Plecostomus Dilemma

[gigigreen]

I have what I think might be an unusual problem. I live in Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta. So we have had a few nights where the temps have dropped close to low 30's. I had two large Plecostomus, that I've had for around three years. I usually get them out and put them in an aquarium for the winter inside. This year, I didn't get them out in time and the larger one died. I haven't been able to find the other one. There is a big rock that cannot be moved in the pond, that the fish can get behind. I'm afraid, the other one has died and is stuck behind the rock. I've filled the pond up high, hoping that he might float out, but it hasn't happened. Should I just wait until Spring and then, maybe drain the pond?
Thanks!

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Are there other fish in there ?
You might have a ammonia spike with the decaying fish.

At those water temps the benificial bacteria is not growing very well or at all. So a ammonia spike could do harm to other fish.

Any chance you can use a net of something to push it out.

Ruben

 

[budgenator]

The placos are insanely hard to see in a pond. I put my tropical fish in the pond during the last Northeast blackout and had to drain the pond to find them all, the plocos got Huge and I finally found him when the water got down to 3 inches, the two african knife fishes in the last 1/4 inch.

 

[mrsclem]

Can you direct a stream of water from a garden hose behind the rock? That may be enough to move the fish into open water.

 

[Faebinder]

You're gonna need to fully drain the pond, it's hiding.

Just how big is that pond?

 

[Lisak1]

I think there are two important factors - how big is the pond and how big is the fish? If you have a large pond with a small dead fish, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Nature will take care of it. But if it's a small pond, you will have more to be concerned about as it will affect the water quality to a greater degree.

 

[gigigreen]

So sorry it took so long to respond. The pond is approx. 6-700 gallons and the pleco is around 8-9" long. I really think he is behind the rock which is on the side of the pond, but not removable. the installer I believe cemented it in. But there is enough room behind it for all of my gold fish to hide in when it gets really cold. I don't think he's alive, the other one died as soon as we started having freezing temps.
I'll try the garden hose option and I'd have to be careful if I tried to poke back there because it rest against the liner.
I'll definitely drain the pond in the spring, but that's a ways off. Anything I could check with the water to see if there is a dead fish in it?

Thanks!!! Happy New Year!!