Is this really an L288?

[krazyGeoff]

Hi again.
I'm back with another group of Pleco's for ID confirmation.
The problem with the restrictive importation regulations here in NZ is that there is now a trend for the L-Number to no longer be listed with the fish. I might be a bit pedantic but I really want to know what I am buying. Anyway... these fish were listed as Big Banded Tiger Pleco, possibly L288. The big banded bit is about as useful as Pretty fish with stripes, so I was not really interested. Then I happened to see one at another LFS, and they were rather attractive. To me they looked more like

Peckoltia vittata

, instead of

Peckoltia sp(l288)

. So I ordered and received 6 of them.......
They changed colours, and the bands got darker and lighter as they got over the stress of transport, but in the end I was still not sure what they really might be. Then I got Datz Special All L-Numbers: Habitat, Care & Diet, and a Back to Nature Guide to L-Catfishes by Ingo Seidel, to assist me in my identification.
I have lost the debate with myself and now need some assistance to confirm the Identification of these fish.
I am quite sure that they are Genus Peckoltia, for the following reasons:
Bristles appearing on the pectoral fin spine.
Bristles appearing on the posterior body.
Bristles appearing on the upper caudal fin.
The mouth and detention.

Here is what I think that they might be.

Peckoltia sp(l288)

, but not due to the pictures on this site, sorry, the book Back to Nature Guide to L-Catfishes by Ingo Seidel, has pictures of a Juvenile and the banding is still regular. I am unsure though because my specimens have regular thick bands on the face. Also with only 4 registered keepers it seems as though either these fish are rare, not brought into the hobby trade, or sold as a different L number.

Peckoltia vittata

, still my strongest vote. The ventral view is very similar and the six month juveniles pictures on this forum are very similar.

Peckoltia sp(l140)

, again the book Back to Nature Guide to L-Catfishes by Ingo Seidel, has a different picture. I am unsure though because my specimens have regular thick bands on the face. Also with only 3 registered keepers it seems as though either these fish are rare, not brought into the hobby trade, or sold as a different L number.

Peckoltia sp(l211)

, those are virtually my fish, however the other references have quite a different picture, and those pictures have a specimen without regular bands on the face, also with only 1 registered keepers it seems as though either these fish are rare, not brought into the hobby trade, or sold as a different L number. Still even less likely to be brought into NZ.
Another option may be Peckoltia sp. Rio Nhamunda.

I am unable to get any information about where my fish actually came from, but I am pretty sure that they arrived in the same shipment as some

Panaque sp(l002)

if that helps.....

So now it is time for the photos.
The one thing that I do know is that I am not the best at taking photos of fish.

This specimen is a male, I am pretty sure of, due to his like of caves, and the bristles that can be seen with the naked eye, but possibly not so much on my photos.
The first photo is to show gerneal shape and size.....

The next is to show the colour better and the head coluration

This one is more the banding on the back of the body

Photo of the underside to follow.

[krazyGeoff]

And here is a ventral view...

Any help in the confirmation of the identification of this fish would be appreciated.

Thank you

Geoff

[DutchFry]

i would say Peckoltia vittata

[krazyGeoff]

Thanks

[Yann]

Hi!!

Peckoltia sp`rio_tocantins`

is another possibility and is sometimes imported under the name of L288

Cheers
Yann

[krazyGeoff]

Hi Yann,
Quite possibly a Peckoltia sp 'rio_tocantins', or actually may be L288, as the bands on one of the bigger ones is starting to break up.

Without being able to get information on where they actually came from, I'll most likely never be able to be really sure.

Still... they are pretty and they are happy . So no problems.

Cheers

Geoff

[MatsP]

Just to add to the confusion, really:
Peckoltia from Tocantins

That's if we assume that they are actually from the same river as

Panaque sp(L002)

and not just exported along with them out of Brazil in general. If we search on "Lower Amazon" species, then it gives us a list of 19 species - some of those are definitely not the fish in this thread, but some certainly could be.

On a side note: If these fish are legally exported out of Brazil, they are most likely exported as P. vittata - that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone agrees that they are P. vittata - just that most other Peckoltia are illegal for export!

--
Mats

[krazyGeoff]

And for even more confusion P. vittata are not actually on the allowable list for importation into NZ at the moment, but they are on the revised list.

Part of my thinking that it is not

Peckoltia sp`rio_tocantins`

is that Yann is the only registered keeper, therefore the chance of those fish comming to NZ is also rare.

I guess I'll know for sure in a few years as Peckoltia sp`rio_tocantins` should get a little bigger (13-15cm) than Peckoltia sp. L015 (12-13cm). Having said all that a main differentation between these two fishes other than their location is that Peckoltia sp`rio_tocantins` "exhibits somewhat more wavy stripes" (Back to Nature Guide to L-Catfishes by Ingo Seidel pg 163).

Their requirements are similar enough for me to be comfortable that they will be cared for appropriately.

Cheers

Geoff

[MatsP]

You have to consider that although Yann has some unusual fish, I don't think he imported this particular fish personally. If it was caught as part of commercial fishing for ornamental fish trading, then I believe it is being exported and imported. It is pretty much equally likely as any other fish.

Bear in mind also that a lot of people may not KNOW that the fish sold as Lnnn or perhaps

Peckoltia vittata

isn't actually the fish they think it is.

--
Mats

[Yann]

Hi!!!

this fish was imported by a friend of mine...it was exported from Brasil under the name of L288.
But since the fish lacked the "orange" fins seen in the real L288, I had some doubt about the ID.
Ingo Seidel sorted out and explained me it was Peckoltia sp Rio Tocantins...and many L288 exported are actually Peckoltia sp Rio Tocantins

I am the only registered user, because I think I am the only one who realised it was not the good ID for my fish. But from where I got it, he had received easily 30-50 so it is likely the species is more commonly encontered than we could think

Cheers
Yann

[krazyGeoff]

Thanks for that Yann,
Have the stripes on yours gotten more wavey / iregular as they have aged?

I am thinking more and more that mine are Peckoltia sp Rio Tocantins.

Geoff

[krazyGeoff]

Finally I have been able to get some more pictures, but with no stress colurations.......



So now I am thinking they are more like

Peckoltia sp(l140)

Geoff

[claro]

I bougt the same fisch also as L 288 and recently i have L 211, live is the change
thank you

[Janne]

Geoff,
You are thinking correctly, they are L140 and is one of the most beauty Peckoltia species in the trade beside L134. Very variable in the pattern but always an irregulare dark markings against a nice yellow body, they are not shipped today as L140 and ends up as contaminents with L288 and few times even together with L134 both at the exporter and the wholesaler that import.

Janne

[krazyGeoff]

Thanks for that Janne,
Once I figure out how to work my new camera properly, I see an opportunity to add submit some pictures for the cat-e-log.

Geoff

[phoenix44]

Based on first hand experience, I would say these are L140 as well.
All the list says is big band tiger Pleco (L288) which it is not. kinda funny that the one time they ever use L numbers, they get it wrong