Can I have this one? Please!

[rmiller]

Saw this guy at Walmart of all places. I love the markings and would love to have it, but I would hate to get a species that I can't house properly.
http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu68 ... AG0830.jpg

[MatsP]

No, you can't, as it is

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

(or

Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus

- they are hard to tell apart, and for most intents and purposes, it's not relevant which one it is, assuming they aren't the same species after all, a recent DNA sequence paper seemed to suggest this is possible!).

Unless, of course, your "tank" is the size of a small swimming pool - 6 ft long, 3ft wide and at least 2.5ft deep.

--
Mats

[rmiller]

I had been told it might be paradalis, but I thought I might seek a secong opinion. Thanks for looking. My search will continue.

[MatsP]

Yes, and if you want a third and fourth opinion, there is a thread here which seems to have the same picture in it...

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... =5&t=34087

There is no doubt that this fish will grow large, and I'm not surprised you found it at Walmart - they buy them in very large volume from breeders in Florida or SE Asia.

--
Mats

[nvcichlids]

There is no doubt that this fish will grow large, and I'm not surprised you found it at Walmart - they buy them in very large volume from breeders in Florida or SE Asia.

--
Mats

I have actually recently asked that my LFS and walmarts stop selling these and move to common ancistrus as they work better for everyone. My LFS hasn't stopped selling them, but they sell many more bristlenose now (and can get them cheaper from local breeders than they could the common plecos).
Walmart hasn't budged, but I don't buy fish there anyways.

[rmiller]

Same picture.

I don't typically buy mine from Walmart either, but I look everytime I go in. Right now mine has 1 julii cory marked as an assorted cory for $3.88. If I had a school I'd take it home just to give it an appropriate home. I doubt anything will ever stop Walmart from carrying species that are inappropriate for average home aquarium. Same with big box stores. Unfortunately for me I only have a half dozen or so lfs' in my area and only a couple deal in freashwater. Of the 2 that do, I would never buy from one, his tanks are horribly filthy, and the other has way too limited of a selection.

[KillerThePlecostomus]

Killer, my Pleco came from Wal-mart from the state of Texas... I don't like Wal-mart selling fish.... they don't take care of them.