FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Ok, So after doing more research, and seeing more pictures, I know my pleco isnt a baryancistrus niveatus.
He looks most like the picture someone posted for someone else of Vampire Pleco. But What color are the spots on a Vampire Pleco? White or Yellow?
Mine looks just like that, with Big yellow spots. He is young still, under 3 inches.
He is definetly nocturnal.


Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

Vampire plecos can have different spot colors, though they are all of the same species. The most common color is white, though yellow and orange varieties are often seen.
You may indeed have a vampire pleco, though it's difficult to tell because of all the different plecs out there. Just keep looking. It will be more apparent as the pleco ages, too, because it will grow to a size that might help you weed out some other prospects, and it will have its permanent, mature coloring.

I hope that I helped you a little!

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Actually, It's pretty easy to tell leporacanthicus and baryancistrus species apart. Firstly, tail structure. The Baryanactrids are famous for their sloping tails---their is no other plec genus to hav such an extremely sharply inclined tail (or dully, depending on which way you look at it). Leps also have narrow, long heads, while barys are short and stocky.

Noodles,
You mean a tail that goes |_ like a squared off end almost, as opposed to tails that go \ _ or >, am I getting you right?
I wish I could get you guys a pic of this guy, the only time hes come out, was the day after I gave my mom back her digi cam!!! ]:| Heh, she had been bugging me cuz I borrowed it for like 3 weeks heh.
I would have to chase this guy out into the open to get a pic.
So far the only two plecos I can find that look like him are Snowball pleco (cept his spots arent white, they are very deep yellow), and the Vampire pleco I saw in only 2 pics. My plecs spots are very large, at least as big around as 2 pencil erasers combined - maybe 1/4 inch diameter or slightly less. They are large spots, and they are everywhere, on his tail, fins, body, in an even percentage. He has a very squarish blocky head, and his tail definetly is more | _ than \ _ . However, I cant find another pleco other than Snowball that looks like him in the Baryancistrus/Ancistrus families.
I will tell you this though, he really digs the HBH Frog& Tadpole bites, he actually comes out for those.


Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

Baryacistrus tails looks something like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/Kleevage/goldy.jpg

Sorry, I got a little paint-happy


Anyhoo, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe snowball plecs are related to zebras (hypancistrus genus), which differs greatly in appearence to baryancistrids. Also, they naturally contain large blotches of discoloration that, if found on a gold nugget probably means it's getting very stressed out.

I totally forgot about paint hehe
Heres my rendition of a pretty close approximation to what he looks like:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/SneakyPete79/goldnuggetplecodrawing2.bmp
He has a very tall sloping dorsal fin similar to what I drew, and a very squarish tail.
I tried to get the spots good to show relationary size of the spots and coverage of spots to help out.

Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

I don't know if you'll buy this, but IMO, from the forked tail and the stout, compact body, it looks something like a species of hypancistrus--a H. inspector (Ambuster's pleco--I think that's what they're called), or perhaps an L-4 angelicus pleco. Either way, if you got the little bugger for anything less than 30 bucks, you just made a good deal.

I got him for about $33 USD.
He was a great deal!
Ill get a pic when I can


Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

33 USD isn't bad at all. When we get snowballs in at my LFS, they go for 35-40 bucks, and those are just 2 inchlings. Pics would be great. Good luck with him .