What type is he? (common? sailfin?)

[Complecs]

I posted this pic over on another website and a question on there has actually got me wondering; and I have been advised you guys are the ideal people to ask - I really hope you don't mind.
This little chap is known to me effectionately as Plecky, he's an adoptee I had to rescue from another tank as he was being very badly bullied, and I have just assumed in this time he was a common as that's what the other big plec that kept attacking him in the other tank was, and that's what his markings suggested to me, but then again I'm only a beginner.
Since that question it's now got me wondering what type he actually is, be it a common, a sailfin or something else entirely? If you can assist that would be super.
His size is 5inches, but I don't know his age I'm afraid.





edit: title edited after reading FAQ by mods/admin - apologies for original heading

[Complecs]

Here's another view (though this pic has come out very orange)



The glass rock isn't in there anymore btw as I was paranoid about him hurting himself on it so I've changed it for lots of bogwood

[Silurus]

You have to provide a belly shot so that we can tell whether it is

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

or

Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus

.

[katmandu]

Hi

Silurus as always good shoot

i would say p.pardalis too

regards

Katmandu

[Complecs]

Plecky is not often up on the glass where I can get a good picture but I will certainly try for you, and get a photo up as soon as possible. If a description helps at all: he's got a very pale underbelly with the same patternation as the rest of him, he also has a small fin just after his belly about 3/4 of the way down on his underside

[Complecs]

I've been properly looking at the photos you've linked and some others online and he certainly looks like a Pterygoplichthys pardalis (is that a common?), but I'll still certainly get some photos up as soon as I do manage to capture an image of his underside.
As mentioned on the OP, I don't know how old plecky is, but going by his size and current colouration is it possible to age him at all? I'm planning a bigger tank for him at about Christmas time (400+litre), he's currently in a 90l; I know it's not ideal but it wasnt planned that I'd be getting a plec his size so soon into the hobby. I just want to make sure I've given myself enough time to move up tank size; how quickly do these plecs grow?

[racoll]

he certainly looks like a Pterygoplichthys pardalis (is that a common?)

Yes it is.

I'm planning a bigger tank for him at about Christmas time (400+litre)

That's good. They need a big tank.

how quickly do these plecs grow?

Depends on how much you feed them, how often you change the water, and how much room they have.

Have a read of this....http://www.planetcatfish.com/scripts/cl ... s+pardalis

[racoll]

Posted the wrong link above. Here is the COTM article I wanted to post.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm. ... cle_id=366

[Complecs]

sorry for the long delay in getting back, he's not overly keen on the camera and usually hides as soon as I spot hes in the position and grab the camera