Did you know fantastic help is an anagram of Planet Catfish? This forum is for those of you with pictures of your catfish who are looking for help identifying them. There are many here to help and a firm ID is the first step towards keeping your catfish in the best conditions.
This is what are exported as L173 from Brasil, Datz made a mistake and have admit that in an article in their own magazine when it comes to put L173 together with L46 H. zebra. L173 are a valid species and that is what I think you have bought.
Jools wrote:Head shape, larger eyes and mouth make me think this is L199.
Jools
Thanks much Jools... yes, i agree with you that these features do match with the photo of L199 i have seen. The puzzling thing is its colour pattern: this specimen is purely black and white which seems to be different from the L199 as described in books...
Janne wrote:This is what are exported as L173 from Brasil, Datz made a mistake and have admit that in an article in their own magazine when it comes to put L173 together with L46 H. zebra. L173 are a valid species and that is what I think you have bought.
Janne
Thanks Janne... a friend from Germany updates me with L173. Please find the picture of L173 from transfish.de
by the renowned expert Andre Werner
If these aren't the L173 variant of H. zebra sold by the commercial breeder in Germany who sells them for the same price as his H.zebra I hope you got a good deal for these pretty fish.
I don't agree with those who think these are L199. I think these are a Brazilian Hypancistrus and most likely a variant of H. zebra or a very close relative.
Fry are really difficult to identify when small. My L333 fry look just like these for the first 4 weeks or so.