Loricariidae (suckermouth catfish) is the largest family of catfish (Order Siluriformes), with almost 700 species and new species being described each year. Loricariids originate from fresh water habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America.

What makes it more complicated is that most of the species hasn't got their actual scientific name (only in format: "genus name" + sp.), such as "gold nugget pleco" (Baryancistrus sp.).

So, to clear up the confusion, an aquarium magazine from Germany (DATZ) introduce the L numbers system.

The L-number system is a semi-scientific classification system of catfish based on photographs of shipments of tropical catfish of the family Loricariidae.

An L-number is not an official scientific name, but it does allow people to identify various Loricariid catfish by a "common name" before the fish is actually officially described. When a Loricariid receives an official scientific name, the L-number is retired.


Here are the profiles of the most well known plecos:


CONTENTS:

p5: COMMON PLECO "L21" or "L23" (Pterygoplichthys pardalis), ZEBRA PLECO "L46" (Hypancistrus zebra), SCARLET PLECO "L25" (Pseudacanthicus sp.), POLKA DOT LYRE / ADONIS PLECO (Acanthicus adonis), SUNSHINE PLECO "L14" (Scobinancistrus aureatus),
FLASH PLECO "L204" (Panaque sp.), TITANICUS PLECO "L273" (Pseudacanthicus sp.), LEOPARD FROG PLECO "L134" (Peckoltia sp.), BRISTLENOSE PLECO (Ancistrus sp.), MAGNUM PLECO "L47" (Baryancistrus sp.), QUEEN ARABESQUE "L260" (Hypancistrus sp.), SAILFIN PLECO "L83" (Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps), TIGER PLECO "L02" (Panaqolus sp.), ROYAL PLECO "L27", "L190", "LDA63" (Panaque nigrolineatus), BLUE EYED PLECO (Panaque cochliodon), BLUE PHANTOM PLECO "L128" (Hemiancistrus sp.), YELLOW / GREEN PHANTOM PLECO "L200" (Hemiancistrus sp.) and "L200a" (Baryancistrus demantoides), KING TIGER PLECO "L66" (Hypancistrus sp.), BIG SPOTTED BARYANCISTRUS "L142" and "LDA33" (Baryancistrus sp.), CLOWN PLECO "L104", "L162", and "LDA22" (Panaqolus maccus)







84. COMMON PLECO "L21" or "L23" (Pterygoplichthys pardalis)
FAMILY: Loricariidae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 24" (approx. 60cm)
ORIGIN: Amazon, South America
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: formerly known as "Hypostomus plecostomus", recently became available in the albino form

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

ZEBRA PLECO "L46" (Hypancistrus zebra)

click http://www.kaskus.us/showpost.php?p=36315400&postcount=2 for info




>>>L18
>>>L81
>>>L177
85. GOLD NUGGET PLECO "L18", "L81", "L85" and "L177" (Baryancistrus sp.)
FAMILY: Loricariidae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 14" (approx. 35cm) (L18 & L85), 7.1" (approx. 18cm) (L81), 8" (approx. 20cm) (L177)
ORIGIN: Rio Xingu, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: 3 similar forms from the same river which are separated by the size of the spots and collection locality. The fish with the largest spots come from higher up the river and the smaller spots come from further down the river while the L018 is from in between them. The L085 is the juvenile form of L018, thus they are the same fish

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com and aquariumlife.net

86. SCARLET PLECO "L25" (Pseudacanthicus sp.)
FAMILY: Loricariidae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 17" (approx. 40cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Xingu, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Carnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: although a carnivore, some vegetable should also be provided and thus balances diet, Water quality is important for this fish, clear, well-oxygenated especially because of the warmer water this fish prefers

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

>>>juvenile
>>>sub adult
>>>>albino form
87. POLKA DOT LYRE / ADONIS PLECO (Acanthicus adonis)
FAMILY: Loricariidae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 40" (approx. 100cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Tocantins, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: the spots will eventually faded when reaching adult size, probably the biggest loricariidae

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

>>>juvenile
>>>adult
88. SUNSHINE PLECO "L14" (Scobinancistrus aureatus)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 17" (approx. 40cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Xingu, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: one of the most popular loricariidae in the market, not as shy and timid as most plecos

