L Numbers (Catfish, Plecos, etc)

[Proteus]

What is your favourite L number? & why?

I am thinking since a lot of Discus keepers have a fascination for our little cattie friends a new topic area might be in line similar to what we have for the Dwarf Cichlids.

:D

[taksan]

Whats a L number?

[Merrilyn]

That's a very good question Taksan :?

But for the benefit of our friends who may not be familiar with the term, L numbers were first used in 1989. At that time there were so many importations of new armoured catfish which couldn't be assigned with certainty to any scientifically described species, that the idea came about of simply numbering the new imports sequentially, in order to provide aquarists with a reference system. Probably the most well known of these are L046 the Zebra Catfish and L081 the Golden Nugget.

The L simply stands for the word Loricariidae which is the scientific family name of armoured catfishes. In practice, the system was subsequently restricted to ancistrine and hypostomine species.

If you have a pleco, or a bristlenose cat fish, then you have an idea what an L number catfish looks like.

(Reference - Aqualog. Loricariidae all L-numbers. Schraml and Schafer.)

[goldenpigeon]

hmmm i am a big fan of the L046 and Lo81, also love the peppermint bn and albno bn. love royals plecs too. and a few more i dont remember the names of hahhahahaha

[Proteus]

Whats a L number?

u a funny boy :P

thanx Merrilyn, someone needs to keep this lad in check

[Merrilyn]

And I'm just the person to do it lol :wink:

[Ben]

I like all the the L number catfish, all of them have their own unique markings, colours and shape.

But you cant go past the L046.

Panaque sp. are very interesting..

Cheers
Ben

[Merrilyn]

I've got a breeding colony of around 40 Peppermint Catfish, juvenile albino bristlenose and a Snow King Pleco.

The little pepps are really cute as juveniles with their dark body, and big white spots and white edges to the dorsal and caudal fin. Unfortunately as they grow older, the size of the fish grows, but the spots don't, so they end up as a dark fish with small spots.

They are perfect tankmates for discus, never seem to bother them, but spend most of the daylight hours hidden away in the driftwood. Maybe mine are too well fed, but I find they are not terrific with cleaning up algae.

The albino bristlenose are probably my favourites. Always busy, carefully going up and down the leaves of every plant in their tank. There's not a sign of algae anywhere in their tank, and I never have to clean the glass either. Great little fish, active during the daylight, and certainly not shy. I'd be happy to have a troop of them in every discus tank. :D

My snow king pleco is certainly a handsome boy. He was a great little algae eater when he was smaller, but as he's grown, he gotten a bit lazy and is quite happy eating discus food :?

They can be a problem if they get a taste for the slime coating on the side of discus. Mine has never worried the discus, but he's in a planted tank with an abundance of food. They may be more of a problem to discus in a bare bottom tank.

[goldenpigeon]

can i have some of ur peppermints merrilyn :D young or old i dont care.

[Proteus]

Are you calling Merriyln old???

nawty boy, go to your room :P

[oscar]

I have a couple of L168's.

I think they are absolutely marvellous.

As Merrilyn said the Peppermints are really nice as juv's but lose a bit of the impact with age.

[kevkoi]

My pride and joy is a spiny, nasty, bad tempered Acanthicus adonis that's over a foot long now living in the pond. Used to look stunning and cute as a juvenile with the white spots, but now he just wants to get me out of his pond everytime I step in.. :lol:

... he's camera shy.

[goldenpigeon]

Are you calling Merriyln old???

nawty boy, go to your room

no............. would i ever call merrilyn old? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! r u trying to get me into trouble again?!?!?!?!

i have been good since rebah havnt i? :twisted:

i lub you merrilyn :wink: [/quote]

[nicholas76]

Can someone post a picture of an L69 ,, im curious :P :P

[taksan]

Can someone post a picture of an L69 ,, im curious :P :P


Sure Nick !

you can see one http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/image.php?image_id=7768

[DR.V]

Can someone post a picture of an L69 ,, im curious :P :P

Does it have to be a L69 ? Cant it be just a 69 ? :roll:

[taksan]

Can someone post a picture of an L69 ,, im curious :P :P

Does it have to be a L69 ? Cant it be just a 69 ? :roll:

Sure would you like a link to a pic of one of those too ?????????
8-)

[nicholas76]

Can someone post a picture of an L69 ,, im curious :P :P


Sure Nick !

you can see one http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/image.php?image_id=7768

hmm not as appealing as I thought it would be strangely enough :lol: :lol:

[Nathan]

i love the zebra plecos, cant get em in oz though can u? i also like the peppermints! dno what there l numbers are though sorry!

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/Fishpics/zebplec3.jpg

im also a big fan of the golden nuggets.

[taksan]

i love the zebra plecos, cant get em in oz though can u? i also like the peppermints! dno what there l numbers are though sorry!

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/Fishpics/zebplec3.jpg

im also a big fan of the golden nuggets.


Yes you certainly can get Zebra Plecos here prices start around $500 + for babies :shock:

Peppermint Bristlenose or Ancistrus dolichopterus are L183 BTW

[*Chris*]

there are two zebs that are slightly snub nosed at aquarium addicts in cambellfield
he wants 500 each for them
there around the 7cm mark

[Nathan]

well then i guess i can cross that off my wish list!