Help with ID on a few acquired Plecs!

AussieSam

Member
Dec 18, 2017
8
0
1
Port Macquarie, Australia
Hey guys and Gals!

I'm new here so bear with me while I stumble through this.

Quick back story:

Ive kept a few L plecos for a while and love them! and not being one to shy away from a challenge, i've decided i want to try and breed them!

First things first was I needed a couple of tanks and some equipment.

I searched around and found a guy about an hour away that was selling his whole breeding setup. Great!!

I wanted to just buy two tanks and a few bits and bobs, but he kinda stuffed me around for a while until i gave up trying to talk to him... Eventually he came back to me and offered to sell me everything... and i mean everything for not much more than i was going to spend on a couple of tanks and filters!

Along with this bargain is my main score... Half a dozen breeds of breeders! Yes I know I've thrown myself in the deep end here, but I'm a quick learner and It was too good to pass up.

The only problem is, I have no idea on the breeds... I've managed to mainly separate them into small tanks while i wait for their permanent homes to cycle. But the guy didnt really have any idea on what they were... just bred them a bit and sold a few... but was just terrible at it...

When i picked them up, 3 Tanks were utterly putrid... I mean could hardly see the fish... the other 2 tanks, well they were far worse... even with only 3 inches of water i had to use a large torch to try to make out shapes of fish... basically Mud... i dont know how they survived... I tested the water Parameters and Nitrates maxed out my test kit.. looks like he hadnt done a water change in a few years and only had one air sponge filter in each 4 ft tank.

Anyway, they're in better homes now, and am still slowly bringing their water up to a decent quality (thought throwing them straight into a good tank would shock them)

So now to the Fish. I know one lot is Peppermints, and another lot of Albino Longfins, but the rest I can only guess.. I've never had to ID a pleco before, so I've got absolutely no idea.

Also, sorry for the bad photos, They're still very shy, as I'm guessing they've been swimming around in Blackness for over a year.

I think these guys are L134s (ignore the inquisitive Longfin)






Maybe these are L201?






And next to the L201? is these little guys... maybe a L168???




And these guys... I have no clue... But they were very very hard to get a photo of.






Any help would be amazing guys... I know the photos are terrible... I keep trying to get more photos but they're just too skittish. plus I dont want to stress them at the moment.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 

dw1305

Global Moderators
Staff member
May 5, 2009
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36
Wiltshire nr. Bath, UK
Hi all,
Despite the water conditions they have been kept in, they look in fairly good condition.

I'll set the ball rolling with the ID's, bearing in mind that I'm not very good at it.

The little ones (next to the spotty Hypancistrus (which maybe "L201")), look like a Peckoltia vittata type fish.

Something like <"L015">.

The last fish are a Panaqolus spp. have a look at <"L002"> or <"L169">.

I think L397 (which you have in Australia) has finer lines on the face.

cheers Darrel
 
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AussieSam

Member
Dec 18, 2017
8
0
1
Port Macquarie, Australia
Thanks for the help!

I actually just found a piece of paper in with the guys stuff... has a heap of numbers written down...

L202
L201
L080
L134
L144
L168


However I dont know how correct they would be, but might be a starting point?
 

dw1305

Global Moderators
Staff member
May 5, 2009
1,396
0
36
Wiltshire nr. Bath, UK
Hi all,
L080 is a small Peckoltia species, and L201 a Black and white spotted Hypancistrus.

L134 is now Peckoltia compta.

Try typing the L numbers into the the PlanetCatfish "catfish quickfind".

This is <"L080">.

cheers Darrel
 

AussieSam

Member
Dec 18, 2017
8
0
1
Port Macquarie, Australia
Thanks Darrel!

I'm happy about the L134 being the ones in with the Longfins, and the L201s being the black with spots.

The L080 is definitely a Loner one we found in one of the tanks.. so I didnt post him up because he doesnt have a partner to breed with, so he's being retired to our display tank for a life of luxury.

I'll try to get some better photos of the other two. The tank rack should be ready this coming week, so they'll hopefully be in their new homes and start to settle.