

Good luck with that. Thanks for your efforts

This makes me sad and angry. Especially as I live here... Stupid people dumping their pets into the wild... not just fish. I found a parakeet about a year or so ago eating at the outdoor bird feeders with the wild sparrows. One place I go hiking has a pond and I am always seeing bright orange goldfish in there which were obviously dumped since that pond doesn't connect to anything. I would love to catch one of those big fish. I have an empty 50 gallon tank that would love a fish. :) I keep my fish until they die which is how the tank ended up empty. First Herman died then Fishy died. They were 6 and 8 inches long respectively when their life ended. They were about an inch long when I got them. - Heidi

if owning a home wasn't so expensive in Texas I'd live there. the San Marcos river looks absolutely beautiful. damn plecos.

Houston Bayous are teeming with them. They are everywhere along with tilapia. A few buddies and me bow fish for them. We've taken hundreds out of a pretty small stretch of bayou only to come back the following week to it being filled again, It's crazy.

All I could think about was how nasty bros dreads must be if he dives like that all the time.

Awesome video! I really love how everything was explained thoroughly and with data and videos!

This is a very interesting program. I'd never have thought those were aquarium fish, but that makes sense. Maybe there needs to be some kind of public messaging around what a pet owner should do if they can't take care of their fish anymore. The people letting them go probably think this is better than killing them.

That spear is very e-fish-ient

As a fellow spearo with dreads, I thought that was me in the thumbnail almost!😂 keep it up

I remember a time when the river was level with the concrete at Sewell. We used to run from the volleyball courts and jump the stairs into the river. If you did that now you'd be dead. Water is so shallow. Recently toured Aquarena and compared to my first visit as a kid it broke my heart.

That water looks so clean

These are all over Volusia Blue springs in Orange City, FL. Thankfully, they are NOT in many other FL springs (at least for now).

when I was in college I played football at a school that played against texas state and we stopped at that river for lunch and a walk through, it was a cool river, hate to see it get ruined.

I attended SWT/Texas Sate University there in San Marcos. LOOOVE LOOOVE that small town and river.

Thank you for getting them out

Props to anybody soing environmental work in Texas and the south in general. Y'all are legends for that.

People dump the fish when they get tired of cleaning the tank smh

We run the biggest invasive knockout tournament in Florida to get these guys! (Dustin and Sawyers nonnative Knockout) Can you let me know who the best point of contact is with your department there in Texas? Thanks

Design a trap. Even though baiting algae eaters is tough just the right shaped shelter might be enough. Have an enticing tunnel with a camera and funnel entrance. They can be monitored remotely and only raised to release the good fish and remove the bad. Trap doors could be triggered remotely to select only the bad fish and it can be like a video game you play at night all dry and warm. You could sell the rights to the trap. People can keep the Tilapia and turn in the plecos. Kids might like fishing for their dinner without the mosquitoes and worms. Making it fun and feeding people should keep it going. If not start a rumor that Pleco meat cures baldness,burns fat and stops ED.

Please keep looking after this stunning urban river. Seems like you are collectively doing an awesome job. If everyone had their own bit of nature that they cared about our relationship with the planet would be completely different. I try to look after the River Wandle in London, which is now clean and has trout in it, bit for many years was toxic and dead.

Went to Aquarina Springs in san marcos as a kid. One of the springs is so large/powerful that it was capped and diverted. Was odd and beautiful to see where a river actually starts and the size and depth of the water there at the park makes where theyre fishing in this video seem like a little creek . Go have a look for yourselves, Aquarina Springs.

Are these what are known as Pleco's in the aquarium world??

What a great story!! So great to see something that totally flips the "Texas redneck" stereotype on its head. Here's smart, motivated Texans actively protecting their cecosystem and employing all kinds of science to get the job done. Excellent! Keep up the good work!

Ya'll need those Skorkls. You can essentially stay submerged for up to 5 minutes. No need for bulky scuba gear.

I know one thing my customers don’t survive, cold temperatures below freezing they will die. I know that firsthand goldfish can handle freezing conditions.

Looks like a ball!! I believe your setup is a Gat-ku rig. They make very nice stuff that holds up.

Beautiful program. Ty for your great service. BEST of luck.

Cool program guys. Similar problem in rainbow river down in Florida. Except it’s very protected and no fishing allowed, but would very much benefit from something like this…

I bought 2 of these from WM for my 100 gallon fresh water aquarium Probably 3-4 inches long? I moved my aquarium outside and they froze to death. They were approximately 14 inches long and that was 3 years ? after I bought them.

Cleanest urban river I have ever seen.

I went to a local pond recently to get bait and ended up catching 5 armored catfish over a foot and a half long biggest was a little over 2 foot

i work in the san marcos river !!! awesome

I wish you guys would talk to FWC here in Florida here in Central Florida Silver Springs one of the biggest Springs in Florida is infested with those things they dig a big huge holes in the bank and cause the trees to fall in.

Great delicacy in my country, the texture and taste are great.

I gotta admit. This looks fun. I mean, not the deep water, but plenty of the spearfishing is in the shallow waters.

Those plecos don’t just eat algae, the bigger they get the less algae they will eat. They become omnivorous the older they get.

Saw the title and saw the picture and immediately thought we were being attacked underwater by sharks with freaking lazer beams on thier heads 😅😅

Tell me why… from the corner of my eye, I didn’t see the dreadlocks, but rather an octopus or a lionfish grabbing onto his head. Legit.

