Different types of gold nugget plecos?

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Casper2000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 19, 2008
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New York City
Planet catfish was saying how there's different types of gold nuggets one with tiny spots and one with larger spots as juvies. Which of these two is the one that grows considerably larger (12-14")? How can I tell at the LFS. One of the ones I go to go some in and I wouldn't say the spots were huge but they were the tiny spec ones either.
 
I've been told that even experienced pleco fans have trouble telling young specimens of the 'Gold Nugget' types apart. That's all I know. Sorry.
 
I have 4 gold nugget plecos, one of which is the small spot(tiny little pinpoints), one is a medium spot, and two are larger spot. What I have seen over the last 2.5 years is that the small spot has grown the slowest, and the spots have not changed in size. The small spot was picked up at 1.75" and is about 4" at most. All the others are we bought at about 2.5-3" and are about 6.5-7" easy. Obviously, none of them are fast growers, but I would say, the larger the spotted species grows faster.
 
Cool so as long as its not the tiny specs one it should be the one that grows larger. I swear next time snookn21 lists a 12"+ I'm buying it asap. He only wanted $125 too, pretty cheap considering how many years it would take me to grow it out that size.
 
It gets kinda confusing with the names.. but yes.. there is definitely more than one variation of Gold nugget L-18, L-81, and a various other names.


What i've seen the most is Giant spot Gold Nugget vs. Small spot gold nugget.
Generally the small spot ones grow to 12" while bigger spot stay small..
 
Can you give an example of the small spot you're speaking of? I see three in LFS's usually, the speckled ones, small spots, and like marker size dotted.
 
zerojquan85;4154052; said:
It gets kinda confusing with the names.. but yes.. there is definitely more than one variation of Gold nugget L-18, L-81, and a various other names.


What i've seen the most is Giant spot Gold Nugget vs. Small spot gold nugget.
Generally the small spot ones grow to 12" while bigger spot stay small..

You know I think the only huge Giant gold nugget I've seen was a small spot. I have no idea if this is a collection bias or a maximum size thing.

Edit: The small spot I am referring to is the tiny specks...
 
Would you call this small spot or big spot?Had them for 2-3 years and they are about 3"
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