Need urgent ID please

[redfan]

Hi,

Just picked up a really nice plec at my lfs today the included photo was taken while he's still in the bag, its not the best but hopefully will help someone identify it. Am trawling the internet myself too

Need to figure out what he is quickly as while he's in a tank on his own he will be moved pretty soon and need to find out info re adding him with my other plecs (Sailfin and a Magnum).

BTW the lfs as these places tend to be were clueless and thought he was a standard catfish not a plec LOL

Cheers

[Linus_Cello]

Maybe it's a small "rhino" (the catfish of the month: http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm.php)

It's hard to tell from the pic. Maybe my eyes are playing tricks, but it looks more like some Raphael cat to me than a plec.

[Suckermouth]

We're gonna need a better picture to pin it down, probably. It looks Peckoltia or Panaque maccus like though, although the color pattern is not familiar to me.

[redfan]

Suckermouth - It could looking from images be a Peckoltia not sure though .. hmmm suggestion of Panaque maccus however (see below) ..

Linus - Pretty sure its not a rhino the body pattern does not match really am positive it's not a Raphael Cat .. it has no whiskers, certain its a plec

Could this be a almost full grown clown plec? I say that as the yellow & black stripes kinda of suggest that to me also the fact it was bought at my LFS.

I am assuming it's been brought in by a customer as Pets at Home stock little more than gibbiceps and common plecs. It would to me make sense if it's a clown plec as they may be found at other LFS's in this area.

Also if it is something different would suggest that someone has gone to the trouble of finding and ordering it in. Which would equally be unlikely as if you went to that trouble then chances are you would not take it back to a big commercial LFS.

Hope some of that makes sense? Will try and get a better pic tomorrow (daylight) but the more I look at the 1st pic on the Panaque maccus profile the more I'm getting convinced.

Assuming he is a Clown Plec, would he be OK in a 30G tank with a green phantom plec (which also only grows to around 4 -6" or so)? Ask that as I know Clowns and my Phantom are incredibly timid.

Many thanks, please continue the input

[MatsP]

Sorry to sidetrack this thread a little bit, but could you (redfan) please add ", England" to your "Boston" location, so that it's more obvious that you are not from "Boston, Massachusets, USA" (or any other place called Boston, for that matter).

The photo is quite hard to see what it is, but I doubt it is

Panaque maccus

. Some form of Peckoltia, perhaps, but not at all certain.

Until we know what your fish is, it's going to be quite hard to say what it will go well with and not.

--
Mats

[Suckermouth]

I agree it doesn't look all that much like a clown plec, but as far as plecs that an LFS owner might not know they've got, clown plecs are cheap enough that they might slip through. It's not too often that something that's really valuable and uncommon just pops up somewhere.

[redfan]

Consider it done Mats (well changed it to Boston, U.K.)

Why do you think its not a clown plec? He is currently munching on a piece of bogwood btw. Sane Q's to suckermouth.

Perhaps it is something more valuable, I paid £6.99 for this guy and am happy either way tbh but obviously need a better idea of what he is for long term housing purposes. I will do a better picture tomorrow if it helps that picture is a screen shot of this short video I took

The Camera light was on and tbh its fairly well lit just hope it helps as if need be I will move him tonight.

Thanks again guys

[Mod edit: Use youtube tags --Mats]

[racoll]

We'll need better photos I'm afraid.

[Suckermouth]

Well it could and it couldn't be, it's just not very clear. The color pattern doesn't look quite right but that could be a fault of the clarity, rather than it not being P. maccus.

[redfan]

OK guys not a problem, I will try and get some good pics in the morning (turned lights of to reduce stress). My main concern is (worded as a question) Should he be fine in with the Sailfin and Magnum tonight? he seems to be keeping to himself though earlier he was more than happy laying directly with the sailfin without incident.

I guess these are the issue when you get something the LFS has no idea about, I just wanted to get him out of their "display" tank which is little more than approx 30G but houses 2 common plecs (4"+) along with various other larger species (including 2 spiny eels).