Did the local river had otters living in it once? Reintroduce them if if it did

Great work!

Armored catfish are also in the Harris County Bayous, too, and the water is not nearly as clean. Invasive species are a problem throughout the South. Look at Florida with the pythons, boas and iguanas. Louisiana has a problem with nutria.

I pulled out about 14 last week in the RGV

He looks like Woogie from "there's something about Mary "

great video!

This looks fun, I would just do it for the exercise.

Being an aquarium and fish breeding hobbiest, it's disappointing seeing people be this irresponsible. This is the exact reason that some species start getting bans and we can no longer keep them.

As well as invasive fish, invertebrates and plants we have turds in our rivers in the UK

My god look at how clear that river water is

Calling it a catfish is strange....its clearly a sucker.

Plecostomus are sold as algae eaters. Didn’t expect any negative effects if they got out. I’d imagine our last hard freeze would wipe them out. They can’t handle cold whatsoever.

Again, America isn't serious enough about protecting their ecosystem. Money is so important that compromises are made to make insignificant profits. America can do without the exotic pet trade . Natural populations are in trouble throughout the south and not enough is being done to bring back native species.

Are you doing the same thing on the Guadalupe River?

The only fish I ever released into a local water from an aquarium were a few largemouth bass and bluegill I caught from there. Have you ever seen a male bluegill or other American panfish in an aquarium? They're beautiful and no heating required.

What a great job. It’s lovely to see an urban river that isn’t full of rubbish and litter.

Why are pet stores allowed to sell these things in the first place???

Hey, I am free diver, just moved back to Texas from South East Asian anyway I can help?

the problem with America it seems like, is that they create an issue like this: only to put "experts" at solving it but the day they have solved the issue, their work is no longer required... So there is never any incentive for them to truly find a fix, as they don't do the work to preserve their country, but to sustain their work and have an income.

great vid, and such a great Idea. But what about Electrofishing? Or would it not allow you to remove enough fish? The great thing about that method is fish are all caught alive, and can easily be put back. Allowing you to select out the Catfish.

That is very cool

Your pole spear is actually called a Hawaiian sling. I used one for many decades.

It is actually called a plecostomus

These are a problem in Florida too.

Everyone will pay in the end for their irresponsibility, in this stream as well as anywhere, non-indigenous creatures are released into the wild.

Is there a bounty? This would be an awesome vacation if there was a bounty...

Yes... but do they taste good? Deep fry or bake? ... my answer to exotic species

what's the music at the beginning?

What a stunningly beautiful urban river!!! You ought to come see what England is like now. Filthy and filled with thousands of litres of raw sewerage being pumped non-stop for DAYS AT A TIME into our stunningly gorgeous rivers, making the water so poisonous and polluted that swimming dogs almost die and humans are told to stay away unless they too want to risk death. And as for urban rivers and canals. Google how long someone lasts after they fall into The Thames in London. Spoiler: it's not due to cold shock. I feel embarrassment on behalf of the people living in the UK.

If these guys were to be successful solving the problem, they’d also be without a job…

Alaskan here. Northern Pike were released into the freshwaters of the Kenai peninsula. Whenever one is found, we sterilize the river way to kill off the invasive species and release native fish back in to repopulate after

Whats the av temp of the water?

They do this in Korea with LMB.

Downstream i would see the biggest armored catfish at Thompson island.

Hunt also for their eggs, they lied the eggs in a deep hole and its has orange colour and look like a grape fruit

Those fish are doomed......the predator is after them.

Awesome

Plecs, yep a big problem globally actually. They are wild in Japanese waters too.

Huh, surprised they didn't just build a wall out of razor wire and circular saw blades....

Make a glorified fish trap with a pond grown square of algae . That water is very clear. I’m sure they would smell it and enter it. They like to burrow, probably push past a swing gate like a lobster trap.

508 came from my tank… 😂

The problem here is pure ignorance on the part of the US public. It's quite likely that the general public are to blame for, in this case at least, this fish getting a foothold in what would be waters that it would never see should it have never left its normal habitat. It's invasion isn't limited to the US either. In this case, the hobbits think they are doing the fish a favour by not killing it and let it go in what would be the most pristine habitat in this neck of the woods. We should be looking at this problem at the grass roots level by making sure that there are beefier regulations pertaining to aquariums and the fish sold. You might think that it's a bit overkill for this kind of situation but consider that there are other regulations throughout the US where the regulators enforce catch limits and such to protect the system as a whole.

same as here in Jakarta Indonesia and many place here in my country its been strike by that fish.. 😢

a Tournament set up to kill as many invasive catfish would be a fun idea.

Somebody tell the skin diver he has a bigger problem than sucker fish. He has a big octopus stuck on his head!

Sell them back to the aquaria trade ... they're listed at $24.99 each (plus shipping) ...

I'd sell them in my grocery store btw, sign me up for an environmental program

Yup South America

We need help with the armored catfish in Florida

Man, San Marcos TX is WAY better than San Marcos CA.

These taste so good curried with dumplings

Why are all these creatures with Furs feathers and fins come from other countries released in the United States where they do not belong all of those animals should not be allowed to be sold in the United States people aren't responsible all pet stores should take animals back and not be released into the wild