PlanetCatfish.com

just impulse bought a "Snowball Pleco" Saturday, but this one has huge white spots on black, about 3.5"

doesnt look like what is usually sold as "Snowball" at all, but fits the name much better.

looks like Baryancistrus LDA33 pic from this site (L142?), which is called "Big White Spot Pleco" (it certainly has big white spots

this site also has listed L248 as Mega Snowball Pleco, but the pics of a larger individual seem different, might because it is olde/non-juvenile



so what is my Pleco? reminds me alot of L177 Baryancistrus "Gold Nugget" except white spots and no line of color on the dorsal or tail

how big will this guy get? any bigger than 4"-6" realistically?

will his spots diminish much like other Plecos with white spots? will he behave pretty much like a L177 Gold Nugget?

You have a Leproacanthicus, not a snowball.
-Shane

it does look like a couple of the large spot pics of galaxias Vampire. mine gets pretty black with ivory white spots when relaxed, i thought that Vampires were more brownish with yellowish spots

shouldn't it have small bristle whiskers at the tip of its nose, or is that only males cause mine doesnt? mine doesnt seem very spiny either, the Vampire I had before was more fearsome looking. sometimes it hangs upside down under the slate, which the tiny yellow spot Vampire I had before never really did, but it never hangs on the glass.

Hi there,

the pleco on the picture you show looks exactly like my L142´s.
I bought these 2 years ago (I have 5) and they are about 6-7" now. Since they
heaven´t yet shows any signs of maturity (longer spines or fins etc.) I believe
they aren´t fully grown. I´ve heard that when they are about
70% of their full length, they should show these signs. On the internet I've seen
information that states between 6" and 10".

I don´t think it is a Leporacanthicus. they have in general more elongated heads/noses.
Even if it isn't L142 (=LDA33), I still think it is a Baryancistrus.

The spots are relatively well kept on the ones I have. I have some great pictures
of them and if you want to, I can send them to you.

Shane wrote:You have a Leproacanthicus, not a snowball.
-Shane

Shane, can you explain please. I have three of these bought as LDA33. This is the first time I've doubted their ID. Mine are identical to the picture above and, to my untrained eye, seem to match the profile on the LDA33.

Don

Am I mistaken? The snout seems elongate and caudal peduncle thickened, but now I am wondering if it is the angle of the photo. Can you post a pic of the mouth?
-Shane

Shane, the link below is to some pictures I posted on another forum. Four pictures of the LDA33's that I got from Julie at Frybabies. I would love your opinion on their ID. I'm very happy with them, so they're mine no matter what. But if they are not LDA33 I'd like to know what they are.

One little aside that may help. The three of them will destroy veggies, skin first, but turn their elongated snouts up at shrimp or other meaty foods.

http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionReque ... serID=4258

Don

Please move this thread to "What is my catfish"

Shane wrote:The snout seems elongate

You're right - the snout looks like it's elongated - but I don't think it's a Leporacanthicus.
My guess is L201 - and remember it's just a guess - we need more pictures to be certain. I have seen some L201 with this "feature" and not with the typical Hypancistrus-snout.

@Fish Soup:
I think your fish is LDA33 - it have the typical Baryancistrus shape.

-Klaus