Here is one of the comments we received on our recent YouTube video about not releasing common plecos into lakes and rivers.
Many people genuinely care about our ecosystem, but there is a big misunderstanding that the problem is only with releasing common plecos. The truth is deeper, and it’s important for every fish keeper to understand this correctly.
📌 The message below is a detailed response meant purely for spreading awareness. As responsible pet owners, hope you all understand this and help spread it too. 🙏🐟💙
Thanks for raising this point. Really appreciate the concern for our local ecosystem.
But there’s a small misunderstanding here. This issue is not limited to common plecos — it applies to any fish kept in an aquarium.
No aquarium fish — native or non-native — should ever be released into the wild.
Here’s why:
1️⃣ Non-native species must never be released, because they can:
• Disturb the ecological balance • Compete with native species • Spread new pathogens, bacteria, or parasites • Cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem
That’s exactly what our video was explaining — using the common pleco infestation as the most visible example already affecting our lakes and rivers.
2️⃣ Even native / indigenous fish kept in aquariums should NOT be released back into nature.
This is the part most people don’t know. Once a fish enters an aquarium, it can get exposed to pathogens that don’t exist in natural water bodies.
If that fish — even though native — is released back into a lake or river, it can introduce those diseases and wipe out entire populations of wild fish. So in both cases, releasing aquarium fish = ecological harm.
👉 So the problem isn’t the shop or the species.
The real issue is the irresponsible act of releasing any aquarium fish into the wild.
So, the logic of “don’t sell any fish that could cause harm if released,” is not practical or the correct approach because every fish becomes risky once it has lived in a home aquarium.
What we can (and already do) is:
• Educate people • Promote responsible fish-keeping • Explain why releases are dangerous • Encourage proper rehoming and tank upgrades • Guide hobbyists instead of stopping the hobby itself
What IS practical and necessary? RESPONSIBLE PET KEEPING.
As hobbyists, we must: • Never release aquarium fish into lakes or ponds • Upgrade tanks as fish grow • Rehome responsibly when required • Educate others who may not know • Take guidance from shops or qualified people before purchasing fish
We are doing our part by creating awareness content. At the end of the day, responsible pet keeping is the key - Discussions like this help spread awareness and protect our natural aquatic life. 🐟💙
Pawfins Vlog
Here is one of the comments we received on our recent YouTube video about not releasing common plecos into lakes and rivers.
Many people genuinely care about our ecosystem, but there is a big misunderstanding that the problem is only with releasing common plecos.
The truth is deeper, and it’s important for every fish keeper to understand this correctly.
📌 The message below is a detailed response meant purely for spreading awareness.
As responsible pet owners, hope you all understand this and help spread it too. 🙏🐟💙
Thanks for raising this point. Really appreciate the concern for our local ecosystem.
But there’s a small misunderstanding here. This issue is not limited to common plecos — it applies to any fish kept in an aquarium.
No aquarium fish — native or non-native — should ever be released into the wild.
Here’s why:
1️⃣ Non-native species must never be released,
because they can:
• Disturb the ecological balance
• Compete with native species
• Spread new pathogens, bacteria, or parasites
• Cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem
That’s exactly what our video was explaining — using the common pleco infestation as the most visible example already affecting our lakes and rivers.
2️⃣ Even native / indigenous fish kept in aquariums should NOT be released back into nature.
This is the part most people don’t know.
Once a fish enters an aquarium, it can get exposed to pathogens that don’t exist in natural water bodies.
If that fish — even though native — is released back into a lake or river, it can introduce those diseases and wipe out entire populations of wild fish.
So in both cases, releasing aquarium fish = ecological harm.
👉 So the problem isn’t the shop or the species.
The real issue is the irresponsible act of releasing any aquarium fish into the wild.
So, the logic of “don’t sell any fish that could cause harm if released,” is not practical or the correct approach because every fish becomes risky once it has lived in a home aquarium.
What we can (and already do) is:
• Educate people
• Promote responsible fish-keeping
• Explain why releases are dangerous
• Encourage proper rehoming and tank upgrades
• Guide hobbyists instead of stopping the hobby itself
What IS practical and necessary? RESPONSIBLE PET KEEPING.
As hobbyists, we must:
• Never release aquarium fish into lakes or ponds
• Upgrade tanks as fish grow
• Rehome responsibly when required
• Educate others who may not know
• Take guidance from shops or qualified people before purchasing fish
We are doing our part by creating awareness content.
At the end of the day, responsible pet keeping is the key - Discussions like this help spread awareness and protect our natural aquatic life. 🐟💙
1 month ago | [YT] | 2
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