Just some photos of my favourite fish

[Mol_PMB]

I happened to have the camera to hand when my favourite fish came out for a play this evening, so I just thought I'd share the photos

'Tuka' is an L024

Pseudacanthicus pitanga

, we think a female. She's about 6"SL, 8" TL. Very active and not at all shy; I see her out like this most evenings. I wasn't quite quick enough to get a photo of her up on the glass, but she's watching me now begging for more food.

Other cats in this 450L tank are an Ancistrus, two Farlowellas, 8 Brochis splendens and a few Otos, one of which appears in the last picture.

[Jools]

Cool seeing big plecs with little Otos. That's a really nice specimen, looks great!

Jools

[pleconut]

Nice pleco!

[Mol_PMB]

Thanks! I've had her about 14 months now and she's grown a fair bit.

The first time I saw an L024 in the flesh, I fell in love. It took me about a year to get myself a big enough tank to house one, but I was lucky that Pier had a large shipment of them at the ideal time for me, and Rachael helped me pick one of the best specimens in the shipment.

Occasionally I wonder about getting more and trying to breed them, but I really don't have the space for it.

[pleconut]

I'd like to attempt to breed one of this genera, but it's way too far beyond my experience level or potential tank size, requirements at this time.

[smitty]

That L024 looks beautiful

[Mol_PMB]

Thanks She's much prettier than the first pic on the L024 species page!

[PseudaSmart]

Nice!

[Mol_PMB]

Nice!

Thanks

Tonight she gave me another very brief chance of a ventral shot and I had the camera ready. Sorry it's a bit blurred - she was only there for a second. Can you tell from this if she is a 'she'? There's definitely a visible feature in the region of the genitals, but a quick look at the L24 and L25 species profiles didn't have any ventral pics to compare with.

Also front and back photos showing how she's definitely wider in the middle, and although there are some odontodes on the fins they're not as significant as some other examples I've seen.

Cheers,
Paul

[PseudaSmart]

For me both the L24 and L25 are the most difficult to sex even as adults. I have seen females with more growth than my other male breeders! I have never had any luck looking at their vents, perhaps because I have bifocals and can never find the right way to look at them. So just for the record I am not perfect in the field of pseudas !.

A bright sharp photo directly above gives me half a chance. The best way is to have photos of several and then the differences are easier to spot. If you look at the current L25 post you can clearly see that they are a pair.

Hopefully someone with the knack will lend a hand.

Jim

[Mol_PMB]

Thanks for the detailed reply!
When I bought Tuka there were about 30 L024 in the shop, mostly of similar size. Rachael (who knows her stuff about catfish) was fairly sure mine was a female, by comparing to the others. She was looking at body and head shape and the shape of the paired fins.
My Tuka definitely has the typical 'female pleco' body shape that is wider in the middle than at the 'shoulders', as shown on the pics of the L025s you mentioned.
As you say these Pseudas are really hard to tell the sexes apart, maybe I'll never know for sure until I (maybe one day) have a go at breeding them. But L024 is a tough one I think - not even on your list ;)

Cheers,
Paul

[PseudaSmart]

I only now reveal the successful spawns. This keeps everyone guessing what I'm working on currently . Let's just say I have access to 24s but there are others ahead.

Jim

[Chinafishboy]

Good of L024

[pleconut]

What size tank is she kept in?