Yes, he does have flared nostrils..... just looks a little prettier than the one in the pic you posted, probably the same guy though, really hard to tell brown and gold plecos apart!!!
When I still lived at home and went outside every day, twice a day, to do chores, my hands would get SOOOOOO chapped. Red, and cracked, and painful... They were like sandpaper all winter. Then when kidding season came, they'd get worse. Amniotic fluid dries out hands quite fast (surprisingly...you'd think it'd moisturize skin). Ahhh...how I miss those days Ack, I'll probably have chapped hands this winter too...always sticking my hands in fish tanks... Only difference is I don't have to go out in -40* weather to play with the fish tanks
BTW, lovely Plec. I ain't much of a Plec fan, but yours is quite nice looking!
Darn it, as soon as I saw that pic I knew I had to comment on your hands.. but noooooo look at replies and of course people have already done so! Anyways, they're lovely... really they are. I'd love to shake hands with you.... By the way - pretty pleco, I'm with lizard, not much of a fan normally but that one is really nice.