Is this really a L177

[barksten]

Hi. This is my baryansistrus. I have had for about three years and he's (I dont know if its a he but his name is 'Glen-douglas' ) about 10-15cm (Not to accurate, I know..I have not measured him).

[INXS]

Barksten,
it's either L-177 or L-18, hard to tell as the fish are variable but here is a picture I took of some of mine, I believe one is L-177 and the other is L-18. Of course the spots seem to change with age.

[Jackster]

Here's a fish that I purchased as L018 (bottom) and I personally think it's a L177.
One of my friend's has another L018 and it has less and larger spots that mine.
My pleco is also about 4" and my friend's is barely 3".
INXS would you agree?
In other words the L018 has fewer large spots while the L177 has smaller more numerous spots.

[barksten]

In other words the L018 has fewer large spots while the L177 has smaller more numerous spots.

I´m quite sure it is the opposite.

see http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/2000_12.PHP for more information.
The problem IMHO is that all of them seem to have larger spots the smaller younger they are and it´s very hard to find a picture comparision of spicermen with the same age/size.

[Jackster]

barksten thank you and now it all makes more sense.

[Line]

Hi

It's true that the number of spots change a lot.

Here is a foto of the same fish
(just one year difference) :
bottom: at the size of 5 cm /
top: at the size of 10 cm



Now after 3 years he measures 15 cm and still have beautiful orange seams.

The same with this L018 - also 1 year and from 5 to 10 cm
And now 15 with almost no seams at all



Regards
Line

[INXS]

The fish in my picture are the same exact size and length.
Now about 2 years later the spots are similar = the small spotted one are small and the large spotted one are large.