What kinda Catfish is this ????

[Nimitz, posts: 41]

Hello.

I bought this fish today and the guy from the lfs couldn't tell me which fish it is.
Photo's arent goo quality, but i hope good enough to tell me which fish this is. He's now around the 17cm.

Head:




From the top:




From the side:




Tail:


I hope its good enough for an identification. If it's swimming in the tank, i will try to make some better pictures.

Thanks alot

Greetz Ronald Huizenga

[Silurus]

It's a piebald Pterygoplichthys, either Pterygoplichthys pardalis or Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus.

[Nimitz, posts: 41]

Pleco? Are you sure? I have a Pleco in my tank, but its not even looking close like this.

[Martin S, posts: 1745]

Yes, definitely one of the two Siluris linked to. There are many species of fish known as 'pleco' so we'd need a picture of your other fish to confirm the ID.

[Richard B, posts: 6306]

Pleco? Are you sure? I have a Pleco in my tank, but its not even looking close like this.

Yes - no doubt whatsoever.

[racoll, posts: 4473]

I agree with Silurus.

The fish also looks very sick. Try to get some better photos if you can.

[Nimitz, posts: 41]

This is my Pleco:


The new one is now hiding. So i cant make a good picture now.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

Welcome to PCF, friend. Looks like what they call a common pleco. Your tank must be real nice from that little pic so you must not be a novice fish-keeper but Racoll is right - your new fish appears to be sick - scales are raised like in a case of dropsey, red color may mean inflammation. Any new fish should be quarantined, especially something looking that sick. Should not be bought in the first place unless with the intent to save it.

There is nothing wrong with your follow-up questions - ask away all you want - but FYI and to better introduce you to the forum: being a prominent and leading Ichthyologist, Silurus is very rarely wrong in ID-ing. You will come to realize if you stick around. PCF is not your average forum. There are many high level hobbyists and aficionados here. Racoll, e.g., is an Ichthyologist as well. So, you see you are getting world-class help right off the bat with your first question!

[Nimitz, posts: 41]

Thank you Viktor.

I was asking if hes sure, cos in my eyes its not looking like an Pleco. But there are alot of species in that family, so its possible
I will look for this night and see how hes looking tomorrow. Otherwise i bring him back and trade him.

Thanx for the answers

[rob rensen, posts: 271]

I think it's one from the ancistomus or lasiancistrus family

[Nimitz, posts: 41]

Maybe this wil help.

[Richard B, posts: 6306]

It's a piebald Pterygoplichthys, either Pterygoplichthys pardalis or Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus.

This is it.

[panaque, posts: 245]

Indeed it is. Your fish has more than 10 dorsal fin rays which rules out the other suggestions and most other Loricariidae I believe.

[racoll, posts: 4473]

Nimitz, the reason this fish looks nothing like your other common pleco is because it is a man-made, selectively bred variety (like the different breeds of dog). Without knowing that, I can see why you thought it was not the same.

I think I may have been wrong about it being sick, but I am not entirely sure still. The fish also looks thin, and there seems to be some redness on the body, and a white patch under the left eye.

[Nimitz, posts: 41]

@Richard B Ok thank you

@Panaque Ok So the dorsel fin rays saying its a from the Pleco family. That is interesting. Can you tell me more about the difference from other catfish?

@Racoll Ah that explains alot. So its man-made. Poor little fellow. He had not enough food, to thin. But that i wil fix. To me he dont look very sick to be honoust. In stress he was yesterday alot. The patch under his left eye i cant find. I will look when the lights are on. In the evening he was fighting alot with the other Pleco. But i believe that will be over in a few days.

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2275]

Whitish spot on the left gill cover, not immediately but below the eye.

[Nimitz, posts: 41]

I see the spot. I wil keep an eye on it.

Couldnt this be a "Rusty Pleco"??



Rusty Pleco (L077)

As with many of the 'suckermouth' catfish the hypostomus species often called Rusty Pleco is best identified by its 'L' number L077, although this in its self is not the full story.

For decades it has been next to impossible to correctly identify many of the species of South American suckermouth catfish of the Hypostomus family, even for scienctific experts. Indeed it is possible that many of the numerious so-called species are infact only regional colour variations of the same fish, a theory supported be the sciencetific communities inability to find reliable data other than colour to distinguish between individuals.

They do demand good water quality. The ideal temperature is 25–30 °C (77–86 °F), and the pH should be between 6,5 - 7,4. Algae tablets should be included in the diet.

However for us it does'nt really matter wither we refer to this particular variant by its name or number, its still a nice addition to any aquarium

[panaque, posts: 245]

I see the spot. I wil keep an eye on it.

Couldnt this be a "Rusty Pleco"??

No, like I said before, count the dorsal fin rays: this removes all doubt.