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This was purchased as a common plecostom*s. However i don't think it is, it is almost a grey colour (washed out in the pic)and large black spots. If anyone has any ideas it would be great. It isn't gibbiceps either. Is not a slender as a common pleco and different colour and different size spots. The fish is 4cm.

Anthony

Funny you mention Glyptoperichthys Sp. I have an L1 a Gibbiceps and a Scrophus. This shape and dorcil looks very similar to the scrophus just the colour is completely different. The common plecos from this wholesaler have always looked the same, this one is quite a contrast. I am also sure it isn't a gibbiceps, it doesn't look even close.

Here is a link to what is known as a common pleco in Australia: http://www.sirius.com.au/al1/1.jpg

They are Hypostomus plecostom*s i believe. The other young plecos that came in with mine looked exactly like the one in the picture (like they should), which is obviously quite different to mine.

I think it might be an L006: http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/lo ... i/53_1.php

AdelaideAnt wrote:I think it might be an L006: http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/lo ... i/53_1.php

It's certainly not an L006, count the rays in the dorsal.

Jools

Perhaps i better give a bit of a context statement to help.

In Aus there are only 5 'more common' plecos, L001, Gibbiceps, Scrophus, Hypostomus plecostomus and the golden plecostomus (hypostomus Sp). The fish most commonly labled 'common pleco' is the hypostomus plecostom*s. Sometimes Gibbiceps are accidently labled 'common pleco' but never any other species. This fish does not look like any of these species other than it's shape (that looks like scrophus). If it is any other species other than the 5 I have mentioned then the wholesaler could well have put a big price tag on it and it would sell. So i believe it is a differnt species that has been mistakenly been thrown in with the common plecos either by the whole saler or the supplier to the wholesaler. I do not discount that it could be a hybrid (but what between?).

So my point is that it may be a 'common' species over seas but if it's not one of the 5 common species here (which i don't think it is)then it would not have been knowingly labled as common' when it isn't anything like hypostomus plecostom*s or gibbiceps. I know that these species can vary in pattern and the size of the spots but this pattern is way too differnt and the spots are bigger than i've seen in any pleco.

Anthony

Nope, this is just a regular pardalis.

i have the same exact one at the house... i bought it labeled as butterfly pleco, but when i looked up the butterfly pleco, it was striped and completely different one.... AdelaideAnt, can you see through it's dorsal fin? mines have a see-through dorsal fin... exactly like yours.... mayb, we can solve 2 problems in the same post, so is this a common?

AdelaideAnt wrote:Here is a link to what is known as a common pl*co in Australia: http://www.sirius.com.au/al1/1.jpg

They are Hypostomus plecostom*s i believe. The other young pl*cos that came in with mine looked exactly like the one in the picture (like they should), which is obviously quite different to mine.

That's a Pterygoplichthys too, but I wouldn't be surprised if Hypostomus also get imported to Australia alongside them. Sorry about the Glyptoperichthys confusion, I still get these mixed up. Pterygoplichthys has recently become the accepted genus of all sailfin ple-cos (including the "common").

The Pterygoplichthys species I was referring to as being part of the general stock of farmed common plecos are

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

and

Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii

. I have seen these having many different appearances as juveniles, including those that look like your fish.

OK so the difference between Hypostomus Plecostom*s and P.Pardalis is that pardalis have 13 rays and plecosom*s has 8. So it is fair to say mine is definately a Pterygoplichthys species. Like others have stated.

its a P. pardalis

Yes you can sort of see through the dorcil. This fella is only 4cm.

Thank you for all the help people, i might stick around the forum a bit more. Lots to learn.

Anthony