PlanetCatfish.com

...Leporacanthicus Heterodon and Leporacanthicus Joselimia?

According to the pics in the Catalog they both look the same to me. My LFS has a Leporacanthiscus that resembles these fish. It is only about 3 inches. How can I tell which one it is?

Thanks!

There are white patches on the dorsal and caudal fins of L. joselimai, while there are none on L. heterodon.

I'm not real sure of the adult size of either fish. Are the white patches present at an early age?

And thank you for the quick reply!

Are the white patches present at an early age?

Yes, they are. They may become less distinct as the fish grows.

Thank you Silurus. I don't recall even the slightest white tinge to the fins. The fish must be a heterodon. What would be a safe estimate of max size for this fish?

I would estimate somewhere around the 8" mark.

Manix wrote:What would be a safe estimate of max size for this fish?

Manix

the L-172a reaches some where around 8 inches as HH has said, the L. joselimai maxes out at around 7 inches. both fish are very easy to keep. highly recommend this fish. the L-263 sultan is now being bred here in ohio.

ken

Thank you BOTH! While I can't purchase this cutie for myself I'm hoping that by providing my LFS's manager with the plecs proper name and info, will help speed him to a good home. Josh is a good guy but he has a bad habit of ordering random surprise plecs for me hoping I'll buy them (I'm a sucker for plecs...no pun intended). And when he does, the poor fish sits under a peice of driftwood for months while it waits for someone to notice it. As is the case with this little guy and two BN plecs! Sadly the two ancistrus plecs are not albinos or I would give them more consideration. I'm looking for a male as it appears my piebald isn't going to make up its mind WHAT it is any time soon.

On your average fish, L. heterodon is cream coloured and L. joselimaus is grey. L. heterodon has larger spots. To confuse all this there is also L314 which is grey but has the same size spots as L. heterodon! My standard disclaimer applies : when comparing spot sizes you have to compare fishes of the same length.

I think the bellies are different and would like the pics to prove it!

Jools

Jools Wrote:

I think the bellies are different and would like the pics to prove it!

Jools

As I have all three species currently, I may have to comply!

Well, went to the LFS yesterday afternoon to check on him and the BN's (Josh was quarantining the BN's a week while I made up my mind about them). I had to get a clerk to chase the bn's where I could see them properly so I had her chase down the Leporacanthicus as well. On closer examination (now that I knew what to look for) he did indeed have small white spots on the edges of his tail and dorsal. He's a Joselimia. Of course the clerk couldn't care less, but Josh, the manager, wasn't there and he would be the only one interested. Makes me wish I had that 75 gallon I needed so badly a month ago but couldn't (and still can't) get.