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I went for my weekly trip to the LFS. I saw a very nice gold nugget pleco there... I then went home with my fiancee and her five neons and two packs of live bloodworm.

But as you can guess, I couldn't just leave the gold nugget to be bought by someone else (as happened with the other one that I had my eyes on)... So I went back... It's been in my tank for about 48 hours by now, and seems to be active, not just hiding in the same place all the time. I take that as a good sign...

It looks like (from the "Catfish of the month" article about gold nuggets) that mine is a L177. Hard to be sure on that tho', as they tend to vary quite a bit in both pattern and colouration.

--
Mats

Here's a photo:


Unfortunately, it's found a very good hiding place, so I rarely get to see the little beuty. I'm considering re-arranging the decor to make it a little bit more visible.

--
Mats

they're beautiful aren't they? I have one also. found that he hid the entire time in my smal quarantine tank, and as soon as i put him in the tank set up for him and couple gibbies, he came out of the decoration (had to just pick that up with him in it and put it in the tank coz he wouldn't come out of it) and since then is always seen, often quite active even by day! so don't worry about the hiding thing initially. i also found having dim lights helps. he has definitely got his little area, and is quite territorial to gibbies larger than him.

Looks like a nice L177 to me. While not scientific when looking at Gold Nuggets and trying to determine the difference between L177 and 18/81 I try to count the rows of dots on the pectoral fins. If there are only 3 dots (sometimes 4) in a row on the pectoral fins (from the outside to inside) then it is more likely L177 as the dots are larger so it seems to be more clear by looking at the pectoral fins that they are larger and fewer of them. It seems much more difficult if you look at the fish as a whole. Someone could probably prove me wrong but I have several adults so I know that I am not completely wrong as none of mine have proved me wrong yet and I get to see many that go through the fish store I work at.