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Help me ID Otocinclus

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Otocinclus affinis?


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Otocinclus macrospilus?






Thanks

Yan

I don't think either can be identified with certainty, except I'd say it's a safe bet the first one ISN'T affinis.

O. affinis is characterized by an iridescent golden sheen, very thin dark line along the side (apparently completely missing in some populations, or so I'm told), and presence of iris diverticulum. Although many otos are sold as "affinis", and although true affinis have been exported, I have never personally seen any true affinis for sale.

Incidentally it's much the same with Otocinclus vestitus.

If I was to take a guess, I'd say your first fish is a O. vittatum, the most common and widespread of all Otos (in nature; for some reason it's not terribly common in the trade, although it does show up). But that's by no means an iron-clad ID.

For the second fish... yeah, that looks like an O. macrospilus.

Thanks