"Snow king pleco"
The previous identification by others of this being a plecostomus are correct. It looks to be the species Pterygophichthys anisitsi, a species referred to as a snow king pleco in the aquarium trade. These fish are just one of several exotic species that are becoming established in the wild after having been released by uninformed hobbyists. We are currently working on a project to identify non-indigenous species in tidal bayous of Galveston Bay. Other species known to inhabit these bayous include red-bellied pacu (a member of the piranha family though without the nasty reputation), several species of tilapia, Rio Grande cichlids (native to Texas but now established outside its' native range), Chinese grass carp (used to control exotic vegetation such as hydrilla and Eurasian watermilfoil but will readily consume native plants) and channeled apple snails (large snail native to Central and South America that has decimated rice fields in Asia when it was introduced there).
Several live prohibited species have been confiscated at grocery stores and aquarium stores by TPWD Law Enforcement including snakeheads, Asian swamp eels, Pacific oysters, and parasitic catfish. The marketing of non-indigenous species such as these is increasing and the potential for catastrophic consequences, should some of these species be introduced into the wild, is real.
The previous identification by others of this being a plecostomus are correct. It looks to be the species Pterygophichthys anisitsi, a species referred to as a snow king pleco in the aquarium trade. These fish are just one of several exotic species that are becoming established in the wild after having been released by uninformed hobbyists. We are currently working on a project to identify non-indigenous species in tidal bayous of Galveston Bay. Other species known to inhabit these bayous include red-bellied pacu (a member of the piranha family though without the nasty reputation), several species of tilapia, Rio Grande cichlids (native to Texas but now established outside its' native range), Chinese grass carp (used to control exotic vegetation such as hydrilla and Eurasian watermilfoil but will readily consume native plants) and channeled apple snails (large snail native to Central and South America that has decimated rice fields in Asia when it was introduced there).
Several live prohibited species have been confiscated at grocery stores and aquarium stores by TPWD Law Enforcement including snakeheads, Asian swamp eels, Pacific oysters, and parasitic catfish. The marketing of non-indigenous species such as these is increasing and the potential for catastrophic consequences, should some of these species be introduced into the wild, is real.
