Plec Id Needed

[KathyM]

Just picked up a tiny baby plec, and I'm not sure what he is. He's about 6cm long, and nearly black with white spots. He's not a common, a gibby or a goldspot. Noone at the LFS knew what they were, so I've been sold him at common plec price (£2ish). He's got a very large head in proportion to his body (round like a shovel), and has 8 dorsal rays.

I suspect he's some sort of bristlenose, but with no bristles yet (none of them had bristles). And tbh I'm nowhere near clever enough to know for definite when it comes to plecs.

Here is a cack pic of him taken in the bag, will get more once he's in. You'll have to excuse the effect the flash had on his colouring, he's dark grey/black with pale spots.

 

[KathyM]

OK apparently he's Ancistrus sp. 3 (Common Bristlenose).

 

[KathyM]

Or maybe triradiatus apparently. More pics:

 

[Bloo]

Looks a bit like me female common bristlenose I had

 

[heads of fish]

id agree it looks like a common bristlenose lovely pleco's they are and they dont get huuuge

 

[KathyM]

Unlike De Niro, our gibby *lmao*.

He's too young to sex at the mo - he might not get bristles for another year apparently.

Baz (the other half) has asked me to ask this *lol*. Little BN is incredibly shy and a bit hollow bellied. Would going back and getting another bring him out of his shell? Or would it be too much of a risk if we end up with two of the same gender?

Edited to add: The interesting thing about this fella is he has a white edge to his dorsal and tail

 

[Ginge]

I picked up like 6 the other day how fast do they grow mine are about 5mm-2cm

 

[Bloo]

Edited to add: The interesting thing about this fella is he has a white edge to his dorsal and tail

Quite normal for some common bn's. You should be able to sex around the 2.5" mark.

 

[KathyM]

Thanks Bloo, I know there are a few with these markings but it's still interesting

So would you go back and get another or would you leave him alone?

 

[Bloo]

Depends on your tank. That little madam was very territorial and a real terror so if you decide to get more bn's - keep and eye and get plenty of caves. She wasn't a problem with other bottom feeders and plecs though.

 

[KathyM]

Basically I was wondering if it'd be beneficial to this one to have company, as I read that they need to be kept in trios/couples/groups unlike other plecs.

 

[Bloo]

to the best of my knowledge and from what I've read, to the contrary due to the territorial-ness. Kept singly is better.

 

[KathyM]

Hokiley dokiley - thank you very much for the advice

 

[KathyM]

Better pics of the little BN:

 

[Bloo]

that doesn't look like quite like a BN to me anymore - the eyes are different and much larger/rounder