PlecoInvasion.org

Prevention

Preventing Future Pleco Introductions:

· Talk to your friends and children about the negative effects of releasing aquarium pets and plants.

· Go to your local pet store and ask them to distribute information to new aquarium owners about the negative effects of releasing pets and plants.

· Go to your local pet store and ask them to initiate a pet buy-back program for people who want to get rid of their aquarium pets and plants.

· Visit local school classroom and arrange to give a lesson to the children about releasing their unwanted aquarium pets and plants.

See Teacher Resources below and Links for more information about releasing aquarium pets.

Unwanted Pet Plecos (and other fish and plants):

Become part of the solution!

· Return your pleco to the pet store for resale or trade.

· Donate your pleco to a friend or a local zoo, aquarium, nature center, school, nursing home, or doctor's office!

· Contact a local fish club and see if anyone is interested in adopting your pleco.

· Sell your fish online!

· If you cannot find a donor, you can euthanize your fish. You can contact your veterinarian or local pet store for information on humane disposal of your fish.

· If you do not want to euthanize your fish, call a local veterinarian or natural resource biologist to euthanize the fish for you.

· Pour all aquarium water into the toilet.

· When getting rid of aquatic plants, put them in a plastic bag, freeze them for 24 hours, and dispose of them.

Teacher Resources for Aquatic Invasive Species:

Exotic Species Trading Cards: http://fl.biology.usgs.gov education/Open_House_2007.pdf

Aquatic Invasive Species Education Handbook: http://www.uwex.edu/erc/pdf/AI/AquaticInvasivesHandbook.pdf

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant: Invasive species education: http://www.iisgcp.org/edk-12/

Education material from the Great Lakes Basin: http://www.glc.org/ans/pdf/info_educate.pdf

Nab the aquatic invader: http://sgnis.org/kids/

Protect your pet pamphlet: http://www.mass.gov/czm/invasives/docs/protectyourpets.pdf

Massachusetts Aquatic Invasive Program: http://www.mass.gov/czm/invasives/prevent/pets.htm

Information is freely available for research and educational purposes only. All photographs are copyright of their respective owners. Please contact plecoinvasion.org@gmail.com with questions about site content. The loricariid illustration was created by Tom Vigliotta.