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Found this little fella hiding in the back of an lfs yesterday. They had him down as an L142 variant but if it is it's quite an extreme variant...any ideas?

I'm still trying to get a mouth shot but it may take some time as he wasn't doing well in the lfs. His stomach is slightly sunken even though the lfs reckon they've had him a while, so I'm don't want to stress him out any more then he needs to be right this minute...

These are pics I took in the shop with the phone. I forgot to set the res. on the camera so there a little small...











and here's a couple of him while he was in the bag being acclimatised...

Seems close to , but hard to tell with it being stressed. Probably best to just let it settle for a few months and see what develops.

In the meantime, get some good food into it (live blackworms are great for fish with sunken bellies) and keep it warm (82-84) to stimulate its appetite and immume system.

Nice find!

Thanks Barbie, and I've never seen anything like him either...hence why I had to buy him when i saw him. Fantastic looking fish.

@ DrGold,

Possibly a Hypancistrus, having talked with someone else they think they might have seen one before and the conlcusion then was it might have been an oligancistrine of some type. Apparently that one came in as an L142 also, coincidence, maybe not.
He already seems more settled than when he was at the lfs, so hopefully he'll be right as rain in a few days.
I'll update as more info is found..

In light of the lack of replies (something that surprises me considering the fish in question and the number of views)...can this thread me moved to the more relevant ID section.

I moved it, as requested. However, I doubt it will make much difference - in my experience, the people who are often helping with difficult species do look in both ID and Loricariidae forum.

I have never seen (on picture or in real life) a fish that looks like this one - there are some that aren't very different, such as L174 and - but neither are very good matches of this one.

--
Mats

Thanks for your response and the quick forum transfer Mat.

Having never seen one like it before...I would of thought would of sparked some novelty interest compared to just Id'ing another bn...

Anyway, best guesstimates so far would have it down as a baryancistrus.

The bodyshape, the size of the head and the eyes, the shape of the fins and the pattern (although truly unique) makes me believe this is possibly an Oligancistrus. It does resemble L354 somewhat...My immediate guess is that this is a one-off, a specimen which colouration has not developed normally. It would be really cool if it was a new species though ;)

-Haakon

A mouth/dentition pic is necessary in order to identify the genus....now it is just geussing....

A good picture of the dorsal and the adipose fin will maybe give it a positive ID it to the genus Oligancistrus. A dorsal fin that is felt down will touch the adipose fin of an Oligancistrus.

Any way, it is an extremely nice fish you got there.

E

...My immediate guess is that this is a one-off, a specimen which colouration has not developed normally. It would be really cool if it was a new species though

I think your former guess is probably correct, but like you, I think it would be very cool if it was a new species...

A mouth/dentition pic is necessary in order to identify the genus....now it is just geussing....

You're right, it would certainly help. Once it has settled in properly, I shall catch it and get mouth shots as I'll be an eternity if I wait for it to appear on the front glass.

A good picture of the dorsal and the adipose fin will maybe give it a positive ID it to the genus Oligancistrus. A dorsal fin that is felt down will touch the adipose fin of an Oligancistrus.

Any way, it is an extremely nice fish you got there.

Decent side shot added to the required photograph listing also and thank you for the compliment, I agree, a lovely looking fish.

Hi,

with these pictures, I would identify this fish as a Baryancistrus sp., either L 142 or one of the L 18/L 81/L 177 complex. Misscoloured specimen of both types appear now and then in the trade, as can be seen here (http://www.l-welse.com/reviewpost/showp ... 56/cat/all) for a L 142. This fish in particular changed its colouration back to "normal" as documented.
There is also at least one picture of a misscoloured Golden Nugget in Wels Atlas 2, but I don´t remember which type it was.
IMHO, body shape and size of mouth (as far as visible) pretty much rule out a Hypancistrus sp.

Cheers, Sandor

Thank you Borbi,

I think you're probably spot on, although I will still get the required photos just for confirmation purposes.
Interesting to note that the pattern returned over time, I wonder why that is. Not that it matters much but I do hope my doesn't lol.

Thanks,

Duke

Hi!!
Yeap I agree with it being a Baryancistrus...
those odd patterned fish appears once in a while...still difficult if it was caused by pollution, sickness or injuries...
Cheers
Yann

Dosen't look like a Hypancistrus sp based on shape. I expect it will grow much larger than any Hypancistrus if it survives.

I first also thought it could be a Hypancistrus species but I agree with the others this is a Baryancistrus species and probably a miscoloured L142, a picture of the mouth and dentition will confirm.

Janne

It may be a tiger pleco var.