ID pleco help

[cory]

Dear friends,

Can anyone help me id these 2 plecos?

First 2 pictures bought in TB wuhu with no label.
3rd picture bought in fish haven labelled as lower xingu.

Thanks in advance.

[johannes]

wah FH is back with lower xingu?

[cory]

wah FH is back with lower xingu?

Thats what Dave told me when I enquired about the two juvenile pelcos I bought. What I know is only Lower Rio Xingu is a river located in South America. Can anyone share more on what species is lower xingu plec?

I suspect the first plec is L134. Can anyone advice?

Thanks

[johannes]

Hypancistrus sp. lower xingu is closely related to L333

pic 1 is a hypancistrus but not sure what no, as it is still small, as size is similar to cory. could be L129, L270, L340 or L199

[cory]

Thanks bro johannes.

All these L numbers & almost same patterns making me confused.

[apistomaster]

No L134 in your photos,
The rest look very much like my 4 month old L333 fry. Except the first, it looks like L270.
L333 don't come from the Rio Xingu but the Rio Tapajos near by the Xingu.

The Rio Xingu is perhaps the most famous river in Brazil when it comes fancy Plecos. It is the native river for Hypancistrus zebra, most famous of all the plecos.

[cory]

Hi apistomaster,

Thanks for sharing more on Rio Xingu & the ID-ing of the plecs.

I was told by the owner of the lfs that the last picture was lower xingu plec before I purchased them.

[celticfish]

I agree the first looks like L270 from the colouration.
But its impossible to be definitive at this size.

The third, IMHO may very well turn out to be a L066 too though...
I'll try to post some picture for you to compare.
In the meantime, you can check genes picture post of his Lower Xingu fry.

[cory]

Hi celticfish,

Thanks for your help on the ID-ing.

L066 also nice...

Its really difficult to take a decent shot of the plecs, hours of statue posture.

[johannes]

imho, for the last piece, the lines are too broad to be L66 and the tail are not forked.

from my observation, the caudal of L66 fries begin to fork deeply when they are at 1 inch size, it is very distinct to differentiate them from L333 and H. sp. lower xingu at such size... very interesting and amazing indeed

[apistomaster]

It may turn out that L333 and sp Lower Xingu are the same fish.
I have the yellow and brown L333 but some are more black and white.
All of thses specimens are too small to make very accurate identifications. Many young small Hypancistrus resemble each other.

[johannes]

It may turn out that L333 and sp Lower Xingu are the same fish.

i kinda agree to this.. we never know...

some H. sp Lower xingu are similar to white based L333

[cory]

Went to NKS during lunch time. Owner of NKS confirmed the plec in picture 1 is a L340 which he have a few in his tank.