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Went suply shopping at a big-box pet store and came home with this guy. I was told he's "just a common pl*co".

I've searched around and can't seem to find what exactly matches this guy. He's got a marbled belly, and very striking orange-colored edges to his dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins. Sorry for picture quality - lighting is not a priority for quarantine tanks. He wasn't showing it off for the camera, but the caudal fin has a lyre shape. Hasn't been interested in zucchini or sinking wafers, but he's new and getting settled in. All but top picture have pretty good color representation. Thanks for your input.

- Jen

Just an attractively-patterned (maybe for now) .

I see a large tank in your future, Jen.

how big is he? i think he is just a young common pleco, because i see those patterns and colours all the time at my LFS. man, Plecos are great!!!

I see a large tank in your future, Jen

Yes, he's lucky to have come home with someone committed/able to provide whatever resources he needs to be happy. Makes me think about the number of these that are sold (esp. here in FL) - where do they all wind up? I guess part of the answer explains why there are at least 4 HUGE Pterygoplichthys sp. in the stormwater pond down the road, eh?

Just an attractively-patterned (maybe for now) Pterygoplichthys pardalis.

I'm going to be interested to see how the pattern/color changes as he grows, since it is quite a bit different than the other "common pl*cos" I've seen for sale around here. I've seen darker and lighter grey, and darker and lighter tan, but not ever with the orange.

how big is he? i think he is just a young common pl*co, because i see those patterns and colours all the time at my LFS. man, pl*cos are great!!!

I'm at work right now, so can't measure exactly, but about 3 inches not including his rather large showy caudal fin.

He's still not shown any interest in eating anything. 'Tis OK - I have a tub pond that can give me more than enough algae-covered stuff to keep him going in the meantime.

Is it too early to tell if "he" is really a "he"?

-Jen

if its a common pl*co, its always too early, thats because you cant tell. and even if by chance you found the way to tell them apart, how would you use tha information? unless you own a muddy riverbank that is enclosed, youre never going to breed them.
Annoying but true, im afraid.
But Hey, there are plenty of Pl*cos you can breed!!!!!!!

if its a common pl*co, its always too early, thats because you cant tell. and even if by chance you found the way to tell them apart, how would you use tha information?

Pretty much just for my own amusement. Though, I do think it would be cool, in the future, to have a large pond (not hydraulically connected to or near native waters, of course) where I could keep/breed larger pl*cos.

And there was that fish farm we saw while out looking at property...

-Jen

lol, i would love to own a river!!!!!! but then again, what would be the point in england!!!?!?!?!?!?! lol i will just stick with my pictus obsession

I have that same exact pleco and it was identified as a L001. My pics are in the link for comparision.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/sh ... =3210&sl=p

pleco_fan wrote:I have that same exact pl*co and it was identified as a L001. My pics are in the link for comparision.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/sh ... =3210&sl=p

It appears you both have virtually the same fish, and they certainly do resemble L001 superficially. They're definately not

Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus

, but look more like young

Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii

(or possibly a hybrid between that &

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

).

pleco_fan,
Your fish was misidentified.
-Shane

so how big do you think my pleco will eventually become?

See Deepfried's link above to P. pardalis.
-Shane

Thanks!

We would get two sp at petsmart of common pleco. one was very similar to yours... the other was just a common. I kinda wanted to buy one of each to grow them and see what they were but I'm not going to grow them out if i can't breed them.

Well, my guys continues to do OK, though I've still not been able to get him to eat anything I've offered (various sinking wafers, zucchini, bloodworms). I offered the bloodworms thinking he was protein deficient, since he went after the slime coating on cories with whom he was temporarily housed. He's now housed separately.

Any thoughts on foods to offer? Just keep trying until he gets the idea? Or should I try other things?

Jen

I would keep going with the same thing for a few days.

If you've just moved the fish, it may be a little bit stressed and not particularly interested in food anyways.

Once it settles down, it's probably going to find the food, if it's hungry enough. Try to always feed in the same place, near to where it likes to hide, that helps them "get the idea".

If, after a few days, the fish is still not eating, try some other food types. Check my article in Shane's world for ideas on what to feed.

--
Mats

throw some driftwood in there... see if he eats that!