PlanetCatfish.com

Hi!
This is a fish that I'm looking to adopt. The guy who has it knows nothing about it just that it's a catfish. I don't know much about catfish myself so I was looking on your site. Im pretty sure that it's a Loricariidae of some description and I was thinking Pterygoplichthys as it has lots of bones in it's fin, just wanted to know if I was on the right track and if so what exact sort it was!









Thank you for your help

I do agree Pterogoblichthys, but species? beat me

I think .

Thanks for the responses

I wasn't sure about pterygoplichthys disjunctivus since they all look like they have dark undertones to their skin, nearly black, where as this guy(or girl, LOL) has the yellow/lighter look. But the reticulated pattern does look like it, just a bit chunkier

Hey

It's the Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps imo. I had one myself they grow quite big so your tank has to be large enough to keep him.

I'll be putting him into an 8ft x2ft tank, think that should be big enough, if it is a gibbiceps. I'd thought it might be a gibbiceps too, but couldn't find one with the reticulated pattern that he's got.

The page on the gibbiceps said that they have a "bump" on their heads, which is why they are called gibbiceps, but I couldn't distinguish a "bump" in any of the photos that was any different to the other pterygoplichthys,

The pattern isn't right for a gibbiceps; I think Silurus is probably right. (He usually is).

I'm sorry to harp on this,
I really thought that the disjuncitvis looked to be too dark and the pattern too small. Maybe it's a hybrid of some description? ( I don't know if they have hybrids )

if you ask me.

I agree with racoll, L001 it is. beautifully marked specimen though!

the dorsal fin is simply too large for pardalis or disjunctivus.

Agreed on the Jose, We have one that looks almost identical where I work. Looks to be about the same size aswell.

I don't agree with it being joselimaianus.

the joselimaianus has a spotted pattern of orange spots on a brown background

this one had a yellowish vermiculate ("wormy") pattern on a lightbrown background.

it's especially clear on the head; the entire head has a different pattern when compared to joselimaianus.

i'm not sure if it's possible, but could this be a hybrid between L001 and P. disjunctivus? since they are bred in huge bassins with different Pterygoplichthys species present?

anyway, i've never seen a pardalis or disjunctivus with such a big dorsal, which is typical for L001 and L083.

the joselimaianus has a spotted pattern of orange spots on a brown background

this one had a yellowish vermiculate ("wormy") pattern on a lightbrown background.

it's especially clear on the head; the entire head has a different pattern when compared to joselimaianus.

You are right Sid, but P. joselimaianus is the closest match of the Pterygoplichthys I am familiar with.

but could this be a hybrid between L001 and P. disjunctivus? since they are bred in huge bassins with different Pterygoplichthys species present?

I hope not, but it is a possibility I suppose.

I'm glad it's not just me who isn't sure, LOL, not that that's a good thing!
Still in the same predicament, it's the patterning that is confusing, doesn't match any, not with the high dorsal fin anyway, or the yellow and brown.

he is absolutely stunning whatever he is.

Thanks Andy, I think so too!

Well I have adopted him (my kids have called it a her though, Lally, so Lally she is!) she's in an 8fx2ftx2ft tank with an oscar and a tandanus. So what ever she is, I think she'll be happy!