Mystery pleco identification

[Peter Demski]

So I walked into petco the other day to get some extra
gravel for a second tank(10 gal) I had recently setup. I
always take a look around at the fish they have although
it's always pretty common fish I remembered that I
needed a pleco for my community tank. Well after walking
around I noticed they only had 1 pleco that was about
2.5" long and didn't have a tag or anything. After talking
to the guy in the fish department and then the manager who
had to look at it for price(since it wasn't tagged) they just
rung it up as a common pleco however the coloration is
a little different with the spots on the front and then the stripes
from the head back and a little bit of reddish coloring at the end
of his fins. Can anyone ID this fish?

http://www.rl-anime.com/images/fish/pleco.jpg

This is the clearest picture I could get since he normally
hides when the lights are on.

Thanks in Advance!

Peter

[Robert Flory]

"Peter Demski" > wrote in message
.. .
> So I walked into petco the other day to get some extra
> gravel for a second tank(10 gal) I had recently setup. I
> always take a look around at the fish they have although
> it's always pretty common fish I remembered that I
> needed a pleco for my community tank. Well after walking
> around I noticed they only had 1 pleco that was about
> 2.5" long and didn't have a tag or anything. After talking
> to the guy in the fish department and then the manager who
> had to look at it for price(since it wasn't tagged) they just
> rung it up as a common pleco however the coloration is
> a little different with the spots on the front and then the stripes
> from the head back and a little bit of reddish coloring at the end
> of his fins. Can anyone ID this fish?
>
> http://www.rl-anime.com/images/fish/pleco.jpg
>
> This is the clearest picture I could get since he normally
> hides when the lights are on.
>
> Thanks in Advance!
>
> Peter
Looks like the common pleco I used to have. try
http://www.planetcatfish.com/

Mine turned a beautiful red brown when I put some red basalt in the tank.
He also out grew my tank in 5 months.
Bob

[Elaine T]

Robert Flory wrote:
> "Peter Demski" > wrote in message
> .. .
>
>>So I walked into petco the other day to get some extra
>>gravel for a second tank(10 gal) I had recently setup. I
>>always take a look around at the fish they have although
>>it's always pretty common fish I remembered that I
>>needed a pleco for my community tank. Well after walking
>>around I noticed they only had 1 pleco that was about
>>2.5" long and didn't have a tag or anything. After talking
>>to the guy in the fish department and then the manager who
>>had to look at it for price(since it wasn't tagged) they just
>>rung it up as a common pleco however the coloration is
>>a little different with the spots on the front and then the stripes
>>from the head back and a little bit of reddish coloring at the end
>>of his fins. Can anyone ID this fish?
>>
>>http://www.rl-anime.com/images/fish/pleco.jpg
>>
>>This is the clearest picture I could get since he normally
>>hides when the lights are on.
>>
>>Thanks in Advance!
>>
>>Peter
>
> Looks like the common pleco I used to have. try
> http://www.planetcatfish.com/
>
> Mine turned a beautiful red brown when I put some red basalt in the tank.
> He also out grew my tank in 5 months.
> Bob
>
>
Agreed. That's Hypostomus plecostomus - some have that nice mottled
coloring. It can grow to 20" and will most certainly outgrow your tank.
Shame on Petco for not warning you.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[NetMax]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> Robert Flory wrote:
>> "Peter Demski" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>>
>>>So I walked into petco the other day to get some extra
>>>gravel for a second tank(10 gal) I had recently setup. I
>>>always take a look around at the fish they have although
>>>it's always pretty common fish I remembered that I
>>>needed a pleco for my community tank. Well after walking
>>>around I noticed they only had 1 pleco that was about
>>>2.5" long and didn't have a tag or anything. After talking
>>>to the guy in the fish department and then the manager who
>>>had to look at it for price(since it wasn't tagged) they just
>>>rung it up as a common pleco however the coloration is
>>>a little different with the spots on the front and then the stripes
>>>from the head back and a little bit of reddish coloring at the end
>>>of his fins. Can anyone ID this fish?
>>>
>>>http://www.rl-anime.com/images/fish/pleco.jpg
>>>
>>>This is the clearest picture I could get since he normally
>>>hides when the lights are on.
>>>
>>>Thanks in Advance!
>>>
>>>Peter
>>
>> Looks like the common pleco I used to have. try
>> http://www.planetcatfish.com/
>>
>> Mine turned a beautiful red brown when I put some red basalt in the
>> tank. He also out grew my tank in 5 months.
>> Bob
> Agreed. That's Hypostomus plecostomus - some have that nice mottled
> coloring. It can grow to 20" and will most certainly outgrow your
> tank. Shame on Petco for not warning you.
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

Well it can't be a Hypostomous plecostomous because that name doesn't
exist anymore :p (except for those of us who are not so keen to re-learn
the names at the rate they are changing them - like me).

It does look like the garden-variety genus but the red coloration is a
nice treat. The white band just behind the head is worrisome. Unless
this only developed upon introduction and has since vanished, this
characteristic banding is imo a sign of poor health. Quarantine would be
recommended, though pleco contagions often target only plecos, so ymmv.
Get this character started on a diet of frozen shrimp, algae wafers and
zucchini and make sure that he is eating well.

Note that there are plecs which have much more carnivorous habits, and
this red coloration makes me suspect that you might have one. Check out
some of the cat sites, and send the webmasters an email if you get stuck
on the ID. If you have one, then generally speaking, large fish will be
most at risk.
--
www.NetMax.tk