Can anyone ID my fish??

[Spinksy]

Bought a new pleco and the store didn't know what it was so I chose it in the hope it's something rare

 

[JayKN]

Looks like an Adonis Pleco. Can anyone back me up on this?

 

[fluttermoth]

Looks like an Adonis Pleco. Can anyone back me up on this?

Even though the markings look similar, the body shape is all wrong for a juvenile Adonis plec; they have a very slim body (especially in the caudal peduncle) and a lyre tail. Just as well for the OP!

 

[JayKN]

I see. Thanks for the info

 

[Spinksy]

ok thanks, I've been thinking that maybe it's a starry night but it's grown so quick. I went on holiday and just got back and now its pushing around 7-8cm so I will have to move it into my bigger tank.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm sorry we haven't been able to identify your fish. There are so many species of 'plec' and so many of them look alike, especially as juveniles, that it can be very difficult.

You could try the Planet Catfish forums; they have way more plec experts there than we do. You'll need clear pictures of the fish, especially it's head, underside and dorsal fin.

 

[Spinksy]

That's ok, I understand. I've already looked at hundreds of species that look like mine so I understand how impossible it is

 

[fluttermoth]

If I had to take a guess, I'd say bristlenose, as they do start off spotty and are common in the trade.

I think if it was something very rare or unusual, someone at the importers, or your LFS, would have noticed and upped the price, but that's just a hunch, based on previous experience of plecs and the aquarist trade (as a long time customer, I haven't worked in it ).

Your fish still could be something rare, and all plecs are lovely, so you're not losing out! Let's just hope it isn't something that's going to grow to four feet long like an adonis!!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I think the snout is far too long and narrow to be a BN. Most of them have far rounder snouts... this one nearly comes to a point.

That said... who knows what it is?

 

[Spinksy]

An update on the mystery girl (I think) now that I have been able to get some decent pics of her. Took about a thousand attempts to get one with the dorsal fin up haha. Also I bought it about 3 weeks ago at around 4cm and I measured it now and was 8.5cm so she is growing at a crazy speed, already overtaken my golden nugget and bristlenose which were bigger to start with lol

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The latest set show some bristles... around the bottom of the head, not on the 'nose'... maybe a female bristlenose... but, the rate of growth is quite fast for a BN.

 

[Spinksy]

That's what I was thinking, even the scales look like a BN. The BN I have is only at around 6-7cm after 2 years and always hides. This one has no care for people or fish and just swims around freely day and night lol. I posted on planet catfish so hopefully they maybe able to help and I can post the results if I get any haha