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I bought a "clown" pleco for a local store. I have kept a few of these guys thru the years. However this one is different.....lol it was the only one in the tank with a few spots on its head, then the normal clown striping down the flank starting just behind the eyes, and around 1 1/2 inches long. in the last few months it has grown to around 3 inches in length and the spots are increaseing down the flank as far as the dorsal fin on top and almost to the anal fin on the bottom. its underside is covered in this spotting pattern. also it has become a bit more aggressive twords the other fish in the tank, manly the other catfish.

Have any of you see a "clown" change like this. lol I havent and the largest one i have kept made to a length of 4-5 inches and 10 years of age. any info would be greatly appreachated

This is the best picture i got so far! http://eheim-uk.com/planetcatfish/galle ... full=1_IMG

I bought 8 species for 1 years ago of Panaque maccus that this is and one of them is exactly like yours with spots and it grows much faster then the rest.
This one have reached 4" and they was only 1 1/2" from beginning the rest are around 2-3", This must be another species but I dont know wich one so if some one know what species it is...let us know.

Janne

Thanks for letting me know i am not the only one in here that has one of these guys.....lol
and yes he is growing very fast along with the pattern change. when i first started looking for some help with this guy his spots where only to the dorsal, not half way thru them, and that was a bout 2 weeks ago

Hi!

Your fish make me highly think at L206, an undescribed species of Panaqolus coming from Peru, first thought to be the real Panaqolus maccus...
Cheers
Yann

But this one came with the others from Colombia in the same shipment.
It's having the same colour that Panaque maccus but have spots on the body, head and tails and the stripes looks like maccus.
I will try to get a picture of him tomorrow.

Janne

Thanks Janne, I have been trying my darnedest to get some pretty good pictures of this guy, but he just will not sit still. I have tryed the feed and snap with him and it isnt working....lol it is like he knows it is comeing and just when the shutter opens he moves and everything is a blur. Also i do beleive yours is going to be a bit larger then mine and i am looking forward to seeing one that is a bit larger.. also i havent been able to find anything one L206....lol i was out surfing the web just hopeing maybe someone had a picture posted and have found nothing

Here is the picture,


Does anyone know what it is?

Janne

YES THAT IS IT...lol very nice looking plec. I cant wait tell mine gets to be looking more like that......lol and they way he is growing it might be this winter

Janne,
Very interesting. I have colected thousands of P. maccus and I have never seen that fish. I'll keep my eyes open at the exporters and start going through incoming shipments. Maybe it is only found in the southern llanos?
-Shane

hello again

Shane keep in mind that when i had gotten mine it only had the smallest of spots on its head. from what i have seen with the clowns i have kept and from photos on the net P. maccus doesnt have these types of spot, they have pretty much a line pattern on there "face"....lol but i think you know this. so the only difference between the two would be these spots. and boy would i love to have a few more in my tank!

Also Janne I notice a bit of red coloration on the pectoral fins, did this start comeing out with age also?

Thanks
Travis

arent those peckoltia brevis? possible?

I have taken a search for P. brevis and that is not the fish in question. thanks for the possiblity. And by the way if it helps I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Hi!
Janne your fish look pretty similar to Peckoltia oligospila...but as the real P. oligospila comes from the Rio Guama in Brazil, you fish must be a closely related species...

Cheers
Yann

I'm sure this is a Panaque/Panaqoulus because of the shape of mouth and teeth, when he was small like the other P.maccus he look exactly like them only for the very small spots on the fore head. When he has growing the lines like the P.maccus have has change to spots but he grows twice so fast then they do.

Also Janne I notice a bit of red coloration on the pectoral fins, did this start comeing out with age also?

Yes it comes with age but you will only see this colour in full daylight or when you use the flash on the camera

Janne