The most stubborn fish I've had to deal with!

[japaka]

Loved Plecos since I saw my first Zebra.

 

[Audaxcity]

Psshhh. Plecos are easy. Just grab by the tail and pull it off.
Now, transferring hillstream loaches between tanks, that's true pain.

 

[Kris P Bacon]

I personally LOVE plecos

Peace river here is full of them, tried eating them. Hard to clean (about like cleaning a gar, tin snips are good) It is edible, just barely.

 

[Audaxcity]

Handled my pleco before. Literally feels like a rock, and the softer belly feels like tough sand paper. I have no idea how you're gonna neatly get all those armored plates off the body.

 

[Kris P Bacon]

I personally LOVE plecos

Peace river here is full of them, tried eating them. Hard to clean (about like cleaning a gar, tin snips are good) It is edible, just barely.

Handled my pleco before. Literally feels like a rock, and the softer belly feels like tough sand paper. I have no idea how you're gonna neatly get all those armored plates off the body.

Much like a gar, you cut them open and basically scoop out the meat. It is a muddy brown red and terrible.

Gar on the other hand, have big, boneless "backstraps". Not flaky, fishy or oily. Taste and texture is a cross between pork and shrimp. "poor man's lobster".

In my experience, the "gar are not fit to eat" is pure mis-information.
The roe, however is toxic to mammals.

 

[slipshodman]

A few years back when i had my Oscar tank i was away for work and the misses went to feed them and the larger male jumped right out of the tank smacking his head on the stand on his way down,
The misses had a hell of a time trying to catch him and get him back in the tank

I remember getting the phone call with her in tears cause she was so sorry and worried about him, she said he seemed fine and then started to tell em what happened and there I was pissing myself laughing on the other end of the phone trying to imagine her catching this large Oscar flapping around on the ground and getting it back into the tank

The old fella had a dent in his head for the rest of the time i had him but was fine

Even when i think about it now it puts a smile on my face

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Peace river here is full of them, tried eating them. Hard to clean (about like cleaning a gar, tin snips are good) It is edible, just barely.

Much like a gar, you cut them open and basically scoop out the meat. It is a muddy brown red and terrible.

Gar on the other hand, have big, boneless "backstraps". Not flaky, fishy or oily. Taste and texture is a cross between pork and shrimp. "poor man's lobster".

In my experience, the "gar are not fit to eat" is pure mis-information.
The roe, however is toxic to mammals.

Best way to eat pleco is boiled then crack em open