L129 vs L340

[AleGer]

What is the difference between L129 (

Hypancistrus debilittera

) and

Hypancistrus sp(l340)

?
How can they be distinguished?
Both these spices live in the Orinoco river. So interesting, what is the difference in behavior between L129 and L340?

[Mod edit: Use persistent CLOG tags --Mats]

[MatsP]

The vague signs I can see is that the lighter stripes aren't quite as thick in H. debilittera (L129() as they are in H. sp(L340).

It appears that there is a "vague E" on the head of H. debilittera. More easily seen on this picture of H. furunculus:


In H. sp(L340), the "edges" of the E is not straight. However, I wouldn't guarantee that as a sign, it's only the bits that I can see.

--
Mats

*MOD EDIT 2018-09-20 to fix image link*

[Janne]

It's common to use upper Orinoco or upper Rio Negro for many species of fishes but that is a true with modification, it's beacuse many times we dont know exactly the right location (river) but know they is collected in that area.
H. debilittera is collected in Rio Bita which are a tributary to Rio Meta and L340 is collected in Rio Tomo that also is a tributary to Rio Meta...and Rio Meta is one of the larger tributary's to Rio Orinoco, so they dont share the same river. Just a side note to Mats description, if not different species they are for sure two different localities.

Janne

[MatsP]

Yes, I should have pointed out that they are different locations. There is also some discussion in the description of H. debilittera by Armbruster et.al as to using only body patterns to distinguish species.

--
Mats

[AleGer]

To Janne & Janne, Thanks for you replies

A few days ago I bought 5 Hypansistrus sp. L340.

I managed to make a photo only one of it.

Could you say whether it L340?

[MatsP]

They look more similar to L340 than the other two candidates

Hypancistrus furunculus

and

Hypancistrus debilittera

, based on the key I described earlier: "Squiggly sides to the 'E' at the front of the head".

--
Mats

[pureplecs]

I am by far not an expert but that pic does not look like any L340 I've ever seen, does the head look right?

[MatsP]

Not sure - the profile of the head seems to be more sloping in L340 than other Hypancistrus - and the photo isn't "square on", which makes it hard to determine the shape of the fish anyways.

Compare this:


--
Mats

[Yann]

Hi!!

Your fish looks some what similar to Ancistrinae sp L127
But it is really hard to say fo sure with that picture plus the fact that your fish seems to be really small when compare to the gravel!!

Cheers
Yann

[AleGer]

Your fish looks some what similar to Ancistrinae sp L127
But it is really hard to say fo sure with that picture plus the fact that your fish seems to be really small when compare to the gravel!!

Maybe you are right. I noticed that 2 of 5 fish are really look like L127, 2 other look like L340 and 1 is more look like L199, but I'm not sure.
Here some photos of these one that are supposedly L127 and L199

[Yann]

Hi!!

Regarding the first fish, it is an Hypancistrus but tough to say what species with such pic!
Fish in pic 2 and 3 are indeed Ancistrinae sp L127

Cheers
Yann

[Julie]

This is a question that has plagued me so many times! I often will import these fish in (both the L129 and the L340, and the vast majority of the time, they all look the same! I agree that from all the *definitive* picutres I've seen of the L340, the creamy stripes of the L340 seem broader than the L129. Along with that, the dark stripes of the L129 seem flatter to me, rather than a 3 dimensional look of the dark stripes of the L340. But of course, in the smaller, juvie fish, very hard to distinguish for me! I'll be interested to try and use the *E* test, to see if that helps me out at all.

Besides the fact that L340's in general cost 2-3 times the price of the L129's, I just like them more, and want to be able to not only charge my customers the correct price, but to sell them the right fish! But if I could get my collectors to be easily collect the right fish... woohooo!!

Pictures of juvie of both species posted here in the catelog would be great, especially if they were labeled with the approximate age!

[AleGer]

Finaly I've managed to take a photo of the fish that is more look like L340 or L129. Could you help me to identify this fish?

And there is one more photo of my L127.

[Yann]

Hypancistrus debilittera to me

Cheers
Yann

[AleGer]

I took some more photos of my fish a week ago.
please help me identify them.
There is a fish that is Supposedly L129.

[AleGer]

There is Supposedly L127 and some photos of unidentified Hypancistrus.

[AleGer]

Some more photos of an unidentified Hypancistrus.

[Yann]

Hi!

What size it that unid Hypancistrus??
Could be a very young Hypancistrus debilittera assuming the origin is the same of the others...but tough as normaly they do not have such "straight" lines...
Still think your other Hypancistrus is debilittera...

Cheers
Yann

[AleGer]

What size it that unid Hypancistrus??
Could be a very young Hypancistrus debilittera assuming the origin is the same of the others...but tough as normaly they do not have such "straight" lines...

The unid Hypancistrus is about 4-4.5 cm TL. And my hipancistrus debellitera is about 6-6.5 сm TL.
But both of them came to me in one size 3.5-4 cm TL. And the difference between them was obvious. So I think it (the unid Hypancistrus) isn't hipancistrus debellitera. And I noticed that my unid Hypancistrus grows slower than the other my fish.

[Yann]

The problem with Hypancistrus debilittera is that it can vary a lot in matter of colour pattern.
The fact it is not growing like the other might just show that this fish is the most submissive one in the group therefore growing at a smaller rate than the dominant fish...

I also thought of Hypancistrus furunculus but thought the light brown lines were a bit to thin to be it, but it is another fish to have in mind...we'll see how it ll grow...
If you have another tank to put him to allow him to grow better...
Cheers
Yann

[AleGer]

I also thought of Hypancistrus furunculus but thought the light brown lines were a bit to thin to be it

I thought the same:)

If you have another tank to put him to allow him to grow better...

I'll try to do so.