Guess what this is...the answer might suprise you

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Pics. Are you sure that the juveniles dont have the lines? They seem to appear when the surrounding becomes dark.....but the head shape comfirms that these aren't IDs so.....

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Seeing these newbpics I think in might have to jump ship to Viktors camp

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ichthusfish said:
So these aren't MGCs? Thats a shame......then what are they?
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More like I'm 50/50 right now. They don't look right for IDs to me, but Viktors arguments have me doubting the certainly of their being MGC too.

Edit- I suppose that even if these prove not to be MGC, they might not be IDS, either. I wish someone with a DSLR could go take pics of them.

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thebiggerthebetter said:
Allow me to remain skeptical of their "gigas-ship". http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=6192&genusname=Pangasianodon&speciesname=gigas

If I read this carefully and look at the pics, I don't think these are MGCs. For one, they should have no stripes. They look very much IDS to me currently. Including the eye position, EDIT: which appears approx. the same in juvi MGC and IDS.

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-8; Anal soft rays: 35; Vertebrae: 48. Body without stripes; posterior nostril located near anterior nostril; 7 branched dorsal-fin rays; gill rakers rudimentary or absent; fins grey, never black (Ref. 12693). The center of the eye above the horizontal line through the mouth angle in juveniles; eye totally below the level of mouth angle in subadults and adults. The maxillary and mandibulary pairs of barbels well developed in juveniles; mandibulary barbels become rudimentary in subadults and adults (Ref. 9448). Gigantic size; oral teeth and gill rakers present in small juveniles, absent at about 30-50 cm SL; dorsal, pelvic and pectoral fins without filamentous extensions (Ref. 43281). Distinguished from other large catfish in the Mekong by its lack of teeth and the almost complete absence of barbels (Ref. 2686)

My prior thread on the subject: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...how-to-ID-quot-Mekong-Giant-catfish-quot-juvi

Wayne-The-Pain, Fugupuff, what's your take?
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Joseph, have you looked at the main reference used by FishBase for MGC?

At the face value of the above description, when there is a difference between a juvi and an adult, it states so. But I agree with you, more info is needed to be 100% sure that "Body without stripes" means at any age and condition. Might you poke Fugupuff to chime in?

Better pics indeed would help. DSLR may not be necessary but a good camera and proper lighting.

If this supposed albino was indeed an MGC http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/image.php?species=pangasianodon_gigas&image_id=6137, the head shape and body, fin shape differ from an IDS when compared at the same age in two good side-wise photos.

But with such scarcity of info and pics of juvies, I'd not rely on this one pic, even though it may be of MGC and be representative.
 
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