Please help me ID this pleco

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Albertan

Albertan

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jan 28, 2007
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Alberta, CANADA
I bought this guy about two years ago as a common pleco. While researching a recent rhino pleco purchase, I read something about the number of the rays on the dorsal fin making them a less common genus. This guy seems to have more than eight dorsal spines as well. He's currently 6-7" long. Thanks for any assistance.

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That's what I was thinking. But all the pictures suggest spots on the fish where mine has more vermicular, worm-like markings. I would only say gibby for that dorsal fin. Then again that is the definitive trait of the species. :)
 
I would say its a young sailfin/gibby pleco, mine has very similar patterning to yours, there is actually a fair amount of variation in sailfin pleco patterning and it will change a little bit as the pleco grows and matures. I will do a search on planetcatfish.com later on for you just to be certain it is a gibby/sailfin though :) .
 
It can be hard to tell some of the Pterygoplichthys species apart when younger as their patterns change so much (and they can be hard enough to ID as they get bigger). I will say it is not a gibbiceps, more likely to be something like the pardalis or even the last suggestion.
 
It does not look like P. pardalis to me. Rather, it looks more like a pardalis crossed with a joselimaianus.
 
That's not a cross i've ever heard of (not saying it isn't possible). P. pardalis vary A LOT in patterns, and every one looks different, and they are even more different as youngsters. I wouldn't be happy saying that the pictured fish is definately a pardalis, but it was a likely suggestion of one of the few species it may turn out to be.
 
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