L330 Color?

[DHarris]

In my last thread, it was suggested that I pass on a 12" L330 at my LFS and wait for a smaller one to show up as to avoid my current royals getting beat up.
Was back at that shop over the weekend picking up a new FX6 and spent some time admiring the L330 - I'm VERY tempted as I usually don't see them as completely spotted as this one.

While reading up on these guys, I've noticed some extreme variation in color.
The ones I've seen in stores have always just been black with grey spots.

Then looking at pictures and videos on line I see them in the grey coloration as well as black base with bright gold/yellow spots.

Are these variations from different locales or do the fish change color that much? Or is this just lighting?

Haven't seen this discussed so really curious.

Here are some examples I found of what I'm referring to (not my images):

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Here's a truly terrible picture I took of the one at the store:

 

[thefredpit]

I would love to know this too

 

[exodus1500]

I am leaning more towards lighting. Of course there is some variance in the lightness and darkness of the body and the spots, but I don't think its as extreme as the pictures. most plecos have tiny golden hairs on them that you can see under different lighting more than other times. I would guess it has to do with that.

 

[Rotaryp04s]

My old L330, it’s good diet,lighting and camera and the colors will pop.

 

[Rotaryp04s]

The one in the pic I’m holding was at the LFS for a really long them(3 months or longer ) so it was eating and well settled in.

 

[7Pete]

Mostly variation, stress and decoration. Light aquarium with white sand or bottom, background with not many dark objects makes panaques better colored. Stress is a factor in "hand pics" and makes color pop up. Last is variation which is a huge deal too.

 

[ShadowStryder]

8-9 inch

 

[DHarris]

My old L330, it’s good diet,lighting and camera and the colors will pop. View attachment 1299801 View attachment 1299802

Looks amazing in those pictures. Is that how it looked in person too? Also how it looked in the shop or was it more of the traditional grey coloring?

I'm getting really tempted to buy the BIG one I found. It's been in the shop for a long time so I know its stable and they'll discount it for me. It's got some contrast, as shown in my really bad picture of it but if it'll lighten up in my tank I may need to pull the trigger on it.

My Araguaia and Xingu are both somewhere between 6"-7" and seem to pretty much ignore each other. The Jamanxim is about 2/3 their size and just hangs on the back glass in front of a power head. I'm hopeful the big guy might be just pick a spot to own and ignore the others...

Would a big panaque be OK in a 150 gallon?

 

[DHarris]

Well, probably shouldn't have done it but bought the big L330 tonight.
Put it in my tank and it immediately pushed my Araguaia out of it's spot and took it over for it's self. Hopefully that's as close to fighting as they'll do. The L330 is pretty massive.

Interestingly, I got to see the color change in store, which answered a bit of my initial question. In the tank, where it'd been for a few months, it was very dark grayish green.
It was hanging on the back of the tank and i wanted to see it from the side. Reached in to move it and it lit up. Got a lot more contrast. Once I decided to take it, we placed in in a tray and it got much brighter. Seems there's a very big variation in color just from stress alone.

Fingers crossed this guys fits in OK, otherwise he may be looking for a new home here pretty quickly.

Is there any sort of accurate way of determining the age of a panaque? This one is right around a foot but had some huge whiskers on it. More than I've seen on others this size.

 

[thefredpit]

wow