52cm? P. Pardalis

[Breezer]

Picked this guy up a few months ago, and have always thought of him as a pardalis. I just had it questioned and had another look at the profile and that has 35cmSL. He is 52cmTL. We got the measurements when he was in a foam box as his nose was touching one end with the tips of his tail touching the other end. The internal length of the box is 52cm.
any thoughts? Just want this clarified. Thanks guys

[Dave Rinaldo]

Here's a link that discusses
the length of

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

MatsP..and bear in mind that the size is measured as "Standard Length", which is nose to "end of the fleshy part of the tail", so not actually counting the tail-fin itself - which can easily add 3-4" on a large fish like this.

[drpleco]

What does a gibby look like at that size? I'm never sure on anything, but it looks like one to me. The size would make it make sense, too.

[andywoolloo]

The bottom picture looks like a Gibby, I cannot tell in the others.

[Breezer]

lol great guys....now i'm even more confused....

he doesn't look anything like the gibbi in the tank, but that gibbi is only 15cmTL....huge difference.

here are a few more pics

this last one is him with the gibbi.

[Silurus]

I think 35 cm SL translates very close to 52 cm TL. Body alone looks about that length (based on the 30-cm ruler in the first photo).

[MatsP]

I agree with Silurus, it looks like the fish is about 35cm SL. It may be 37cm or 33cm, but without a clear measurement, I'm not going to add a couple of centimeters.

Very nice big fish, and I'd call it P. pardalis unless there is any direct reason to believe otherwise.

--
Mats

[DutchFry]

this is not a pardalis, where's the reticulated head pattern?

IMHO this is an adult Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps. this body pattern is standard for adult gibbi's!

[Breezer]

I'd really like a proper id on this fella guys. I don't believe him to be a gibbi but also looking through all the pics of pardalis I have doubt.

Is it possible that he is an adult p.multiradiatus?

The markings on the head seem smaller on my fella but given the size of him i think that is justified. and to me he really is the closest in markings. I just wonder. If you guys can all agree on one i'll be happy lol.

[Carp37]

this is not a pardalis, where's the reticulated head pattern?

IMHO this is an adult Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps. this body pattern is standard for adult gibbi's!

I agree with Tim- this looks like a gibbiceps to me- doesn't seem a match for multiradiatus or pardalis as both patterning, body shape and dorsal fin shape look wrong. Silurus or one of the big-plec specialists might disagree, but I think the patterning on gibbiceps stays much the same size as the fish grows (therefore they get more spots as they grow, and the spots get smaller relative to the size of the fish). The picture with the smaller gibby in doesn't show this because the belly spots are much larger than on the rest of the fish.