L340??

[BexRoyalPlec]

Hi,

I went to an aquatics today who had what seemed at 1st glace...L046, but the assistand told me these were L340, I don't know much about these, are these black and white when juveniles?

They didnt have verticle stripes like the L046 I've seen but were very similar, anyone know what their common name is? (clown something?) I liked them alot, would they live with my common pleco?

Any suggestions appreciated, thanks!x

 

[thegeeman]

The common name for L340 is Mega clown

They look totally different to zebs so shouldnt be too confusing

L340 have random squiggles and spots and tend to be a dark brown with bright yellow/orange squiggle/stripes
http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2013
Very simillar to L129 also
http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1747

From what I have seen the only real difference is the 340 has a more broader head and the squiggle/stripes are more vivid

L129 and L340 could even turn out to be the same fish

Cheers

thegeeman

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Thanks alot for your help, I very much doubt now that the one's I saw even were L340, they were definately mainly white with black stripes, running horizontal along the head and body, where as the zebra's I've seen have horizontal stripes along the head and vertical along the body, I'm now wondering what these were?!

I v.much doubt these were zebs though as this is a large commercial fish shop that doesn't sell fish from private breeders. They were only £10 so I may just get one anyway! haha I am just wondering if it will be ok with my common pleco, or with my Royal? any suggestions?? Thanks

 

[Lornek8]

Thanks alot for your help, I very much doubt now that the one's I saw even were L340, they were definately mainly white with black stripes, running horizontal along the head and body, where as the zebra's I've seen have horizontal stripes along the head and vertical along the body, I'm now wondering what these were?!

I v.much doubt these were zebs though as this is a large commercial fish shop that doesn't sell fish from private breeders. They were only £10 so I may just get one anyway! haha I am just wondering if it will be ok with my common pleco, or with my Royal? any suggestions?? Thanks

Are you sure what you've been looking at are Zebras? Or do you have horizontal/vertical confused?
Zebras most definietly have horizontal stripes along the body & vertical stripes on the pecktorals & head. As the previous poster stated, not an easy fish to misidentify as there isn't much variation in Zebras. What you were probably looking at was another Hypancistrus, many especailly when young can be whitish and dark (black) and stripped. Either way, a pretty good price for a Hypancistrus, for that price I'm even thinking it might be a different family of plecs. Have a look here & see if you see something similar:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/genus.php?genus_id=7

Both Zebras & other Hypancistrus probably wouldn't make great tankmates for a Common nor the Royal. The Common due to the size difference and the Royal due to the diet difference. The Zebra especailly shouldn't be housed with a Common as Zebras are rather timid & don't compete for food well so a Zebra housed with a Common would most likely starve & either die or at least do poorly.

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Oh ok I'm pretty sure from thoses photos it was an L173 I was looking at, still a beautiful fish none the less though, I think if I am going 2 have zebra's I shall put them in my species only tank I am setting up and keep the royal and common in my community tank, do u think the L173 (if it is? lol) would be ok in with them in a community tank?

Thanks for all your help x

 

[thegeeman]

Oh ok I'm pretty sure from thoses photos it was an L173 I was looking at, still a beautiful fish none the less though, I think if I am going 2 have zebra's I shall put them in my species only tank I am setting up and keep the royal and common in my community tank, do u think the L173 (if it is? lol) would be ok in with them in a community tank?

Thanks for all your help x

How much are the fish?

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Like £10.80 or something

 

[Lornek8]

Seems pretty cheap. L173 is gonna cost a pretty penny as it isn't very common, kinda in the Zebra price range. More likely for that price (and just a guess as I am not very familiar with UK pricing) L129, L199, L260, L066, L333, L270 or something along that line.

 

[Lornek8]

Okay not quite correct, L173 is quite a bit more than Zebras.

http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3096&highlight=l173

 

[thegeeman]

If it is 173 then stuff the zebs, Put the 173,s in the species tank

At 10.80 its very very unlikely to be 173 though. Probably 66,333,260

I hope I am wrong and you have found a secret stash of them

Cheers

thegeeman

 

[scatz]

at juvi stages, a lot of hypans like L066/L333 etc can have very broad stripes, its easy when they are young to mistake them for something else.
what ever they are, i think your shop is very very reasonable selling hypans for £10.80 each, they are a lot harder to come by these days. Also, the ones you have seen are most likely tank bred, in which case the breeder that sold them to the shop has probably given them the correct i.d

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Well I am no expert! but just looked like it from the photos, I'm going back there 2moro so I'll get a pic, and see what you think?! thanks!

 

[thegeeman]

Dont stress Bex as none of us are experts either.

Would be nice to get a pic of them.


Cheers

thegeeman

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Sorry didn't mean that to appear as me shouting, I use ! too much lol, I'll get a pic and see what you think anyway would be nice to get the right I.D for them, thanks

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Hi everyone,

Went back to the aquatics today and there was a helpful guy who knew alot about plecs. Unfortunately I couldn't get any pics as the glass just reflected, but he informs me these are not imperials and that the black and white striped fish I was unsure of is an L134. a sticky type or something? lol he a book full of the L numbers.

It said on the tank hypancistrus sp L340, this is still a nice fish but was unsure whether to get it as he said I should decide what I want to keep and stick to that and not have too many plecs together, I already have an L190 and a common together in my community tank and am saving my species only tank for zebras (if I every find any lol) any suggestions?

Thanks for all your help guys x

 

[Lornek8]

At that price get the L134, if that what it is. I believe it is quite a good price for one of those in the UK. Seems a bit funny to me that someone who "knew a lot about plecs" would allow the store they work in to label a L134 as L340 (which it looks nothing like imo) and sell it for that price when they probably could sell it for more.

Did you happen to get any pics at all that might help with this? Really hard to offer much help & advice when the id of the fish in question can't be determined.

If you're looking at getting more into plecs you might consider getting rid of the Common. As it can get quite large its kinda limiting what you can house with it. Commons also grow rather quickly and once at a large size can be a pain to get rid of as people no longer want them as much. The Royal is also somewhat limiting but as its a bit harder to come by & grows relatively slowly you could probably hold on to it a bit longer until you can decide what direction to go.

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Thanks for you advice Lornek8,

I tried to get sum pics but just got a flash reflection in the picture. It looked like the L134 at this address bubblesaquarium.com/fish_Plecos.htm

I agree with you why are they labelled as this in the shop? it is a big commercial aquatics and to be honest I was lucky to find anyone who knew anything in the shop! haha

I am quite attached to my common pleco, he is relitively small at the moment and would be very sad to let him go, but you are right I definately need to consider where I am going with this, I just like all the plecos, wish I could have a tank in every room! haha

Thanks alot

 

[thegeeman]

Good price for L134 Bex IF thats what they are. They are often confused with L15 which are cheap in the market place.

Most fish shops know very little about plecs unless the actually have someone that works there who is into them. I see my mates lists from the wholesalers and some of the ids when they turn up are totally different. He hates it when I come into his shop just after he has made up his labels for the tanks
The good thing about this is sometimes you can pick up a bargain:clap:

I once went into a shop that had a tank full of L66 labeled as L104 for £8.50, Needless to say I bought all 28 of them

Cheers

thegeeman

 

[BexRoyalPlec]

Haha I bet you were well over the moon! I'm going to investe in a book I think! although there is plenty of info on the net these days. I just had 2 rescue sum babies from my filter! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them swimming around in it! lol x

 

[FF MkII]

Good price for L134 Bex IF thats what they are. They are often confused with L15 which are cheap in the market place.

Aint that right Scot?