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I had 3 albino corys that I figured all were male since they were all same size. So I got 2 new larger ones today but I think they aren't the same type. The new ones are huge in comparison, and more yellow than white. Mine are not normal 'bronze' cory size like teh new ones. Were my originals a dwarf type? Will they still interbreed if so? You can see them mixed in these pics....



[IMG:800:600]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i46/v ... G_1034.jpg[/img]

[IMG:800:600]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i46/v ... G_1033.jpg[/img]

There are three species of Cory that are known to form albino's:




Of these, we can rule out sterbai, as they have orange fins, which your fish don't.

Unfortunately, the difference between C. paleatus and C. aeneus is more difficult to spot.

Statistically, the chances are pretty good that your have all C. aeneus because they are much more common - but it's possible that they aren't.

If they are different species, they are most likely not going to cross-breed.

--
Mats

All of these are C. aeneus. C. paleatus have a much different shape in both body and finnage.

MatsP,
Sorry but I have to disagree with your statement that they are not easy to separate. they actually are completely different in body shape and dorsal fin shape and the patterning can also be seen on the flanks of C. paleatus.

This is a C. paleatus

Image courtesy Ian Fuller & Corydoras world.

This is C. aeneus
[img:500:253]http://corydorasworld.com/var/news/stor ... _large.jpg[/img]
Image courtesy Ian Fuller & Corydoras world.

VancouverBetta,

Your fish are C. aeneus, which all look to be females, the size difference is probably just an age thing. Males are slimmer in the body and the shape of the ventral fins are slightly pointed compared to the spread fan shape of females.

The number of Cory species with albino forms is becoming quite extensive:
C. aeneus
C. paleatus both
C. sterbai
C. panda
C. napoensis
C. similis
C. sp C007

The fact is that albinism can crop up out of the blue in any spawning and then with careful selective breeding the form can be fixed.

Ian

Thanks for all the feedback. The 'original' corys are full grown I am sure since they have been same size for almost a year. What about being a dwarf species? I would say after seeing those pics of each they look more like C.aeneus since the dorsals are much higher on the C.paleatus.

Just to add to Ians list of species with albino-forms...I've had some albino duplicareus between my from once in a while when the adults were still young.

Apart from that; I agree that you have C. aeneus albino females.

Females? You don't think the smaller ones are males??

I am as certain as I can be from the pictures that they are all females. there are no dwarf variants of C. aeneus and the likelihood is that the smaller ones we restricted in some way at an earlier stage in their life.

There is however a smaller C. aeneus looking species called C. venezuelanus pictured below, but as yet I am not aware of any albino forms being produced.

Ian


Picture courtesy Ian Fuller & Corydorasworld.com