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I'm trying to identify what type this is... the closest I can find on this site is the Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus but mine (2 months old about 2") does not have the little nubs on the nose and is brown. Please help if you can.

Thanks!

Brooksie

Photo isn't that great but, based on body shape and the dorsal fin shape, it looks more like a [1] than an , and it certainly isn't - it doesn't have any white tips on the fins.

[1] If you can get a clear shot of the dorsal fin, you can identify that it is Pterygoplichthys vs. any other similar genus by counting the number of rays ["bones"] at the base (before they branch towards the edge of the fin). If you get more than 8 rays, then it's likely to be a Pterygoplichthys - all known Ancistrus that look similar would have 8 rays - the exception to that is which has 10-11 rays, but I can say for sure that your fish ISN'T that.

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Mats

Definitely looks like a to me.

These grow absolutely huge, and are not appropriate for keeping in a home aquarium.

If you were sold this as a bushy/bristlenose pleco, I would take it back to the shop and get it exchanged!

Hi!!
Yes agree
likely

Cheers
Yann

Wow... that doesn't sound like the best news. So far no white on the tips of the fins. As for counting anything, the pic you guys see is the best I can get of him right now. He is so tiny an fast moving that getting to hold still for that pic took days! I will count when I can though. What about the fact that mine is brown? The pics showing the Pterygoplichthys all show a black fish?

Brooksie

Oh yea... and the little high school girl selling fish at the local PetSmart that day said that it was a "playdough" fish. She didn't even know enough to call it a pleco. They have no idea!

I think it's a very young . I think the pointy nose is more a deformation of the shape caused by a bad angle to the glass when the picture was taken.

Myric wrote:I think it's a very young Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps are pretty easy to spot, even at juvenile sizes. Their reticulated pattern is quite distinct.

To me, this fish is P. pardalis, and looks just like every example I have seen at this size.

Either way, it's a monster!

The fact that it's a monster is not as bad as that it'll be a very fast growing monster. If it took years to get to 30 cm most people can deal with it, but in 2 years max. this thing is going to be thrashing around destroying all the aquascaping in your tank.