# Pleco ID



## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

how can i tell the differance between longfin and shortfin bn albino pleco. I have about 50 ish plecos in a tank with about half being albino. i know that in that half there is at least 4 longfin but they hide everywhere and they havnt matured yet at all so how can i tell whos longfin. Thx in advance for help from this great forum


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

By the time they are about 1 and 1/4" long or longer it should be fairly apparent what's what.


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## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

should i pay special attention to the tail or fins cus so far they all look almost identical im getting worried i might have gotten ripped off or that they died


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Well that's the only difference... so yeeeeeah.

Do you own the breeding parents? what are they?


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

Will Hayward said:


> Well that's the only difference... so yeeeeeah.
> 
> Do you own the breeding parents? what are they?


knowing the parents wont really help. There is a lot of confusion and discussion in the hobby about the genetics behind it.

Unlike the wildtype vs albino, where it is a single gene involved and we know Wt is dominant to albino.

The gene(s) behind longfin is a little more of a mystery.

Unlike what many believe, where they assume LF and SF is run similarily to colour. More and more people (at least on PC) are thinking that it is the longfin that is actually dominant over the shortfin (against logic isnt it--well somewhat).

Others think there are more than 1 gene involved and more than that, its not the simple dominant/recessive mechanics.

to complicate things more, growth of the longfin is at times varied in length.

Anywho, rambling over.

Only if someone can figure out what gene is working here, some PCRs would be able to answer the question easily....lol


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

I think it might help a little.


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## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

i dont have the parents i baught the fry, both parents were longfin though and the guy said that the juvies he gave me were supposed to be fry too


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

the easiest would actually be to take a pic of a few of the ones in question.


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## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

Welk i have a bunch and they all in questiin but ill upload a pic if u want in a bit

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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

take a pic of a few representative ones and it will be clear.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

in addition, if you look at the ratios of length of tail fin to body (nose to base of tail). 

In a LF, you will get tail fins that range from >1/2 body length to the same length as body.

In short fins, the tail fin is usually 1/4 the length of body, rarely getting to more than 1/3.

These proportions doesnt change much with age, so you should be able to see these proportions at this size already.


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## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

Thx that actually gives me something specific to look for ill look now

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## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

Im pretty sure none of the ones in the photos are longfin but i baught 5 supposed longfin of some guh near pacific mall and accidentally lost them in there. Then to add tk the problem some pleco began to die. I recently solved that problem and everything is good now. These photos still show the 10 gallon but with the canister filter. They are all soon moving to a 20 gallon. Any advice on how I can hooe to find or discover what happened to the supposed longfins. Thx
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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

from all of the ones I see, they are shorts.


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## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

ya thats what im thinking i just hope that maybe once they get a little older, ill start moving them and find the longfins


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