False Emperor Plec

Martin S · Post by **Martin S** » 22 Sep 2003, 12:54

In my LFS at the weekend and they had a false emperor plec - had black and cream stripes, but much broader than the true zebra, and only a third of the cost. Anyine know which one this may be - if I saw a pic I'd know for sure.
Regards
Martin

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Sep 2003, 13:13

Probably one of the Panaque maccus group (or Panaqolus, as some would refer to them).
Is it any one of these?

Martin S · Post by **Martin S** » 22 Sep 2003, 13:16

Hi HH
No, none of those - the stripes were really defined, across the body from side to side and cream/black in colour - it almost looked too perfectly striped to be real!
As I don't have a tank at the moment, I couldn't buy it - would have not left the shop without it otherwise.
Thanks anyway
Regards
Martin

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Sep 2003, 13:18

Zonancistrus pulcher, maybe?

Martin S · Post by **Martin S** » 22 Sep 2003, 13:24

Hi again HH
Not sure, but that's closer than the others - need to go back and see it to be sure - if I get a chance I will get back and try and take a digi-photo, especially if I'm not sure it's the same fish.
Thanks for your help
Martin

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 22 Sep 2003, 14:11

Silurus wrote:Zonancistrus pulcher, maybe?

I have seen young of this species sold as false zebras along with L134 too.

Jools

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 22 Sep 2003, 18:17

HI
any chance for him to be Hypancistrus sp L199

Cheers
Yann

kwalker · Post by **kwalker** » 23 Sep 2003, 05:06

Silurus wrote:Zonancistrus pulcher, maybe?

here in america, this species has been sold as a (black zebra pleco)

ken walker

Martin S · Post by **Martin S** » 23 Sep 2003, 08:22

Hi yannfulliquet
That's the closest - but am sure the stripes are much more defined. I need to go back and get a shot of it so leave it with me and I'll come back to it when I get the chance to get into my LFS (actually garden centre) with my camera!
Regards
Martin

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 23 Sep 2003, 09:17

I doubt it is L199 for several reasons not least the fact that this is not a commonly exported species at all.

In the original post the fish is described as being much broader. L199 is not broader than H. zebra at comparable sizes although it does get bigger (and thus broader). I still think the fish is Z. pulcher which has more common names than you can shake a stick at BTW. They used to be called Tiger Plecos in the UK before L-numbers came along.

To add a little creedence (and at the risk of repeating myself in front of forum long timers), I worked for the shop that sold the first zebra pleco in Scotland (for Â£200 in 1991 or 2) and, to this day, I am sure it was actually a Z. pulcher. Being the first one we had all ever seen in the flesh this was an easy mistake to make in the thick of all the hype (especially since it was only worth a fraction of that price if it was not). When we next got them in months later (and the price was under Â£100) they were certainly real zebras.

Finally, someone maybe has the time to find it, but remember that post where we were looking at a fish that was either L134 or a young Z. pulcher. I thought it was L134 from the 1st pic but I was probably wrong - well, this picture might be very useful here and also shows that these fish are currently in trade.

Jools

Jools

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 23 Sep 2003, 11:12

Hi!

So it is this fish : Peckoltia sp L134
Cheers
Yann

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 23 Sep 2003, 11:16

yannfulliquet wrote:Hi!

So it is this fish : Peckoltia sp L134
Cheers
Yann

Err, no. I said I thought it was an L134 from the picture posted in the other topic but this did actually turn out to be Z. pulcher if my memory serves me correctly.

Jools

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 23 Sep 2003, 11:24

Hi!

The only thing that bother me with Dekeyseria (Zonancistrus ) pulcher is that most of the time they really show a dark pattern , with the bands not so well seperated, at least they one I have seen here and there. I rarely have seen them showing real clear light band and real dark brown band like the pic of shane: Zonancistrus pulcher
Usually I have seen them this way:Zonancistrus pulcher

Of course if oldkeeper could manage to take a shot that would greatly help...

Cheers
Yann

Post by **Barbie** » 23 Sep 2003, 11:28

The Z. pulcher that I've seen all showed much more intense and vivid coloration under 3 inches, then slowly faded as they grew. The one that I gave my mother at 5 inches was basically dark and light grey, most of the time.

Barbie

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 23 Sep 2003, 11:32

Under 2" they are much more vivid / high contrast and less able to change colouration. Hence why at this size they look a little more like zebras. Here is the picture (from the topic "Bought this as an L168") I was talking about earlier.

Jools

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 23 Sep 2003, 11:46

Hi!

Yeap Jools, this could be taken for an Hypancistrus, I know what you mean...

I am lucky (if it is luck..) to have so far have only seen specimens of pulcher that were 4' long, never seen any smaller one...

Regarding the commonly seen , here I have seen more often Hypancistrus sp L199 sold than Dekeyseria pulcher... really seems that depend where you live and where people buy their fish from...

Cheers
Yann

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 23 Sep 2003, 11:52

yannfulliquet wrote: really seems that depend where you live and where people buy their fish from...

Agreed!

Jools