# Help me identify my pleco



## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

Ive had this pleco now for a few months got him at petsmart they were having a $1 on all bottom feeders sale. Well he was in with the common pleco's but when i saw him i knew he wasn't just a common. I figure it must have accidently got tossed in there at the breeders or wherever they get them from. He is about 5-6 inches right now and do not expect him to stop growing any time soon. He went from about an inch to 6 inches in no time. First off i know he is some kinda of rhino pleco but he also has leopard print, he also has a sailfin and lyre tail. He is bright golden brown with dark brown spots that connect like puzzle pieces. Also along the edge of his dorsal and caudal fin he has bright orange striping. Hard to see in the picture but its really orange when you see him in person. Anyways I am just trying to figure out a common/scientific/L# on him if possible dont know he could just be some sort of mix. I have been told by a few different pet stores that they would sell a pleco like him for around $40-$50 bucks so i already know i made a good score lol. The first pic shows his beautiful sail and the second shows the orange on his lyre tail the best and the third picture is of him when i first turn on the lights in the morning. I thought it was pretty interesting how only some of his color fades light brown and the rest darkens to brown stripes.


----------



## Blue Cray (Oct 19, 2007)

Its a common sailfin I do beleive.


----------



## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

yeah what gets me tho is when i search common sailfin pleco i dont get many results and most of them their spotting seems to be almost perfect circles but then i search just sailfin pleco and you get ones that say that say spotted sailfin pleco or leopard sailfin pleco and the markings are nearly the same. Except mine has much better colors  However you may be right im just trying to get an exact match for sure. I have honestly never seen on like this being sold at any other store.


----------



## Blue Cray (Oct 19, 2007)

All those plecos you named are exactly the same fish I think. I'm not a pleco guy, I have never really owned one but I'm pretty sure they're the same.


----------



## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

Blue Cray said:


> All those plecos you named are exactly the same fish I think. I'm not a pleco guy, I have never really owned one but I'm pretty sure they're the same.


yeah im not sure but he was a impulsive buy when i saw he stood out from the others the only plecos im really into are the fancies


----------



## Tallonebball (Apr 6, 2009)

Yes def just a common sailfin pleco, they are just like humans, none are exactly alike so a pic of two of the same fish could look extremely different pattern wise.


----------



## FishMatt (May 12, 2010)

Yep a Leopard Pleco or a Sailfin Pleco.


----------



## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Might as well start looking for a new home for that one, they grow at least as big as the commons.


----------



## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

toddnbecka said:


> Might as well start looking for a new home for that one, they grow at least as big as the commons.


idk if you read the entire post but yes i already mentioned this i know how big he gets and also i have known since the day i bought him and always had plans to move him into a bigger tank probably with some cichlids when the time comes for me to set up a cichlid tank. otherwise i will be taking him to the lfs that i work at and be selling him to someone i know can provide good care for him.


----------



## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Actually, I didn't read the first post very closely. I thought it was another typical ID-the-common-pleco post, looked at the pics, saw that you had a 60 gallon tank in your signature, and read the other posts.


----------



## Corwin (May 23, 2010)

hmm this is very usefull as I have one of those exact plecos in my tank... at least im relatively sure... his dorsal fin is slightly shorter though


----------