*Pics and excerpts taken from exoticfind.net and planetcatfish.com

>>>juvenile
>>>adult
89. FLASH PLECO "L204" (Panaque sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 5.2" (approx. 13cm)
ORIGIN: Peru, South America
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: The most popular pleco from Peru

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

90. TITANICUS PLECO "L273" (Pseudacanthicus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 12" (approx. 30cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Tapajos, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: peaceful but territorial from a young age, some large specimens are aggressively territorial and may cause problems if housed with other large nocturnal fish

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

91. LEOPARD FROG PLECO "L134" (Peckoltia sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 4" (approx. 10cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Tapajos, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: have been commercially bred, total omnivore who will sometimes eats on algae

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com and aquatheque.com

>>>albino variant
>>>long fin variant
>>>long fin albino variant
92. BRISTLENOSE PLECO (Ancistrus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 6" (approx. 15cm)
ORIGIN: South America
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: the males have more bristle than the female, has been commercially bred

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

93. MAGNUM PLECO "L47" (Baryancistrus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 11" (approx. 28cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Xingu, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: rocks and driftwood help to accent a natural habitat and provide hiding spaces to cut down on stress for most plecos

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

94. QUEEN ARABESQUE "L260" (Hypancistrus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 4" (approx. 10cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Tapajos, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: the males are slightly bigger, longer interopercular, seems to have a belly that is marble, females however have all white bellies

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

>>>albino variant
95. SAILFIN PLECO "L83" (Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 17 " (approx. 45 cm)
ORIGIN: Peru and Brazil, South America
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: require heavy filtration, not because they are fussy about water quality, but because of the high volumes of waste they produce

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

96. TIGER PLECO "L02" (Panaqolus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 5" (approx. 12.5cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Tocantins, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: this species belongs to the group of small sized typically wood eating plecos that has been proposed to belong to a new genus, Panaqolus (mini panaque)

*Pics and excerpts taken from and aquatheque.com planetcatfish.com

>>>L27 tapajos
>>>L27 tocantins
>>>L27 xingu/LDA63
>>>L190
97. ROYAL PLECO "L27", "L190", "LDA63" (Panaque nigrolineatus)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 16" (approx. 40cm) for L27 variants, 13" (approx. 34cm) for L190
ORIGIN: Rio Xingu, Rio Tocantins, Rio Tapajos, Brazil (L27) and Venezuela (L190) (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous, tends to be more herbivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: wood eater, they have the ability to digest wood for their fibre diet, L190 is the "text book" royal pleco (Panaque nigrolineatus), while the brazil variants are listed under the name "Panaque cf. nigrolineatus"

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

98. BLUE EYED PLECO (Panaque cochliodon)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 12" (approx. 30cm)
ORIGIN: Colombia, South America
DIET: Omnivorous, tends to be more herbivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: generally identified as Panaque suttoni, one of the rarest pleco in the market

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

99. BLUE PHANTOM PLECO "L128" (Hemiancistrus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 7" (approx. 18cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Orinocco, Venezuela (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: although and effective algae eater, it should be given a varied diet of prepared foods

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

>>>Hemiancistrus sp. "L200"
>>>Baryancistrus demantoides "L200a"
>>> L200a and L200
100. YELLOW / GREEN PHANTOM PLECO "L200" (Hemiancistrus sp.) and "L200a" (Baryancistrus demantoides)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 7" (approx. 18cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Orinocco, Venezuela (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: basically L200a has higher dorsal fin than L200

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

101. KING TIGER PLECO "L66" (Hypancistrus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 5" (approx. 12cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Tocantins, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: a distinctive L number that is only confused with a few other similarly patterned species, youngsters however are quite different from the adults

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

102. BIG SPOTTED BARYANCISTRUS "L142" and "LDA33" (Baryancistrus sp.)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 10" (approx. 25cm)
ORIGIN: Rio Tapajos, Brazil (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: shows a fondness for sweet potato and algae wafers, feed a varied diet to keep this fish healthy, become increasingly territorial to other bottom dwellers (especially Loricariids) as it matures

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com

103. CLOWN PLECO "L104", "L162", and "LDA22" (Panaqolus maccus)
FAMILY: Loriicaridae
TYPE: Catfish
MAX SIZE: 3.6" (approx. 9cm)
ORIGIN: Venezuela and Colombia (South America)
DIET: Omnivorous
CHARACTER: Peaceful
MISC: wood eater, has been commercially bred

*Pics and excerpts taken from planetcatfish.com