Mysterious Otocinclus...

[Andrea Perotti]

Good evening.

I have many Otocinclus in my tanks, but for some the specie is mYsterious.

Can you help me? What's the correct name of this species?


This is the num 1

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5205/img0400j.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8175/img0412lfl.jpg


And this is the num 2

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5533/c ... mg0328.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/169/copiadiimg0325.jpg


Thanks

[Marc van Arc]

Hello & welcome to PC.

Click this

Otocinclus

and you'll get all species on one page and are able to compare easier.

[Andrea Perotti]

Thanks, I see it now.

[Andrea Perotti]

Well ... for me the second is an Otocinclus vestitus, but the first I don't know... very difficult.

[DutchFry]

both number 1 and number 2 are Otocinclus vittatus IMO

[Marc van Arc]

I'm not very good with Loricariids; there's also

Parotocinclus

[Andrea Perotti]

Vittatus? ... I don't know.

Thi is a my O. vittatus
[/URL]

...and it's different, for size (5.5 cm vs Max 3.5 cm), for the lateral line and for coda.

[Andrea Perotti]

Other ptotos of fish num 2...




Of this Otocinclus (num 2) i have two subjects, they have hardly 2 years and their size is max 3.5 cm (1.4 in).

The size of my O. vittatus instead is 5.5 cm (hardly 2 in).

[glenny]

Vittatus? ... I don't know.

Thi is a my O. vittatus
[/URL]

...and it's different, for size (5.5 cm vs Max 3.5 cm), for the lateral line and for coda.

I think this fish looks like a otocinclus hoppei...

Mike Noren, help us please!

[Bas Pels]

I can't tell what Otocinclus they are, but they are Otos: Parotocinclus, earlier mentioned, have all an adipose fin (that is, the second, small fin on the back, without any spine)

Yours do without that, so they are Otos

[Andrea Perotti]

I bought them all simply as Otocinclus sp.

I'm confused.

...it's true, the last is O. hoppei he is! I have a single subject.

[Andrea Perotti]

So it is likely that the num 1 and 2 are of Otocinclus vittatus?

Excuse me for my english but I'm italian.

[glenny]

I'm not so sure about picture number 1, but picture number 2 seems to me a colour variation of the vittatusgroup, but that's what i quess...probably Mike Noran can tell you more about the pictures

Beautiful pics!

[Mike_Noren]

This is the num 1
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5205/img0400j.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8175/img0412lfl.jpg

Can't tell. The irregular patterning is unusual, does it always look like that?

And this is the num 2
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5533/c ... mg0328.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/169/copiadiimg0325.jpg

Likely a very dark individual of Otocinclus vittatus, but vestitus and mariae can be indistinguishable from vittatus without examining under a microscope.

Your "vittatus" is, like already said, hoppei.

[Borbi]

Hi,

the first one strongly reminds me of "Otocinclus" flexilis.

Cheers, Sandor

[Andrea Perotti]

This is the num 1
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5205/img0400j.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8175/img0412lfl.jpg

Can't tell. The irregular patterning is unusual, does it always look like that?

It is very rarely seen, is always hidden.

[Andrea Perotti]

And this???






O. macrospilus?

[Andrea Perotti]

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3234/dscn0036x.jpg

[Mike_Noren]

And this???


O. macrospilus?

No, it's a very typical Otocinclus hoppei.

O. hoppei has an incomplete lateral pigment band with a single very large, vaguely diamond-shaped, blotch at the base of the tail fin.
This is a textbook example of a typical O. macrospilus:
http://www.welse.net/BILDER/oto1a.jpg
Like hoppei it has an incomplete lateral pigment band, but the blotch at the base of the tail fin is smaller and divided in two.

That said, there is no shortage of individuals which appear to be in between these two clear "typical" extremes, and I frequently find myself wondering if Otocinclus would not benefit from a new revision using morphological AND molecular methods.

[Andrea Perotti]

Thanks a lot. Very interesting!

I have so many and I'm trying to analyze them ...


For example, this subject does not know if it is a vittatus, a hoppei or macrospilus:

[Mike_Noren]

For example, this subject does not know if it is a vittatus, a hoppei or macrospilus:

As several people have said, that is probably a dark vittatus.

[Andrea Perotti]

You think I bought them all as Otocinlclus affinis

[Mike_Noren]

You think I bought them all as Otocinlclus affinis

Yes, it is rare that Otocinclus are sold under the right name. Most Otos are sold as affinis, even though that is a large argentinian species which hardly ever show up in the trade.