Help identify pleco

[SnakeIce]

This pleco was in the tank I was given a month ago. Allegedly is not a common pleco.

About 8" total length at ~5 years old. Fins not oversized like sailfin, nor seem small, no trailing extensions to speak of. Tailfin area is smaller than dorsal fin with both extended. tail fans up from surface and not down as well.
Color brown with small darker spots covering, a few lightened stripes with same type of coloring continued.

^^pardon the gray spots on the glass makeing his color less uniform^^

 

[SnakeIce]

closest picture matching on planetcatfish I can get is this page

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/ancistri/982_F.PHP

the pictures of the pairs have some of the lighter darker patern coloration.
but I'm new to pleco's so really don't know the distinguishing marks

 

[SnakeIce]

I think I got a better picture of him if this helps

 

[Ghost_knife]

your right it's not a common but It's either very rare or I cant find info on it, take a pic to a LFS or an aquarium or an ichtheologist(sp) <---- person who studies fish

 

[SnakeIce]

I was told over on planet catfish forums that it is a Hypostomus - whether it's a "common" H. Plecostomus or one of the other 40-50 different species that are brown with darker spots is harder to say, as there are many different species that look almost the same.

Given the size it is and the age it is not the common H. plecostomus, but another closely related species. Not knowing where it was caught means no further identification can be made.