The young veterinarian and content creator José Ibrain Venereo Jiménez (@jose_ibrain_venereo_jimenez), known for his work in defending Cuban wildlife and promoting the care of endangered species, has once again caught attention on social media with a new video that has already garnered hundreds of comments and reactions.
In the images, it shows an plecostomus fish of an unusual size, kept in captivity in a home in Cuba. This specimen, the young man explained, is an invasive species that has easily adapted to Cuban waters and can survive long periods out of water.
It has a tough skin that acts as armor and "has no predators in Cuba. They are fish commonly known as "tank cleaners" because they feed on algae, small shrimp, and "some other little bugs."
"Normally, plecostomus fish are small, but this one has reached a surprising size, almost the length of my forearm," the creator commented in the video, showing in amazement the dimensions of the animal.
The plecostomus, also known as "suckerfish" or "devil fish," is native to South America and was introduced to the island as an ornamental species. However, over time it has become an ecological threat to local ecosystems, displacing native species.
The video generated curiosity and humor among users, who were surprised by the size of the fish and debated how long it could survive outside of water or whether its meat could be used as food. Others shared anecdotes about having raised similar specimens in ponds or cisterns in various Cuban provinces.
"Unfortunately, they are a nuisance, but they are incredible animals," commented one of the followers, summarizing the general sentiment towards the peculiar aquatic inhabitant.
The intriguing video of the giant plecostomus not only sparked the admiration of internet users but also brought back to the forefront of discussion the impact of foreign species on the Cuban ecosystem.
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