PlanetCatfish.com

Hi peeps

have a question for yah. I was shown a beautiful specimen today and it was absolutely captivating, however, I noticed that the tip of the dorsal fin spine was broken, probably about one sixth of the length

My question is do you have such experience with your plecs? Have they grown back nicely or high chance that they'll stay that way?

Thanks!

It will grow back. Catfish spines are actually modified fin rays, and they grow by laying down segments (which then ossify) to the tip.

The same cannot be said of my L25 which had its caudal extensions snipped off during shipment. Its been many months and the bottom caudal extension had recovered fully and it is about 1.5" long but the top caudal extension just "rounded " itself at the part where it was snipped off and simply refuse to grow!

if i am not mistaken the bony ray in the fin is a different compound than the array extensions such as lyre tails and the such. the clipping could have initiated one of several responses from the fish such as a layer of scartissue forming over the clipped portion preventing it from regenerating, as for the one that grew back it could have been clipped initially at a diff length which could have made it grow back kinda like the process of protien depositing in mamalian hair folicals for a rough comparison. gland that produces those extenstions could have been damaged as well, all though that fish i believe is know for nocturnal aggressiveness.

just some thoughts, L25's are deff cool though did you order it or lfs?

Nah, it is not aggressive at all!! In fact all my pseudas have a much better temper as compared to my royal panaques! Bought all my plecos from various lfs.

shoot! well i read some wheres that they were a 'predatory pleco' i wish i could remember the site or id link it. i wanted one after seein a pic but i was afraid (from what the article said) it would rough house with my 8 and 1/2 " pictus cause they were both nocturnal predators/omnivores.

Hi Fishybiz, u can be garanteed that L25 is really a peaceful pleco even though the spines and spikes on its body look real threatening! I have not heard any complains from fellow L25 keepers in Singapore. The beautiful fellow is really being misunderstood.....

My L25s does perform threatening poses but the most harm they did after that are just little nudges to whichever pleco that got too near! Usually they are at the recieving end of the tantrums thrown by my royals! And mind u they are not scrawny little fellows but 7" and 11" in length (TL). From all the pseudas that I had (L24, L160, L96, L273), i observed that they are actually a bunch of harmless fellows! So go get yourself a beautiful Pseuda!