Corydoras aeneus?

[Mike_Noren]

I am useless at callichthyids - can someone please confirm that this is a Corydoras aeneus?

http://mikes-machine.mine.nu/temp/idify ... C_3794.jpg

Also, this is the bog-standard "version" of aeneus, right?

[Marc van Arc]

I don't think this is considered as the standard C. aeneus.

Looks more like this

Corydoras sp(cw009)

or this

Corydoras sp(cw010)

[Coryologist]

Hello Mike. I have a group of this fish. I also have the C. sp. aeneus "Peru Gold Shoulder" which is now called C. schultzei. Although at first glance these fish are very similar, a side-by-side comparison does show distinct differences. The females that I have in this group are two of the largest I have seen and these fish were young adults when received. I believe there is a fair amount of growth left in this group. These are NOT the C. aeneus I grew up with and which has been an aquarium staple in the U.S, for decades. That fish more closely resembles what we now call C. venezuelanus. I, too, would love to get this mystery solved. Thank you. - Frank

[kim m]

I'd say C. schultzei, but as far as I'm aware, C. schultzei is not a valid name (even though I agree that these fish is a species in it's own right).

Frank, how big is that C. venezuelanus? It looks more "aeneus"-like than my C. venezuelanus (your fish is slimmer built than mine).

[tigerbarb]

Hi Mike
I would agree that it looks like the gold stripe cory as the bronze dosent have the stripe over the dark patch on the side of the body.

[Mike_Noren]

These are NOT the C. aeneus I grew up with and which has been an aquarium staple in the U.S, for decades.

Thank you!
Yeah, that was my first reaction too: these didn't look like the C. aeneus of my childhood.

From the replies I gather that C. aeneus is a species complex of somewhat similar and mostly as yet undescribed species?

As my fish were a gift, with unknown providence, I'm just going to consider them Corydoras sp., and not use them for breeding.