Pleco Identification (56K Warning)

A

Aries

"Umm...., what is that!!??"
Jan 19, 2003
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Ohio, Dayton
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I bought a pleco from LFS and I am pretty sure it was mislabeled.

THey said it was a Snow Ball pleco - I think. I think they are WAY off course

pict00186mf.jpg

pict00166zo.jpg



Any ideas?
 
Def not a snowball.
I think it's a flame Pleco (L024) - reason for this is I can just see spikes coming out of the body which would make it a Psedacanthicus or Cactus Pleco.
I have one similar - L114. The scarlet L025 is another.
check www.planetcatfish.com and search under cat-e-log for L024
sorry feeling lazy today!
 
I really dont think it is a common pleco. I have many of these and the stipes and colorations are very different.

Make note of the stipe around his dorsal fin - it is symmetrical (granted you cant see the other side). Plus the pattern continues down to the caudal fin.

His behavior is very timid - unlike my other common plecos which are aggressive in comparison.

Basically I am asking because I did not pay common pleco prices and I want to know if I should raise the issue to LFS.

Thanks!!
 
It's not a common it's a psuedacanthicus - you can tell by the spikes coming out of it's body. Their common names ar cactus plecs for obvious reasons!

My L114 (Pseudacanthicus Leoparduss) cost me £45 or around $80. Not a cheap fish and by no means common.

12-18"max growth (depending which it is). Feed veg to start with alternating with meaty food - i use muscle. As they get older they will start turning purely carnivrous without being predatory.

OK I'll stop being lazy - I think this is your fish
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/pseudaca/125_f.php

It could of course be a juvy L025 Scarlet (again pseudacanthicus)
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/pseudaca/188_f.php

L025 grows an extra 6" to L024

The entire genus
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/pseudaca/g_thumbs.php

As for being timid - I never see my L114 until lights out and then I've only seen him 4 times in 4 months!
 
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I took a look at those pictures but they look nothing like mine - possibly because they are of adults???

I have not noticed spikes on him - but I do see something in the pictures that look like spikes begining to grow. Are they born with spikes - or do they grow in???

I will have to take a closer look at him when I get home because I am curious if he does have spikes. He is small - being a max length of 10cm if that helps any. Plus it is hard to actually see him without dragging him out of his hiding places - which can take time.

Thanks for the information.
 
yeh in yr second picture directly behind the eye - looks like a llittle line of hooks.
They are born with them. They stick out slightly and should be visible all the time.

They are tiny little spikes just big enough to rip your net!!! probably stick out no more than 1mm!

My L114 is similar in size to your fish and has loads of spikes all over him. Three lines to be precise running all the way down each side of his body to the tail.

Nice fish BTW!
 
there is no way that could be an l24 or an l114. Its looks like some sort of common. Try planet catfish or plecofanatics forums for a better id. But it looks like a Hypostomus plecostomus to me with the dark lines being stress related.
 
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