Help! Is something wrong with my pleco?

W

Willowbee

Registered Member
Mar 26, 2021
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Looking for some advice... my pleco looks strange... as though there’s something wrong with his ‘scales’ (I know he doesn’t technically have scales, but I’m not sure what the correct term is). Does anyone know what the problem could be? Behaviour normal. Although he has always been extremely shy, so I have no idea how look he has looked this way as this was the first time in a long time I’ve been able to get close, he usually hides when I approach.

Additionally, he/she was sold to me a Bristlenose Pleco but is over a year old now and has no bristles, not even around the mouth as I thought the females got, so presumably that’s not what he is?

48F0D84C-6391-4FCA-ABFD-CC4F3CA8E9DE.jpeg
 
Hello, welcome to AC.

So, the correct term for her scales-that-aren't-really-scales is scutes. It is a bristlenose (BN) pleco, it just a female. Females very rarely have any bristles and on the rare occasions they do, they are sparse and short. Being shy isn't necessarily a sign of anything being wrong. These guys tend to hide during the day most of the time anyway.

I honestly don't see anything to worry about from that picture. I'm sure you'll get a few more folks 's opinions as well.

WYite
 
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Wyomingite said:
Hello, welcome to AC.

So, the correct term for her scales-that-aren't-really-scales is scutes. It is a bristlenose (BN) pleco, it just a female. Females very rarely have any bristles and on the rare occasions they do, they are sparse and short. Being shy isn't necessarily a sign of anything being wrong. These guys tend to hide during the day most of the time anyway.

I honestly don't see anything to worry about from that picture. I'm sure you'll get a few more folks 's opinions as well.

WYite
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Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. That’s reassuring!
 
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