PlanetCatfish.com

I've had this little guy (~ 3 1/2 in.) in one of my tanks for a couple of months, and have yet to make a positive ID.

any clues?


the inital guess was . I was hoping that with the additional shots there would be a better chance...

It probably won't be possible to I.D. the exact species because they've been bred in capivity so long. Just call it Ancistrus domesticus.

Chrysichthys wrote:Just call it Ancistrus domesticus.

I really wish you guys wouldn't use that term. Aside from being downright misleading, it could further mess up an already cloudy area. I'd hate to have to come up (down?) with a rule for banning it.

Chrysichthys, do you know why I think this is such a bad thing? I mean, is it important?

Jools

It's just intended to be humorous--I did say I didn't think the fish could be identified. I agree there would a problem if it were taken literally.

Chrysichthys wrote:It's just intended to be humorous--I did say I didn't think the fish could be identified. I agree there would a problem if it were taken literally.

I know, it's quite funny, but I've seen the term a few times now and it wouldn't be good if it caught on as I'd hate Planet Catfish to be the source of it.

Jools

Well, I got another BN yesterday similar but different. ;)
This guy is still pretty small (3" - 3 1/4") green to olive to brown base colour, yellow to light brown to white spots (colors vary: stress, aggression, relaxed, etc.) The spots are smallest on the head increasing to ~ 1/8" from the gill range to tail including the underside. His bristles have just started to show and are very slender, and showing the same size spotting from the head. He hasn't showed up for the scheduled photo shoot yet, hopefully soon.


His first act once acclimated was to start a fight with the boss:
(a )

Their little dance forced a mild re-design of the rocks just to upset the rest of the inhabitants.

closest matches found here are:

• Ancistrus tamboensis
• Ancistrus sp(3)
• Ancistrus chagresi
  - unlikely

<em>Ancistrus</em> sp. 3 is almost certainly the fish. This is the common species available worldwide.

Jools

probably, but I've not seen any Ventral view to determine if spots appear on the underside.

You bought them relatively cheap, and they were marked as bristlenose, not wild Ancistrus, then they are most likely to be A. sp.3.

If a store imports wild bristlenoses, they are likley to cost a fair bit more, and be marked as "wild", to stand out from the crowd and justify the higher price.

here are the initial shots:

here are a few more.

I'd say those later pictures are .

--
Mats