Cat fish ID help. Scientific Name Ancistrus sp. (L182)

[webmoose]

My pleco is getting older and bigger and he has started to show lighter patches. It has retained its red coloring around the fin tips. It's love the driftwood and almost never strays far from it. Any definative way to figure out what kind it is?

The other thing is it could posibly be a female as the bristles are not really growing as much as I had anticipated. (time will tell)

Scientific Name Ancistrus sp. (L182)
Common Name L182, Starlight Bristlenose Pleco

Is what I think I might have. Any suggestions of photographing it so I can post a picture....

Moooose

 

[krap101]

turn down the lights and turn on the room light... and try to take a pic. thats all i can say... and pretty much all i know how to do for norternal fish

 

[Menagerie]

Take him out of the tank and put into a clear bowl/dish with water for the couple of moments it will take to get a good shot

 

[webmoose]

That sounds like fun Menagerie.. Especially with how spunky he is. Do you really think he will play along? I might just try it.. haha..

 

[Menagerie]

Do you really think he will play along?

No, but you asked for advice and I gave it to you! That's how I plan on getting some good flounder pics

 

[webmoose]

You potentially have the same type of bristle... Any guess's on the species? Is yours still all one color or has it started to show lighter brown in spots?

 

[krap101]

imo most bristles arent one color. mine has spots/stripes. hard to see (i forgot) hes always in the shadow and cant get a good light on im. . only problem with the clear bowl/dish is it might jump out.

 

[webmoose]

I happen to be by my tank tonight after it's light went out (auto timer) and my pleco started working on / cleaning the glass in front of me so I got a measurement while it wasn't looking.. hehe.

well my pleco is now 4" inches long from head to end of tailfin (toe hehe) Is it old enought to determine it's sex? It has bristles but they are still tiny. Anyone think it is a female?

any comments would be appreciated.

moose

 

[Terry]

Firstly going by my aqualog of Loricariidae (L-Numbers) your L-182 is a Ancistrus sp.cf hoplogenys. It is a Rio-Bronco-Ancistrus.
As for sexing you ancistrus the male will have bristles all over the front of his head and the female will have none or just a few around the front of her head.

 

[Medusa Head]

I've been looking for a starlight bristlenose to purchase for over a year now. Liveaquaria lists it but hasn't sold it for as long as I have been looking. If that's what you have, you're lucky!

 

[webmoose]

Well I guess time will tell but I think I may have a female. The bristles are only around the front of the head so far...

 

[Terry]

webmoose, if the bristles are only round the front of the head you do have a female.

 

[webmoose]

Well I am pretty sure I have a female Ancistrus sp. (L182) starlight bristlenose pleco.

Any concerns with adding 2 baby Albino Ancistrus to the same tank?

Let me know!

MOoooooSe