L134 sick?

[Flappie]

can anyone tell me why my

L134

has such a strange color? it is a younger copy and I haven't had it that long. this is the only one with this faint color. sick? malnourished? I wonder if anyone can tell me more.

In the store de fish look diffrent

[Fallen_Leaves16]

That almost looks like L052... any chance there was a mix-up?

[bekateen]

That almost looks like L052... any chance there was a mix-up?

Good catch! Not "almost"... "is"

Dekeyseria picta

.

Cheers,
Eric

[DBam]

If you don't mind, could we turn this into a "teachable moment" and learn how you caught that difference? Based on the body patterns in those photos I'm thinking I've seen L052 sold as L134 but never realized. I figured it was a difference between Tapajos and Jamanxim populations.

[Fallen_Leaves16]

Others will be able to add better info, but L052 is noticeably 'flatter' and not as full-bodied; the eyes are larger (in comparison to the head) and located closer to the top of the skull, fin shapes and placement are slightly different, and as you noted the pattern is much more "muted", even in relatively well-coloured and content specimens like yours- L052 also has much more even striping when younger, with large, somewhat irregular spots in larger specimens, as opposed to L134, which despite possessing rather regular striping in juveniles and young, has a pattern that quickly breaks up into numerous, irregular, elongate blotches and somewhat fine spots (?).

[bekateen]

Others will be able to add better info, but L052 is noticeably 'flatter' and not as full-bodied; the eyes are larger (in comparison to the head) and located closer to the top of the skull, fin shapes and placement are slightly different, and as you noted the pattern is much more "muted", even in relatively well-coloured and content specimens like yours- L052 also has much more even striping when younger, with large, somewhat irregular spots in larger specimens, as opposed to L134, which despite possessing rather regular striping in juveniles and young, has a pattern that quickly breaks up into numerous, irregular, elongate blotches and somewhat fine spots (?).

I think that accurately describes the comparison.

Dekeyseria picta

is a flat wide species with oversized pectoral fins (and pelvic fins in males) and with large eyes set more dorsally than those of

Peckoltia compta

. Furthermore, the caudal fin of Dekeyseria picta has a notably smaller upper half, creating a backwards and downwards slant along the posterior margin of the caudal fin, where as Peckoltia compta has a more symmetrical tail fin. Also as stated above, the colors really look similar only when Peckoltia compta are young, but differ as both species age: Dekeyseria picta retains the striping but any yellow/cream body color becomes more subdued (and Dekeyseria picta can develop the dark camouflage color when stressed). Peckoltia compta retains the clean yellow body base color with age and the striped black lines break up and become more complex.

Cheers,
Eric

[Jools]

Yes, lower contrast pattern and larger eyes were what I saw first. If it helps, the first

Hypancistrus zebra

ever sold in Scotland was a pretty

Dekeyseria picta

!

Cheers,

Jools