Pleco Id Please

[snazy]

Well, I am no expert on plecos anyway, but when trying to identify mine I read that common plecos from the Pterygoplichthys family differ from other common pleco families by the rib count on their dorsal fin which should be at least 10 for Pterygoplichthys.

My pleco is a common, more than 10 ribs on the fin, but the shape of his tail is completely different than the one on yours. Besides that, he can change colour from dark brown with nearly black spots, to orangie/reddish colour with very faded spots, almost looking like haveing 2-3 bigger stripes, rather than the usual spots.

 

[mattlee]

not a clue what it is......but it's a gorgeous fish.

thanks zoddy

 

[JenCliBee]

Definitely not a rhino .... seems to be just the run of the mill common with mismatch markings.


Lovely fish that mat

 

[xingumike]

I think common on reflection.

Which of your mates has a swimming pool for Frank?

ha ha.....

none im affraid! im currently looking to rehome Frank before he gets too big if you have any ideas?

None, sorry, Frank is a tank buster whichever way you look at it.

A public aquarium perhaps although I am sure they get inundated with requests and a hybrid is probably against the grain.

Could bbq him!

 

[snazy]

It's either the picture...

or the tail does not look to me like a "common". It's too short of a tail for what I have seen.


But there is no such a thing as a common pleco anyway. There are different kind of plecos, identified by L numbers. And there are so many. Unigue in their own way....

I am sure I have a "common pleco" as well.

But what type? Strangely enough by my opinion very few are pure algae eaters. And the ones that grow big, or do have a "common" color pattern are called common by most people, although this is not scientifically correct.

All I can say is that I was forced to get my pleco( please, please, please, by a person I love) although I put up a good fight against it


The pleco looked ugly to me in the beginning, but he is now, by my opinion, one of the smartest fishes I have ever come across..

Try to get him to know you....

 

[moochy13]

Its a shame commons are so unsuitable for most tanks. I had a juvinile gibbi that had markings almost exactly like a giraffe, looked unreal. Shame they dont stay that size.