L-236?

[d3n2]

I recently got these two plecos. I was told they were L-236. They are about 1-2 inches from head to tail.

Are they L-236? Thanks!

[Unungy]

They are not L236

Saul

[plecoboy]

Young L333s

[jac]

Or L66.

[pleco22]

hi,
just grow them. With a TL of 70mm please ask again. Adult Hypancistrus are difficult to identify, at this size it's just impossible. Sorry to say: First picture could be L 66, L400 or some similar Hypancistrus. Second picture is different, could be L 236, but also L 333 or something else.

[d3n2]

Thanks for your replies! I think you are right in that they are too little. In the tank where I got them, there was quite a variety of patterns of these supposed L236. I chose the 2 most different ones.. I just thought it would be cool to have some color variation in the L-236 that I get.. Hope they turn out to be the same species. Will post again in a couple of months, thanks!

[MarcW]

Hi, fish #2 looks very much like an L134 Peckoltia compta to me.

Peckoltia compta

[Unungy]

Hi, fish #2 looks very much like an L134 Peckoltia compta to me.

Peckoltia compta

He doesn't look like a L134 I'm sure you meant some other number?
Saul

[MarcW]

I did mean L134! My thinking was that when the fish are younger as this one is, they are usually have solid stripes which can break up when they mature. Take a look at some of the pictures in the cat-elog page that I linked to, the picture titled ten week old youngsters looks very similar to fish #2.

[MatsP]

Whilst P. compta is quite variable, I don't believe it is that species in this case. For one thing, it's pattern appears to be "opposite" - meaning the base colour is dark with light stripes, rather than P. compta's light base colour with dark stripes.

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Mats

[d3n2]

I know I asked for an ID, but I am pretty sure they are not P. compta. I do have P. compta, and they are different. These fish are much whiter, while P. compta is more yellowish. Also the black areas of these fish are much darker than P. compta's.

Mats, I do have a question. You mentioned black on a white base and vice versa. How can you tell that in a fish? I've seen it mentioned a couple times in species descriptions, but never figured out how to tell..

[MatsP]

If you think of it as if you were to paint the pattern on a wooden dummy of the fish, then the base is the colour you'd paint all of it with, and the "pattern" is then painted on top of the base.

Sometimes it's not clear what is the base colour and what isn't, as the task of painting would be pretty much the same whichever way around you make it...

Obviously, the fish aren't painted, as such, but they way I see it, the "main or majority colour" of the fish is the base colour, then any lines, dots or other pattern is "not base colour".

At least that's how I think of it. If someone who has been studying fish for a living has a better explanation, please feel free to clarify, rectify or otherwise comment.

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Mats

[d3n2]

Hi Everyone! Sorry to drag out this old thread, but I just wanted to check back.

It's been almost 6 years since I inquired about these. The general consensus in 2011 was that they are not L-236, they are most likely two different plecos, and they would be easier to identify when they are older.

Here's an update!

Unfortunately one of them died, not sure if fish #1 or fish #2. The one that is still alive has grown to be quite long, I would say over 4 inches. It has been a bit neglected in an outdoor pond for the past year, luckily it doesn't look so banged up. I've recently transferred it back into a proper tank, and still trying to figure out what it is. Please let me know what you think, thanks!

(I apologize in advance for the quality of the images.)

[Jobro]

L333 if you ask me. The youngsters looked like l333 to me as well. Some people might have different opinions, though.

[Narwhal72]

I agree that they are L333.

[d3n2]

Thanks for the replies!

I was leaning towards L333 too.