PlanetCatfish.com

Hi!

He also received this fish, which I believe to be either L106 or L122...the only thing that bother me is the lack of orange in the dorsal fin...
any comment?!?

Side shot



Belly shot



Cheers
Yann

Yann,
I have been scratching my head on this one for several months now. I have eight of these fish at roughly 1/2 the size you illustrated. I bought them cheap as "Orange Fin Plecos".
I do know this, they are fairly tolerant of a wide range of water chemistry (from hard to soft water) and can tolerate relatively long periods of low oxygen (don't ask, I lost a group of 10 Lophiobagrus on this one). They are on par with Ancistrus in regards to removing algae in a tank.

I had thought they were a pretty good match to Ingo Seidel's shot labeled L-19 in the "All L-Numbers" book. But after the debate here on the forum regarding L-19, -20, I wasn't so sure again.

If you find out what they are, let me know.

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley

Let me add to the confusion:

In Datz L 106 and L 122 were the same fish. This fish comes from the Rio Orinoco. I have seen some various differences in fin coloration depending on where the fish came from originally along the Orinoco.

In Aqualog both L 106 and L 122 are young Chaetostoma guairensis. This fish is really not exported, so I do not have a clue where they got the fish they show. It is also the exact same fish pictured as both L 106 and L 122.

I should probably do a COTM or something on this topic. Check out the Cat-ELog. Notice the deeply forked tail of L 122 compared to the Chaetostoma. The fish above does not have this and that, more than the coloration, makes me think you have something different. Paul, do you have any shots of yours? What are their tails like?
-Shane

While I have no idea of the diagnostic characteristics of a Baryancistrus spp. and unfortunately haven't taken any shots of my fish yet, my fish are shaped very much like the fish pictured here:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/lo ... /656_1.htm

With a strongly forward top leading edge to the caudal fin, with a curved shape (as pictured) not really forked.

The closest shot I have seen is Ingo Seidel's shot of L-19 in the Cat-ELog. Which BTW is also listed as a Baryancistrus. The fish in Ingo's shot looks very much like a juvenile of my fish. The pattern is not quite as distinct and is a bit more complex on my fish(stress coloration is much clearer though). The eyes in my fish are also much smaller (it is typical for young fish to have larger eyes by proportion).

Your pictures listed as L-122 are also close... How large were the fish in these pictures? Mine are still about 2.0" Std. length.

OK, you've inspired me, I am off with the cameras for some shots... Digitals possibly tonight, no promises on quality though... Slides in two weeks.

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley

Hi !

Thanks for the information Shane!

So I can believe that this fish here is more likely L106, because of the shape of the tail??

Any explanation about the reason of such difference with the tail, geographical population? a bit like the L200 "High fin"?
Cheers
Yann

Yann,
The fish may need to grow a bit before we can tell for sure. As regards L 200 "Normal" and L 200 "Hi Fin," they are two completely different spp. assigned the same L Number. I placed mine altogether in a 55 and they are clearly very different spp. My biggest L 200 male is now sporting a fine growth of odontodes and I would swear L 200 "Normal" was Hypostomus if it were not for his cheek spines and pectoral fin spines.
-Shane

Hi Shane!

What is the expected lenght for these 2 (L106/122)?
Cheers
Yann

Yann,
About 5 inches total length for the L 106/L 122 from the Orinoco.
-Shane