Placostumus

Question
I have an outdoor pond in central Florida and temp have been low for a week and poss. 4 more days at freezing.  The pond has a pump I only have 1 scum sucker in there and 1 tadpole left after summer.  Today he was floating upside down and moving very slow but still breathing. We do not have a heater in the 300 Gal. pond it does have the pump and ultraviolet lighting system.  
We panic today and moved into a 5 gal bucket in our garage and he started moving around once he warmed up some.  We plan to change portions of the water for the next several days then return him in five days back to the pond.  The temp is approx. 45-50 degrees.  What do you recommend.  Thank you for your time and knowledge.

Answer
Plecos aren't meant for cold water as they are a South American fish.  If you have an indoor aquarium or are planning one, they can be a great addition but they need plenty of room and algae to eat.  Many people will get them for outdoor ponds and make alternate arrangements for the winter.

Pet stores are usually hesitant to take fish in but they often make exceptions for plecos as they are in high demand at large sizes.  Don't expect much money if any.  That is at least what I've seen in my experience.