What PLECO is this?

Louis_in_nc · Post by **Louis_in_nc** » 04 Jun 2004, 13:11

Good day,

I just found this website and forum, my wife bought me a new fish for our Aquarium, the LFS listed it as a "Blue Spotted Pleco" and is approx 5" in length.however I could not find that common name, pics will be attatched. Could you guys and gals help me identify it? Please notice the wiskers and the "Hairs / spines" along his front fins.

Also, it seems quite seditary, and has not moved from a single spot now in two days, this morning I noticed its scales appearance seems to have some slight mottled spots on it. The other fish seem to leave it alone so I dont think it is due to any kind of pecking, the tank stats are listed below. Any Ideas / comments would be greatly appreiciated.

Tank Setup:
90 Gal Perfecto
Undergravel filter with 2 bubble stack and 1 HiFlow 160 Powerhead (273 GPH Flow)
Fluval 404 Canister (1st tier pre-filter, 2nd tier activated carbon, 3rd tier Fine fiber,4th tier Biomedia)
adequate heating and currents provided by powerhead and fluval
Live Plants, Driftwood, Slate caves and platforms, gravel substrate

Water quality:
Nitrite 0 ppm
ph 7.6
Amonia .05 ppm
GH 107.4 ppm / 6dgh (Sea Salts added)

Tank Mates:
1 Angel Fish
2 Bala Sharks
2 Clown Loaches
2 Leporonicus
2 Blue Gourami
1 Common pleco (3")
1 FW Crab very small and claws broken

INXS · Post by **INXS** » 05 Jun 2004, 13:23

I'm far from an expert but try checking out the Cat-e-log on the L numbers.
Check L-107 and L-30(I think - peppermint pleco)

Also click on "show all ancistrus species"

Hope this helps a little until someone who knows better can help.

Louis_in_nc · Post by **Louis_in_nc** » 05 Jun 2004, 14:07

INXS,

Thanks for the input, we thought it does resemble a pepermint, the thing I guess that throws me off a bit is the Spines and bristles on the side of his head, and the ones on the leading edge of his front fins. Hopefully I can get more opinions. BTW UPDATE, he must have just been stressed, he is now moving around and hanging upside down from the lower slate shelf!

Post by **Silurus** » 05 Jun 2004, 14:37

It looks more like a Lasiancistrus. L033, maybe?

pleco_breeder · Post by **pleco_breeder** » 05 Jun 2004, 15:55

I agree with Silurus on Lasiancistrus, but I'm more inclined to say L39 because of the spot size and spacing. Having said that, I've not seen L39 aside from pictures, and may be incorrect. However, I've kept L33 on several occasions, and they never even compared with the pattern. Both fish, from what I've seen, seem to have standard patterns for the spots with no obvious variation.

Larry Vires

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 05 Jun 2004, 19:27

Hi!

Check the pectorals length...
It is formerly known as L239

Cheers
Yann

Louis_in_nc · Post by **Louis_in_nc** » 06 Jun 2004, 00:39

Yann,

You have the eye and the knowledge good man! Pseudolithoxus anthrax is the spitting image of my new addition thank you!