Clown Pleco?

[vince0]

Hey guys!

So i purchased 4 panaque maccus a few weeks ago, and after closer observation i think i may have gotten 1 oddball, i was hoping some of you might be able to identify it for me

Heres so pictures





Thanks for your time...

Ill get a full tank shot in there at lunch time lol

[MatsP]

Difficult to say if it's a very unusual species, or just an odd coloured one of the common species. It certainly looks similar in body shape and such.

--
Mats

[andy75]

Is that an L103?

[MatsP]

If by that you mean

Peckoltia sp(l103)

, then no, I wouldn't think so - it's got more of a Panaque than Peckoltia body shape, that's for sure.

Possibly

Panaque sp(L105)

or perhaps

Panaque sp_aff_maccus

.

But all of these are very similar, and it's quite hard to see enough details in the picture to say for sure.

--
Mats

[andy75]

cheers, that clears it up, i only said that because i saw some "clown plecos" as L103 in my lfs

[vince0]

Possibly

Panaque sp(L105)

or perhaps

Panaque sp_aff_maccus

.

But all of these are very similar, and it's quite hard to see enough details in the picture to say for sure.

--
Mats

i will try to get better pictures, im sorta new at this picture taking thing

i was also thinking it might be

Panaque sp_aff_maccus

, but i was looking for a expert opinion.

ill try and get new pictures up tonight

[vince0]

well heres some new pictures for your enjoyment and possible i.d









Thanks
Vince

[vince0]

oh and i forgot, heres a full tank shot as promised, any suggestions...?

im currently waiting for my lfs to get some large mopani wood pieces in, im thinking about adding one or two.



thanks,
Vince

[MatsP]

Some more wood is certainly a good idea. If you can find some thinner tree-branches of some sort, it would make it look a bit like their natural habitat.

Edit: And the fish looks a bit like one of mine, and I'm pretty sure you just have a nicely coloured one.

--
Mats

[racoll]

I agree, this doesn't quite seem to match P. maccus, although you do get aberrant individuals of all species.

Panaque sp(lda68)

is a possibility, as this the most common contaminant in shipments of P. maccus, I think.

[Carp37]

I'm not certain about this but I believe I've read that mopani is too hard for even Panaque to eat? They're supposed to need wood in their diet (probably more for digestion than anything else), in which case wood or bogwood would be more of a priority than more mopani (although that's fine for decoration/hiding places).

[Richard B]

I'm not certain about this but I believe I've read that mopani is too hard for even Panaque to eat? They're supposed to need wood in their diet (probably more for digestion than anything else), in which case wood or bogwood would be more of a priority than more mopani (although that's fine for decoration/hiding places).

I think this is correct to a certain degree - very old & well used mopani seems to soften (on the pale side) but newly introduced stuff is a bit too solid. Some bogwood/redmoor etc would be better or a piece of beech/oak branch - there are plenty of other options - Mats uses apple i believe (?)

[MatsP]

My P. maccus certainly chew on Mopani, but they also have several other kinds of wood in the tank: Willow, Alder and Apple in the current tank, previously also Cherry (the purple-leaved, non-berry flowering type, if its of any importance) - those are still in the tank where I placed them, but the fish has moved twice since.

This is what their current tank looks like (or looked like a few weeks ago).


--
Mats

[inkyjenn]

if it is panaque maccus, it is a beauty

[vince0]

if it is panaque maccus, it is a beauty

thanks

I'm not certain about this but I believe I've read that mopani is too hard for even Panaque to eat? They're supposed to need wood in their diet (probably more for digestion than anything else), in which case wood or bogwood would be more of a priority than more mopani (although that's fine for decoration/hiding places).

I think this is correct to a certain degree - very old & well used mopani seems to soften (on the pale side) but newly introduced stuff is a bit too solid. Some bogwood/redmoor etc would be better or a piece of beech/oak branch - there are plenty of other options - Mats uses apple i believe (?)

I know individual experiences vary, however i can tell you for a fact that my pleco's grave on the mopani wood, it is the only piece i have in there at the moment, but i may take your advice and look for a few different varieties of wood just to provide some variety

[Griparn]

Intresting I also have one of my P. Maccus looking like that.

[racoll]

I've noticed that

Panaque

will eat mopani, but given the choice they prefer softer wood.

I used silver birch.