Not sure if fish store sold me correct pleco species?

[Jellybean123]

Hi ,

I brought 4 new bristle nose plecos last week from a chain pet store . They all seem to be young as small ( maybe 2 months) and haven’t got the bristles yet . Two were labelled as “marigold” bristle nose plecos - I think it’s their fancy name for albino . They had a deal on buy two at a set price . I also wanted two common bristlenose plecos so I asked if they had any more as could only see one typical looking one in the tank . They said they had another so I could have the deal . Great …

However the last pleco that was hiding when I got home it is 3 times bigger than the other ( I was told they were all the same age) it also doesn’t look as expected . When I compared to my other bristle nose slightly bigger this new one has a larger head and bigger eyes . It’s colouring also looks different as it’s brown with a grey tinge but then has really faint grey/light brown lines . It’s less active than the others often just lays near the air stones . It’s a really pretty pleco but i wonder if it’s not a bristlenose ? Maybe some kind of hybrid ? Or could it just be older and different colouring ?

I can’t get a good photo but has anyone got any ideas or any photos of more unique coloured bristlenoses ?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Hard to say without a picture. It does sound like something different, and hopefully they didn't sell you a common pleco. If you can't get a picture to share with us, I would recommend searching images of "plecostomus species" and look at pictures until you find what you have.

 

[Jellybean123]

Thanks I will try to get a photo and it I looked and can’t find anything that’s matches . My hope as well !

 

[Fishies4Ever]

It is difficult to help you identify your plecos. It would help if you put some pictures up of your plecos so we can help identify them.

 

[Dexter Leopard Frog]

My male bristle nose did not get bristles until he was almost an adult. My female of course has very few bristles if any. Give them time to grow.

 

[Jellybean123]

This is him they are in a quarantine pool for a few weeks . I have upped the temp as he wasn’t moving much as the others and now he’s moving a lot more . He could just be older but the others seem to look different ?

 

[Ichthys]

They’re not great pictures but it looks like a common plec (Pterygoplichthys spp), or possibly a Hypostomus. If it has more than seven soft dorsal rays (behind the first ray) it’s Pterygoplichthys. If it has seven it’ll be a Hypostomus.

 

[BrianK]

I've been wondering the same thing but mine is still small and has been growing slowly. About 1.5 inches when I got it and about 2.5 inches now over about 4 months so I think I am good but still no bristles at all.