Need a BN pleco ID please??

[toomanytanks]

They are all "bristlenose" of some kind, but folks on other forums have me second guessing myself. So I won't even mention what I think - just want you guys’ expert opinions.

#1
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/7/9/9/7/1/webimg/149870169_o.jpg

#2
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/7/9/9/7/1/webimg/149870199_o.jpg

#3
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/7/9/9/7/1/webimg/149870217_o.jpg

#4
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/7/9/9/7/1/webimg/149870232_o.jpg

#5 (pretty positive that this one is a “brown”)
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/7/9/9/7/1/webimg/149870149_o.jpg

The adults (#1-4) were bred and sold to me by an older gentleman who was the first in the US to bring plecos into the US. I wouldn’t think that he would sell them as calico’s if they aren’t – he is an expert after all…

What would you say about these little ones? Calicos? Hybrids? They are an orangish color, but have lots of polka dots… Dad was one of the ones above (#1-4), but mom was either an albino or another calico. I just want to get the adults and babies named correctly before I go about selling them.

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/7/9/9/7/1/webimg/144372560_o.jpg

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/7/9/9/7/1/webimg/144372567_o.jpg

[Haiven]

The first four pics look like red marble calicos.
The babies look like my common browns, which vary from dark brown with spots to medium/golden brown with spots.

[toomanytanks]

But what about babies that are orangish in color with spots??

[bristlenosedude]

The first 4 almost look like browns in their stress coloration. These do not look like anything being sold as calico today. I am growing out a batch and there is no comparison in these and what I have or have seen. Calico's have a solid base orangish color with random black interspersed to almost all black. They do not exhibit any of the patterened spotting you see on browns and in these pictures. Look on aquabid.com and see what is being sold as calico there and you will see what I mean.

The babies look like the hundreds of browns I have swimming out in the garage now.

[toomanytanks]

I have looked on aquabid. Mostly they're longfin and you can't really see the markings well enough, or they don't bother with pics.

I'm concerned because the guy that I bought them from was - as I stated - the first guy to bring plecos into the USA, and he bred and sold them to me. I can't believe that he didn't know what he was doing. What I'm wondering is that perhaps those were the "original calicos", and thru selective breeding NOW, they are the patterning that you mention rather than what I have. I'm stumped and confused. Confused because the answers here are typical of what started me trying to get a solid answer - one person says calico, another says something else. But you mentioned "stress coloration" - this is their NORMAL coloration, so again, I'm confused. :confuzeld:

[poel_19]

how big are the adults? I ask bcause there are ALOT od BN species out there and knowing size mighthlp narrow down some possibilities. now IMO they look like SP. 3 hybrids with red marble coloration possibly not true calicos but used to create the traits seen in calicos we know today. Bristle nosed dude might be able to confirm my opinion when he reads this.

[toomanytanks]

They are right around 3" mostly. I can't imagine why the seller/breeder/original importer could be mistaken with what he's calling calico's - with his knowledge base. I'm really stumped here.

[bristlenosedude]

Look at these pics. There is no regular spot pattern at all. The black will be random on an orange body. Also look at the smaller fish, they are standard browns and look like the fry pic you posted. Sorry, took these in a hurry and I am not a great photographer either. I still contend that the first 4 are definately not calicos based the banding and regular spotting seen in browns. I have raised and sold thousands of browns over the last 8 or so years.

[Haiven]

Bristlenosedude, you are spot on! I was thinking of the red marble BNs, not the calico.

[toomanytanks]

Bristlenosedude, you are spot on! I was thinking of the red marble BNs, not the calico.

HUH??? I thought they were the same thing!?

I think I've figured out why the first guy to bring in plecos to the US bred and calls mine calicos and others don't. My THEORY is that when he brought them in (and whoever named them) these were the true calicos. Then with selective breeding, the patterns (or lack of) developed and were then bred to have that become the "new calico". I can't come up with another explanation why a real pleco pro like Dave would call them one thing and folks on the forums call them something else. :confuzeld: