Sterbai vs. Haroldschultzii??

[Antman]

So, I have a breeding pair of cories, what I believed were sterbai. I bought them at different stores and both were labeled sterbai, and obviously they're the same species as they're mating.

The problem is, while surfing the web I came across this photo diary of developing sterbai fry, and my fry doesn't match:

http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~yamyam/diary/index-e.html

The fry shown in the photos is very dark black with white markings on it until it is quite old. My fry are about 10 weeks old, and show a much lighter background coloration with darker markings on it. Sorry but I don't have a digital camera to show you.

Anyway, this got me to wondering, maybe I have haraldschultzii instead of sterbai? Could both fish stores have been wrong in such a coincidence? Or is the website above looking at the wrong species? I know species differences are often easiest to see by looking at developmental phenotypes.

My adults look just like the e-log entry for sterbai, if that helps any, although now I have my doubts and the haraldschultzii look pretty similar too...

Thanks.

--Bryan

[clothahump]

Bryan.
Check out Ians pics on his site and see which is closest to yours.
http://www.corydoras.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

[Coryman]

Take a look at the two pictures, you will see that other than the colour of the fin spines they are totally different

C. haraldschultzi


C. sterbai


I have bred many C. sterbai and all the fry were lighter than those on YamYan's site. I have never seen C. sterbai fry that dark.

Ian

[zac08]

So, I have a breeding pair of cories, what I believed were sterbai. I bought them at different stores and both were labeled sterbai, and obviously they're the same species as they're mating.

The problem is, while surfing the web I came across this photo diary of developing sterbai fry, and my fry doesn't match:

http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~yamyam/diary/index-e.html

The fry shown in the photos is very dark black with white markings on it until it is quite old. My fry are about 10 weeks old, and show a much lighter background coloration with darker markings on it. Sorry but I don't have a digital camera to show you.

Anyway, this got me to wondering, maybe I have haraldschultzii instead of sterbai? Could both fish stores have been wrong in such a coincidence? Or is the website above looking at the wrong species? I know species differences are often easiest to see by looking at developmental phenotypes.

My adults look just like the e-log entry for sterbai, if that helps any, although now I have my doubts and the haraldschultzii look pretty similar too...

Thanks.

--Bryan

Your fries under the Sterbai log is definitely not sterbai's.... I was given some sterbai fries earlier and the colours do not match yours at all.... Note the mask over the eyes (esp at 3rd and 4th week)... that must be a different species....

This is one of the fry at about 23mm....

[Coryman]

zac08

Your fries under the Sterbai log is definitely not sterbai's.... I was given some sterbai fries earlier and the colours do not match yours at all.... Note the mask over the eyes (esp at 3rd and 4th week)... that must be a different species....

Not sure who you mean here. But there are bound to be different strains of C. sterbai from within its natural range, which would inculde light and dark morphs. The developing fry would also show the same traits.

Ian

[Super Coryman]

These sites can help.

http://www.scotcat.com/home.htm
http://www.corydoras.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html
http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~yamyam/index-e.html

[zac08]

I meant Antman's....

Anyway...

you wanna give an expert opinion on this..?? I was given some Sterbai fries to riase and so far, only 2 survived from a batch of 6.... and now, there seems to be some differences in patterns on the 2 of them.... one has the patterns of a Sterbai, but the other looks slightly different....

Here's the pic :



A fellow hobbyist point this out to me... Is it just a colour morph? Or is it a different species of fish??

[Coryman]

Looking at those fry the sure look like a different species. How big are they? Can you get a couple of pictures of the adults? It may be that we are looking C. sterbai from a different location than where most of our imports are collected.

Ian

[clothahump]

Michael are the Sterbai from Dennis?
If so there are pics on my site of the adults.
http://eheim-uk.com/gallery/denniswang

[zac08]

Yeah... they are from Dennis.

But Dennis has tanks in 2 locations (Taiwan and Singapore)... I got my fries from him when he was back in Singapore and noticed that he had some spawning by accident.... Thus I can't be sure of the exact pictures of the parents of those I got from him.

So the colour pattern still confuses me... Btw, they are about 1 inch inclusive of tail...

[clothahump]

I am pretty sure the pics are from the Singapore tanks, I am glad the idae worked to let others raise them.

[corydorus]

... Michael u certainly pump them well. Well done !
Not sure how is Learner doing.He has most of the Frys.

Those frys come from a single tank species of at least 8 adults. Did not notice any special about them ... will take a closer look next time when i go home.

Can i have the pic for my web album below ? Looks interesting.

http://www.pbase.com/wangming/breeding_sterbai_cory

[Coryman]

These look to be just like the first pictures of C. sterbai I ever saw in the Axelrod & Emmins book 'Exotic Tropical Fish' Those fish were darker than most of what we see today and the head pattern was also extended further down the body.

Ian

[zac08]

... Michael u certainly pump them well. Well done !
Not sure how is Learner doing.He has most of the Frys.

Those frys come from a single tank species of at least 8 adults. Did not notice any special about them ... will take a closer look next time when i go home.

Can i have the pic for my web album below ? Looks interesting.

http://www.pbase.com/wangming/breeding_sterbai_cory

Sure... anytime... you can also look thru my messy galleries if you have the time...