janitor fish

English

Etymology

From janitor +‎ fish, coined by the Filipino locals and as well as the aquarium fish enthusiasts for its ability to clean aquaria by eating algae & fish excrements.

Noun

janitor fish (plural janitor fish or janitor fishes)

  1. (Philippines) pleco, pleco fish or plec: Any of several South & Central American fish, of the family Loricariidae.
    • 2006 June 6, Mike Baños, “Janitor fish threatens Asia's largest marshland”, in Philstar.com‎[1]:
      The janitor fish infestation that has plagued Marikina River and Laguna de Bay has also spread to Mindanao, and is now threatening to run riot across the delicately balanced ecosystem of Asia’s largest marshland, the Agusan Marsh in Agusan del Sur.
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