PlanetCatfish.com

This isn't my fish. Just wanted an ID for him.

L128, from Venezuela

isn't that an L128 (Blue Phantom)?

they could change from dark blue...to that translucent blue green color...depends on the mood of the pleco...and sometimes the lighting of the tank.

Coelacanth,
I am sure you meant L 128 from Colombia and Venezuela ! These come from the upper Orinoco that forms the Colombian/Venezuelan border. I would guess that 99% of exports originate in Colombia since it is illegal to export fishes from Venezuela.
-Shane

Shane wrote:Coelacanth,
I am sure you meant L 128 from Colombia and Venezuela

Erm...yes. It IS late over here, I've had some wine, and I temporarily forgot that it is illegal to export fish from Ven. Bit like I don't actually have Uaru fernandezyepezi downstairs, and they definitely DIDN'T come from Venezuela.........

I wonder what price they sell for?

Graeme wrote:I wonder what price they sell for?

BAS here in Bolton has big healthy fish for £70 retail. It appears that some new importations may have smaller fish that are considerably cheaper though.

Hey thanks for that. I just got some new species botia loaches from B.A.S. I think i'll give them a phone call.

Thanks.
Graeme.

Thanks for the ID everyone.

Easy wrote:they could change from dark blue...to that translucent blue green color...depends on the mood of the pl*co...and sometimes the lighting of the tank.

I like the pic of your blue phantom better EASY. It was really dark and defined. Very nice fish.

Angel

Graeme,
They sell locally for about US $5.00 to $6.00 each although you might pay up to $7.00 for a large one (over six inches). I picked up two last weekend (around five inches each) because they had a strange color pattern with very large white dots extending onto the caudal fin. I paid around US $12.00 for the pair.
-Shane

Shane wrote:I picked up two last weekend (around five inches each) because they had a strange color pattern with very large white dots extending onto the caudal fin. I paid around US $12.00 for the pair.

Now you're just rubbing our noses in it!

Shane wrote:Graeme,
They sell locally for about US $5.00 to $6.00 each although you might pay up to $7.00 for a large one (over six inches). I picked up two last weekend (around five inches each) because they had a strange color pattern with very large white dots extending onto the caudal fin. I paid around US $12.00 for the pair.
-Shane

So the obvious questions come to mind, can you export? Occasionally I'll see them for $25 @ wholesalers, but up here in MN the LFS constantly want $50+ for L128 & L200

Now that i think about it, it's probably good that plecos cost as much as they do up here, otherwise I'd be likely to empty out the Amazon

In NYC, L128 and L200 sell for $20-30 retail. They have become quite common recently.

Dinyar

Here's mine to share!