L183 lighter marks and what sex?

[Grimfilth]

This is the loricariidae ancistrus dolichopterus (L183 for short) i've bought;

(click for brighter/bigger picture)

Can anyone tell me if the cloud like brighter marks are permanent? They don't show when it's in the shadows, but are quite noticeable when it's in the open..

At the shop they told me the sex could be anything at the moment, it has a moustache, but not antlers yet, and it's about 75 mm big. "Mature males and sometimes females have soft tentacles (bushy fleshy growths) on the snout" Is not helping either...
I know where i can buy another one, from another fish-farm, but i want to be sure to buy one of the opposite gender...

Is this a vague sub-adult with discolouration?

[MatsP]

I think the lighter markings are "stress markings".

As to sexing, I don't think there is any easy way to sex these, as both males and females tend to have "bristles". But body shape may be different if they are in good condition - females would be rounder.

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Mats

[Grimfilth]

hmmm it could be, i only have him for a month now, and since a week or two he's out in the light. And i insisted getting the smallest one in the shop, with 10 other L183's in a 40 litre tank

But will the markings go away?

[bsmith]

In my tanks the 183's show the lighter markings when the lights are out and darken up to their normal color after the lights have been on for a bit. If that fish is 75mm it could very well be a female, normally when the males get that big they will start to have the bristles going up their face to their eyes.

If i were a betting man I would say you have an almost full size female there.

[RickE]

My three are quite variable in colour. The largest of them is always 'blotchy' like this. The other two are darker.

[bsmith]

Here is a pic of my biggest male, hes about 4.5. They shouldn't be blotchy under normal lit circumstances.

[Barbie]

These fish have the ability to adapt their coloration to the surroundings. Your substrate is quite light in comparison to the fish. IMO, It is just trying to blend in. If you touch the top of the nose and it feels fleshy and soft, it is probably male. If it is rough, probably female. Without an actual measurement and to know if that is SL or TL, it is hard to guesstimate from the pictures.

Barbie

[Grimfilth]

Thanks for all your responses! I've visited a large tropical fish dealer and they have a big variety of L's and most of them are smaller, usually half the size of the one I've got, and those clearly have male tentacles already. And I'm not going to catch her Barbie , it's way to hard, and stressing her and all the other inhabitants of my aq.

She had the cloud like marks since i've bought her, but i think they'll go away because they're already disappearing slowly... And the visibility of these marks depends on the material she's resting on as well. At least the colouration doesn't change as radically as my Parotocinclus spilosoma..

[jac]

Here is a pic of my biggest male, hes about 4.5. They shouldn't be blotchy under normal lit circumstances.

Great picture! Would be a good one for the cat-e-log as there is no clear picture of a male L183 with full tentacles.

[MatsP]

I would prefer one that clearly shows the whole fish, but I know that's a big ask.

If you can get a whole fish picture, that'd be fantastic. If not, please send that picture.

Either way, send it to:
mats at planetcatfish dot com

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Mats

[bsmith]

I would prefer one that clearly shows the whole fish, but I know that's a big ask.

If you can get a whole fish picture, that'd be fantastic. If not, please send that picture.

Either way, send it to:
mats at planetcatfish dot com

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Mats

Just emailed you. Let me know what you need.