Many thanks

[apistomaster]

Without a set of clear focused photos I can only guess. I lean toward it being a Panaque maccus, large adult female, which may have been a traded in fish. The sheer odds favor P. maccus since they are a standard stocked pleco species and sell for low prices of only $6.00 or $7.00.
Panaque maccus are a small and compact species and the fish in your photo certainly meets those criteria.

If you provide plenty of hiding places and wood it will probably be fine with larger plecos.

[Linus_Cello]

The video is a little better. I'm leaning toward some panaque clown pleco (but not maccus). (The patterning in the pic made me think of a stressed out rhino)

[redfan]

Many thanks for the continued input.

Have managed another video which I think is fairly good quality (given he only appears at night and I had to use the camera light), just hope it helps

@ Mats have used the tags as mentioned, when looking at the message it does not seem to show the video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFiZ2nKuCLY[/youtube]

apistomaster - that seems to be the general opinion either a panaque clown pleco or a maccus I will continue to try and get a decent picture.

Linus - As above I will try and get a better picture.

Many thanks again, oh I have literally just had to move him into the 30G as the Sailfin was seriously stalking him not ideal given he only went in the tank last night, but felt it better that he be with the 2" Phantom as should be a lot more relaxed there.

Thanks again

[MatsP]

Usage of youtube tags is in the catfish(!) FAQ:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/general/ge ... d=441#a433

You were probably putting the whole URL in the youtube tags, rather than just the ID. That's what most other people do...

--
Mats

[redfan]

Yup thats exactly what I was doing lol

Here it is then

[racoll]

Sorry, but still can't tell, but

Panaque maccus

looks less likely in favour of a

Peckoltia

.

Still photos would be best.

Good luck, plecs are never easy to photograph!

[MatsP]

Peckoltia or one of the stripey types of Panaque - e.g.

L002

.

--
Mats

[redfan]

So, still finding it really difficult to get a really clear picture (I am still trying lol).

However in the interim he's been in the 30G tank for best of a week now, he shares it with a Juve phantom pleco and they are getting along really well sharing same driftwood etc. However based on the suggestions of what this plec is likely to be, can anyone give me an idea what to try and feed him.

I have only been adding what my other plecs eat which is Wafers, Cucumber and courgette. This new plec does not seem to eat any of this and just spends his evenings (only time he leaves the wood) swimming around the tank and ignoring any of the above food.

One of the links I read suggests that some of these plecos (as hinted he maybe)prefer a more meaty diet. Is that true? I always assumed that plecos are very much veggie eaters?

If so, what kind of "meaty" food should I add to the tank? Or would I be better of putting in a new meal of say water melon?

Many thanks again guys

[racoll]

If it is a

Peckoltia

, then it will be an omnivore.

Feed vegetables such as courgette, broad beans or sweet potato. I have found these are readily eaten and can be lightly parboiled and frozen for convenience. Melon and cucumber are not very nutritious IMO.

The algae wafers are good, along with "meaty treats" of frozen bloodworm, mysis, krill, black mosquito larvae, glassworm etc. These are available in your LFS.

Some details about the tank will help diagnose why the fish is not settling down. Filtration, oxygenation, tankmates, water change regime, temperature etc.

[biotope69]

Looks like a peckoltia, L202 could be a fit given the wide spacing between bars and the fin coloration.

[redfan]

Thanks biotope69 L202 looks very possible, in fact that first pic in the profile is almost identical to what this plec looks like

Cheers for that .. however it says prefers meaty foods, what can I feed him that's big enough to last and not be eaten by the honey gourami or 1 of the 6 lemon tetra's?

Racoll, as above cheers for the feeding tips but think I did say have been trying veg lol thanks though

[MatsP]

Sinking pellet or tablet food will be fine - JBL NovoTabs are my favourite choice (for the fish - I don't eat them myself ;) )

--
Mats

[Sam]

I'm guessing Peckoltia vittata L 015 - Candy Striped Pleco (Xingu)-looks just like my female, she has different markings to the average candy stripe