Hypan ID

[dxlxn]

So one of the local specialty pleco stores stocked an unidentified (according to the staff) rare hypancistrus and I’m tempted to get it but I want to make sure the price tag is justified so any help id-ing it would be great! For context the lighting was yellowish so the picture looks yellow but the hypan is whitish!

[bekateen]

This looks like a Hypancistrus to me, although because of its nice markings, I'm not sure which one.

Cheers, Eric

[Acanthicus]

Morning,

I have seen offspring of L 260 looking just like this one, but that doesn't mean a lot.

It could make a nice breeding project if you are into selecting and waiting some time. Get this specimen and some "normal" looking ones from the same shipment and see what you end up with after the first juveniles. Single fish like these were the beginning of what is now commonly known as L 236 RB yellow, white, selected xyz etc.

[dxlxn]

Morning,

I have seen offspring of L 260 looking just like this one, but that doesn't mean a lot.

@bekateen yea it is definitely a hypancistrus just no idea of the L-number!

@acanthicus it would be weird for it to be L260 but at the same time it could make sense. Well thing is, this is the only hypan "special" they have hahaha and it's nearly twice the price of a L46 for reference. All the other hypans are relatively findable here (L333, L236, L260/262, L399/400 etc) so having something to breed it with wouldn't be the biggest issue assuming I can find a similar type to it

[stuby]

Well thing is, this is the only hypan "special" they have hahaha and it's nearly twice the price of a L46 for reference.

Twice the price of a L46 and they can't even say what it is. Plus, it's the only one they have...... it would be a pass in my book but that is just me!

Makes me think about selling my leucistic L333 and how much I can get for him!

Take care,
Chuck

[dxlxn]

[dxlxn]

Twice the price of a L46 and they can't even say what it is. Plus, it's the only one they have...... it would be a pass in my book but that is just me!

Hahahaha, well when I was looking at some L400s, the guy just came up to me and told me about this single unidentified special hypan for sale so... Normally that would be a hard pass for me too but if it is indeed a rare hypan that no one has I would still want it even for that price hahaha.

Well I can tell you I have never seen a leucistic L333 before here so you probably can fetch a sky high price for it

[stuby]

Hahahaha, well when I was looking at some L400s, the guy just came up to me and told me about this single unidentified special hypan for sale so... Normally that would be a hard pass for me too but if it is indeed a rare hypan that no one has I would still want it even for that price hahaha.

Well I can tell you I have never seen a leucistic L333 before here so you probably can fetch a sky high price for it

I understand that for sure. And as I always say a fish is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. I could be wrong, but it looks like a very nicely patterned L333.... fins, body, and eye seem to fit though very hard to tell from sure...... pattern is almost never a good way to ID Hypancistrus.

Hope you are able to find what you are after. So you can't say you never seen one before here is a picture of my leucistic L333.

[Fallen_Leaves16]

I could swear that I saw an undescribed Hypancistrus for sale almost exactly akin to the one you posted a year or two (or maybe three?) back, down to the faint reticulated pattern on the fins, the depressed body profile, and the "high white"-looking appearance of the pattern... Can't remember what the seller named it for the life of me, and I can't seem to find the listing (it was on Aquabid), but it was ~$200USD, as far as I can remember. The only other fish I think it looks closest to is the L173b Nationwide had some time ago (https://www.vivvy.com/listing/l173b-fal ... leco-male/) but it doesn't seem too similar.

Hypan ID is all a bit befuddling to me; then again I was never too good at ID'ing most fish in general

[dxlxn]

I understand that for sure. And as I always say a fish is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. I could be wrong, but it looks like a very nicely patterned L333.... fins, body, and eye seem to fit though very hard to tell from sure...... pattern is almost never a good way to ID Hypancistrus.

Hahahah, I will be more than willing to pay for it provided it's doesn't turn out to be a normal L260 or L66 like multiple people have suggested. Well, let's hope it's still there next time the shop opens and I can buy it and get a nice zoomed in picture for some pleco experts to hopefully get a good id. Also, your leucistic L333 looks like a chubby place that's so cute looking!!

[dxlxn]

I could swear that I saw an undescribed Hypancistrus for sale almost exactly akin to the one you posted

I do agree it does look kinda similar to the 173b you linked but also not at all at the same time . Well this fish is $180 locally so would be $130usd so definitely way cheaper if you were to convert. But would be pretty cool and great to have an undescribed species though!

And yea same, some hypan species look so similar it's crazy. L136s are the worst to try and id, L399/400 are similar, and you have the L333/236 too that are sometimes hard to tell apart in a tank!