Oxyropis or Hypoptopoma?

[N0body Of The Goat]

Uploaded with ImageShack.usFor months I thought these were Hypoptopoma inexspectatum, possibly even a pair, as this photo shows one of them with a slight "hook" to the dorsal spine at the front.
But then yesterday, I visited the Kesgrave tropical Ebay store and found a similar type of catfish that I never knew existed!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

These were the last two of a batch at Aquajardin, that I bought mid summer, who were were labelled as "Octocinclus gingantes." The two of them regular scour the plants and tank glass for algae, but they have always enjoyed having the odd bit of Tetra Prima and any defrosted food that I give the tanks as a treat. They are ~6cm TL and are gogeous, peaceful fish, I only wish that I would have been able to give them more conspecifics.

Hence I am really intrested in what you guys think about their ID, as if they are Oxyropsis, I could up their numbers using Kesgrave

[Silurus]

Hypoptopoma sp(2)

, I think.

[littlebristlenose]

It hard to tell each year more are said to be found anywhere between 21-40 types are said to be named alot i think are the same fish with slight difference's in markings.
No firm id's seem to have been confirmed 12 only seem to have had studies with 12 others appearing to be different but no studies as i can find on net.

[The.Dark.One]

I think it might be the true Hypoptopoma thoractum but hard to tell without seeing an image of the thoracic scutes
Seems to match info in Hypoptopoma revision.
http://www.scotcat.com/thedarkone/loric ... acatum.jpg
http://www.scotcat.com/thedarkone/loric ... catum2.jpg

They are not Oxyropsis. The scutes don't match for that genus.
http://www.scotcat.com/thedarkone/loric ... htiana.jpg

[N0body Of The Goat]

Thanks for the input during the week. I must admit that I had suspected them of being H. inexspectatum for months, as I thought I could see the unique "crack line" along the snout on some photos, but then the other week I saw the thread that showed the red eyes of this fish and mine don't have red eyes...

I read a small article about Hypoptopoma recently at PFK, http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/c ... p?sid=3338 , which might mean us fish keepers get more knowledge on how to identify the different species of this genus.

Forgive my ignorance, but what are the "thoracic scutes" that The.Dark.One talks of? If I know what thay are I can try and get a photo ;)

[The.Dark.One]

Hi
No they are not inexpectatum, wrong shape, pattern, and they line on the snout is readily visible on inexpectatum:

http://www.scotcat.com/thedarkone/loric ... tatum2.jpg

See the image on my second link in my post, that shows the thoracic scutes. Basically a shot from underneath showing the scutes on the 'belly'.

The scientific revision of Hypoptopoma is the best guide.

[N0body Of The Goat]

Okie dokie, I shall keep an eye out for when either of them are on the front facing glass of the tank! The highly defined "cell-like" structure on the belly looks very familar, comparing your H. thoracatum shot to what I remember my two looking at, but I shall work on that photo and upload it as soon as.

[Bwhiskered]

I saw some in a LFS a few days ago. They called them Giant Ottos. They were about 3-1/2 inches long.