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Jools asked me to take pics of the types of Neblinichthys pilosus for the Cat-eLog. I did and now Jools should be happy he has his scoop.
Thought I'd share these before they go up in the Cat-eLog proper.

That's the one and only coolest Pleco EVER!

It'll cost an arm and a leg to get a live specimen to keep, probably....
if it isn't already extinct due to mercury-poisoning (Amazonian goldrush) or destruction of habitat.

It would be worth to get a few, breed a million and distribute 'em.

Far better looking than any zebra-plec.

I dunno that I'd trade it for a zebra pleco, but it is an interesting one... breed them and get them marketed as a punk rock pleco or something... I'd have one or two.

Sil, where'd you get the pics? if those are preserved specimens they're in incredibly good condition.

That is one of the paratypes of N. pilosus. I was working in the fish collection at the American Museum of Natural History when I chanced on them.

Very interesting and beautiful plec indeed.. Wish I had a pair

SG_Eurystomus wrote:That's the one and only coolest pl*co EVER!

It'll cost an arm and a leg to get a live specimen to keep, probably....
if it isn't already extinct due to mercury-poisoning (Amazonian goldrush) or destruction of habitat.

It would be worth to get a few, breed a million and distribute 'em.

It is indeed a very cool pleco and I know several pleco specialists that hold it as their Holy Grail. It does come from a protected part of the Amazon, precisely how safe that is I do not know but this also means it is "safe" from commercial collectors too.

It probably isn't all that hard to breed and, that given, I personally believe the offspring would be (a) the next big thing in the pleco world and (b) establish themselves as a mainstay in the trade. The punk rock pleco would be there to stay.

The only down side is that it is quite possible the fish looses these spine on transportation and / or on a seasonal basis.

Jools

Sorry Guys

I realise I'm probably not supposed to do this, heritage and all, but I couldn't resist it.



just thought he'd look good with a goatie and mohecan!


rob

Well, that's going in the fantasy catfish page... common name "zz top cat". Apologies to silurus for hijacking a serious post!

Jools

NNNNIIIICCCEEEE.

what about "Neblinichthys zztoposus"

(sorry Silurus)

rob

HAHA!

A different fish, but with better overall exposure:

Looks a bit like the common Ancistrus except from the "spikes". Seems like the same tail pattern and bodyshape. How about pics of N.roraima, do they differ in any way from N.pilosus? What is the colouration of live specimens? And does anybody know how many were caught and used for the description? Any pics of females?

That has to be one of the absolute coolest species I've ever seen!!!!! I'm enamored. Never mind the bristles, the coloration!!!

This is what N. roraima looks like (photo from the original description):



And these are what the females look like (N. pilosus above, N. roraima below). They look just like female Ancistrus:

Thanks Silurus! I wonder if the collectors took pics of living specimens as the first caught them...They should share them with us dreamers!

I wonder if cameras were commercially available when the specimens were collected!

Well, as the two species were first described in 1986 and 1995, I believe cameras may have been available yes

I'll take that back! Sometimes you see dates next to species, like 1895, etc.

Wow those pics are amazing I'd love to have some of those (dream).....