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Re: First pleco selection for planted tank

Posted: 04 Mar 2015, 14:11
by dpm1
Here's a spanner in the works...

Virtually every reference says P.brevis = L205 = LDA078 as clearly stated on:
http://www.planetcatfish, Scotcat, Wikipedia, fnzas, planetacuario etc etc etc....

And then I found this...http://www.loricariidae.no/loricariidae ... _L205.html
L205 is often confused with Peckoltia brevis
And...http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10815
If you follows...(Armbruster, 2008), then Peckolita brevis (LDA 78) and Peckoltia sp. "L 205" identical... (although I cannot see either LDA or L number mentioned in the reference)
However it then goes on to say:
...Peckolita brevis (LDA 78) and Peckoltia sp. "L 205" but can be clearly distinguished. The most easily recognizable difference is the fine dots on the head:
Peckoltia sp. "L205"- the fine points goes to the dorsal fin.
Peckoltia brevis - the fine points, stops well before the dorsal fin.

P. brevis has aged an orange color. The body shape is different.
(Look Seidel/Evers "Wels Atlas 2" or Seidel "Back to nature" )

(And another ref that I failed to bookmark!)

So despite the vast majority of sites, profiles and care sheets having P.brevis, L205 and LDA078 being synonymous (PC included so I may look in to referring that to the mod gods) apparently they are not as they are different beasts both physically and in markings (subtle maybe, but definate).

There is also one important detail I should note: Origin!
L205 is stated as coming from the Rio Ucalayi, the very same locale that has been repeatedly stated as not having any such fish (re P.brevis)

Same fish as described on a German website:

Ucayali Dwarf Pleco, L 205, Peckoltia sp.
This fish is about 10-12 cm, as the name suggests, is home to the Peruvian Rio Ucayali...It is the L 205 NOT to Peckoltia brevis, these two species are often confused or incorrectly declared...


So my fish...
I bought these from as L205s (only label) from a shop who I know orders not just from wholesalers but also direct from importers. Discussions confirmed these were from the latter.
I have not done a Pb vs L comparison on them since finding the new refs but would not be surprised if I did discover they were true L205. Pre-purchase, and with the false info that Pb=L, I simply checked their id vs other small Peckoltia and related types and did not do a forensic analysis (pointless with them being juveniles and much smaller 2 years ago).
...
Conclusion:

The PC profile in detail is correct, however it has a gross error is that it refers to 2 different species and so needs splitting and the true Peckoltia brevis details added.

...and now to cut & paste to see what the Mod Gods say...