Please help ID this Multicolored pleco

[Heyguy74]

I've had this guy for at least 5 years. Hes about 8 inches long. He hasn't grown any for a few years

Any help will be appreciated. If I have to catch him and take real closeups pics I will.

[Suckermouth]

This looks like a

Peckoltia

, but I didn't see anything that matched your fish when I skimmed through the Cat-eLog.

[Borbi]

Hi,

Peckoltia oligospila

, I´d guess.

Cheers, Sandor

[Mod edit: Add clog tags --Mats]

[catmar]

Peckoltia oligospila agreed. I had to re-home a female recently, nice fish.

[Heyguy74]

Thanks for the reply. IS the length on Peckoltia oligospila corerect. This guy is almost 8 inches. I'll measure him to be sure.

[Mike_Noren]

Are you guys sure? I'm not at all an expert, but that doesn't look anything like a Peckoltia to me.

[Janne]

I'm not sure, this is probably not a Peckoltia species... I think it's a Hemiancistrus/Ancistomus species but don't know which one, it's not P. oligospila.

Janne

[plec0]

this fish is L-75 known as the Para Pleco, very nice specimen, can grow up to 10 inches. book says 9.8, but have a buddy with one right at 10 inches and almost 7 years old.


http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=195 <-- link to Peckoltia sabaji

[drpleco]

It might be closely related to A. sabaji, but it isn't that sp. IMO. If anything, it would be cf. or af., whichever is appropriate (and I wouldnt know...). I agree it doesn't look to be a peckoltia spp.

And BoOt, the catElog lists standard length not total length. A 10" SL sabaji would indeed be a monster. I have a 10" TL fish but I doubt it would ever get to 10" SL. I could be wrong, though.

[drpleco]

I'm not familliar with this species, but at least the pictures look similar and the size would be right (assuming the OP's estimate of 8" is total length which would me it a 6" SL fish).

Hemiancistrus spilomma

[Mod edit: Change to clog-tags instead of URL --Mats]

[2wheelsx2]

It also doesn't look like the

Peckoltia sabaji

to me. The spots on the tail of the one I have are larger and more distinct and the finnage has a noticeable orange hue to it. Not sure if this fish is stressed and not showing true colour though.

[plec0]

It might be closely related to A. sabaji, but it isn't that sp. IMO. If anything, it would be cf. or af., whichever is appropriate (and I wouldnt know...). I agree it doesn't look to be a peckoltia spp.

And BoOt, the catElog lists standard length not total length. A 10" SL sabaji would indeed be a monster. I have a 10" TL fish but I doubt it would ever get to 10" SL. I could be wrong, though.

I agree drpleco, After looking at the pics more I see where you get that its not a Pec sp. i ALSO have spoke to my friend on the L-75 hes getting me a pic of, I meant TL drpleco.. yes a 10 inch SL para would be very nice indeed, maybe only Haarvard could grow some that big in his huge river size tanks.. I envy most.

[Heyguy74]

Thanks for all the replies. I was full of crap on the total Length. The fish is 6 inches total length. I measured him.

Here are some more pics.

[MatsP]

Yes, it's quite hard to judge the fish's size in a tank - unless they play dead just by the edge of the tank so you can lay a ruler next to the fish, it's guesswork, and given the refraction of glass and water makes it much harder.

I see quite a few requests to increase the size in the Cat-eLog, but when I ask for "verification by photo with visible ruler", it usually turns out "it wasn't quite so big" or <no reply>.

--
Mats

[catmar]

The attached photo may help/confuse. (With apologies for hijacking the thread a little).

The P.Olisgospila I kept until recently, at least that was what I bought it as. I'm not experienced or confident enough to contradict more knowlegable people but I can't see a difference between my ex and the fish above. Please feel free to enlighten-what are the differences, what should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance, Mark.

[Heyguy74]

Thanks catmar,

That does look like my fish. What is the genus? I can't seem to find anything on P.Olisgospila?

[MatsP]

Peckoltia oligospila

Now, how you tell the Peckoltia from Hemiancistrus is another matter altogether. Especially if (as I think, without looking it up) the P. oligospila is more closely related to P. sabajii than P. vittata etc.

--
Mats

[Janne]

Now when the fish has shrink 2 inches and is only 15 cm TL... I would say you have P. oligospila ;)

Janne