L278 Vs L377

[Firestorming]

As so often happens here L's come in with no capture locations (funny that when you only have one allowable import). I have noticed a seller here has what he is calling L278 for sale, yet they appear to have more traits in patterning along the lines of L377. Do any of the Peckoltia nuts here have anything I can use to make a distinction between the 2 ssp.?
I know some fish have differing patterns on their undersides so I was hoping it may be the case with these also.

Thank you,
Brett

[Janne]

Compare these pictures, as you can see they have different colouration... I think in the Cat-eLog some pictures is misplaced under L377 showing L278 instead. L377 is always grey in the colouration when L278 more looks like a typical colour within Peckoltia species.
L278

L377


Janne

[Firestorming]

Thanks Janne, I bought 8 of them, and from the pics you have here I believe mine are indeed L278. 3 boys and 5 ladies from appearences so fingers crossed now

Thank you,
Brett

[DJ-don]

Thanks Janne, I bought 8 of them, and from the pics you have here I believe mine are indeed L278. 3 boys and 5 ladies from appearences so fingers crossed now

Thank you,
Brett

if you manage to breed them give me a pm

[Brengun]

Hey Brett I just got 8 L278 yesterday as juvies.
You better update your assigned catfish pages as you have missed putting your L278 in as a registered keeper. Quite an impressive list you have.

Any tips on keeping the L278? Mine seemed to make a beeline for the cucumber last night despite them being omniverous with a tendency to meaty.
They certainly aren't a sleepy pleco and it was like putting a bunch of stripy hornets in the tank as they were everywhere at once.

Mine are a little pale yet with stress of freight and a new tank but hopefully I can get some good photos in the future once they are settled.

[Firestorming]

I am going to have a look at some more "L377" tomorrow. From what I can determine the actual L377 has a more striated pattern on the nose, would it be worth shifting the photos that are of L278 to their actual cat-elog entry to help avoid confusion?

[Brengun]

My L278 have now bred for me.
Adult mature male.

Juvies

I lost quite a few of the first batch trying to feed them meatier foods like brine shrimp.
Next batch I stuck to hikari algae wafers, cucumber and sera flora flake and never lost one. Later on they get more meaty stuff like vilformo and carnivore tabs but not as little fellas.

[bigbird]

very nice bren and congrats. cheers jk

[Firestorming]

I know it seems like I am flogging a dead horse here, but I still see huge differences with the pics in the cat elog.

When I look at pics 7/8/9/10 in

L377

I see fish that seem to fit the

L278

profile better and pic 12 just has me stumped.

If the fish in the majority of pics under L377 are indeed that fish I believe we DO have L377 here and not L278 as I have always been led to believe.

Brengun, could you please (if you are happy that is) post some pics of your adults and fry/juvies for the gurus to have a look at and so I can compare them to mine.

Cheers.

[Brengun]

L278 vs. LDA 18/ L377

Both fish are remarkably similar with no typically defining characteristic in either as the differences are quite subtle.
I will try to explain the subtle differences as observed by myself and perhaps others can comment as well.

An adult male L278 appears to have a slightly shorter snout and a chubbier body in comparison to the LDA 18/ L377.

The L278 mottling is not well defined and appears blurry even on a well focussed photo where as the scribbled markings of the LDA 18/ L377 appears to have fairly well defined lines.

In some photos I have seen in the Aqualog book, the LDA 18/ L377 looks true to its marketing name of "yellow prince tiger" but the L278 seems to have a more orange coloration.

The tail of the L278 has a slightly thicker top ray than the LDA 18/ L377 and has no lower tail filament extension at all whereas the latter has a small filament extension.

If I had to choose a marketing name for the L278 it would be "Rio Apure orange king tiger" as it describes the fish origin and colour.

Adult male photos








Adult female photos