Ancistrus hoplogenys (Peppermint BN) & leucostictus???

MollyMan · Post by **MollyMan** » 18 Jun 2003, 01:17

Quick question, and also seeking some re-assurance... I have a pair of hoplogenys which are doing just fine, they are just a bit over 2" (5cm) and one is certainly a Male... the question is what is the difference between the hoplogenys and the leucostictus??? I can only find a few pics of the leucostictus and they look very similar. The re-assurance that I am seeking is to be certain that my pair are hoplogenys... the white/aqua spotting is very luminescant and the eyes even seem to have a blueish haze to them, maybe that is from the light??? the pics I have attached are not the best as they dont like staying still when I am like 1ft away with the cam...

Thanks in advance...

clint8 · Post by **clint8** » 18 Jun 2003, 08:28

Hi Molly,

Leucostictus (L-043) is a brown ancistrus species with small orange spots compared to the white spots on the peppermints. IMO, i also find the growth rate of the L-43's quicker than the pepps. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Clint

general-sherman · Post by **general-sherman** » 19 Jun 2003, 07:32

hey molly,
i have also noticed some discrepancies between the real leucostictus and the ancistrus sp. sold as "leucostictus" in australia. as is the case with many loricariids in australia, they are not on the legal import list and we have little or no idea where they were collected or when they came into the country. some of the common bristlenose in aus. are a. triradiatus (formerly a. temminicki), and some are still unidentified. after thirty odd years of breeding we don't know if our common bn (s) are separate sp. or hybrids (as some experts suspect). there also appears to be two or more different morphs of ancistrus cf. hoplogenys here as well. i have seen some odd looking peppermints around.

to answer your question: leucostictus look similar to a peppermints, lighter in colour, red dots on the fins.
once again the leucostictus i have seen in sydney look slighty different to the ones i have seen around melb.
suprisingly, i recently saw some ancistrus ranuculus and golden/albino (although they have black eyes!) ancistrus triradiatus.
-general sherman.
i think i have spoken to yourself and clint8 as crashfragment. (shaun)