Is this an Angelicus Pleco???

[Judazzz]

Hey all,
I just got back from my favorite LFS, and couldn't resist taking this guy with me. It was labelled "Peckoltia angelicus", which would mean it's an L004/005/028/073 Hypancistrus. But this guy is simply enormous (at least based on my - admittedly limited - amount of pleco sightings). I've never seen a Hypancistrus this huge and thick, and eyeball guestimated I'd say he's some 6" in size...
It does resemble an Angelicus closely, but I wonder whether it is indeed an Anglicus Pleco, as the consensus seems that this species doesn't exceed 4-5" in size...

Here are some pictures of him:






Size comparison: the L002 is a 3-3,5" adult.


Mouth shot...


Thanks in advance!

[Silurus]

Is that 6" SL or TL?

[Judazzz]

That would be TL.
I like to repeat that that is just an eyeball estimate, as the big guy was too stressed out to be measured properly...

[Silurus]

I would say your ID is correct and that the fish is at max size (4" SL or a little larger than that).

[H.N]

An original Angelicus pleco is Hypostomus regani imported to Japan by Minoru Matsuzaka in late 80's.
He named it as "Angelicus pleco" because fish has a pattern of Synodontis angelicus when he first saw that pleco in the habitat.
Your photo does not look like H. regani, but I saw a few diff spp. sold as "Angelicus pleco" outside of Japan.

[Caol_ila]

I always thought L136 was called ""Peckoltia" angelicus" in the trade here.

[Judazzz]

I always thought L136 was called ""Peckoltia" angelicus" in the trade here.

Is it?
I always thought (and thus assumed) it was the L004/L005/etc. Hypancistrus sp. that was labeled (Portel) Angelicus Pleco.
Could anyone shed some light on this, perhaps?

[Yann]

Hi!

This is either a L4/5 or L28 or l73

L4/5 has white spot
L28 yellow spot
L73 has a belly like the rest of the body compare to the white belly of the others..

Cheers
Yann