Will C. Aeneus school with C. Venezuelanus

[scolba]

I was at the LFS today talkin corys, and the guy showed me what was labeled as a Red Sailfin Venezuelan Cory. They looked remarkably like bronze corys. So with a little bit of digging, I think I figured out the scientific name is Corydoras Venezuelanus.

Through a recent craigslist deal, I ended up with two albino corys that I believe to be C. Aeneus, and I would like to get them in a group of friends, instead of just the pair, so they can feel more comfortable.

So through some research I have learned that C. Venezuelanus is a synonym of C. Aeneus. This is my inexperience coming through here...does a synonym mean essentially the same species? Just colored slightly differently?

Ultimately, the real question is, will these new Venezuelanus school with my existing Aeneus?

Thanks a lot!

[Bas Pels]

Yes, a synonym is pricely that: the name is not valid, bacause the species already has a name.

However, sometimes later the species is considered as morte than 1 species, and than the synonym can become valid again.

That is, I think the case with Corydoras aeneus. They are found in Venezuela (apparently), but I have seen them in Uruguay too. That is, in the south of the country.

It is hard to believe this species has such an enormous range - while most Corydoras are found in small or even tiny areas.

Will the fish school? Most likely they will, after all, they are rather related, and therefore might recognize each other. Schould you breed them? Not this mixture. But breeding Corydoras rarely `happens` - normally it requires acts from their owner

[scolba]

Ah, great information, thank you!

Also, my apologies, I posted this topic this morning via mobile, and apparently wasn't quite awake yet. I didn't get the right South American category, and didn't realize this was under the husbandry section, either!! Ooops!

I don't intend on breeding them, but am now curious, what about this mixture makes it unsuitable for breeding? Is the albino already heavily bred to make it albino, and would risk other deficiencies?

[bekateen]

I don't intend on breeding them, but am now curious, what about this mixture makes it unsuitable for breeding? Is the albino already heavily bred to make it albino, and would risk other deficiencies?

Hi scolba,

As Bas Pels was saying, the current opinion of the scientific community is that all these corys, which are spread out across the continent in unconnected waterways (and therefore it's extremely unlikely they ever meet in nature), are one species, Corydoras aeneus.

But to people (both hobbyists and scientists) who know these fish well, it's very likely that fish like C. venezuelanus will eventually get a closer "official" look by scientists and when that happens, these corys will be recognized as genetically unique organisms.

So to answer your question, the problem is not simply that albino aeneus are inbred, the problem is that they are not the same species.

Cheers, Eric

[scolba]

Fascinating stuff! I could get really wrapped up in the taxonomy of these little guys really easily. It feeds my need for pedanticism. lol

Thanks a lot for the info! FWIW, I think I'll be ordering a group of C. Aeneus to accompany the Albinos, just to be sure to keep it in family (ok species..lol), but I may get the Venezuelanus for a different tank anyway.

Thanks again!

[Karsten S.]

Hi,

I don't really like idea of mixing albinos with regular C. aeneus.

There are so many different variants of C. aeneus, many more than just C. venezuelanus and C. schultzei (just to name another form you can often find in the trade).
Most probably many of these will cross breed. As it's already difficult to differentiate the different forms with their regular colour it's close to impossible with albinos.
So you cannot say that albinos and regular ones will belong to the same species/form.

Cheers,