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i moved my bronze cories (i have been assuming C. aeneus, though i'm not very good at identifying yet) to a larger tank. ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings have been exemplary (0,0,<20 respectively) and i noticed all my fish displayed their colors better. my bronze cories, however, changed dramatically. the dorsal fin and a large stripe on their back turned a dusky orange-brown. before they had been uniformly green-grey. now, they look almost like the C. melantonaenia pictures in the Cat-e-log, except the stripe stops shortly after the dorsal fin. both fish are about 3 years old (accounting for time spent in hatchery and pet shop) and just spawned about 2 weeks ago.

1) is this normal, and what does the color change mean?
2) are they C. aeneus, or are they probably something else?

thanks for the help.
-Liz

This color change should be nothing to worry about. Did you change the color of the substrate in the new tank? fish regularly undergo slight changes in coloration with different substrate colors.
What is now known as <i>C. aeneus</i> is a complex of several species. You might have one of those currently recognized as a "striped aeneus".

yes, i changed the color of the substrate. it's flourite, as opposed to a tan natural gravel. they'll be out of the flourite once the 10gal finishes cycling, but at the moment i don't have a cycled tank in which to put them because of their unexpected spawning.

i'll be sure to post a picture as soon as/if i get a digital camera. i'm pretty sure they're C. aeneus, but not completely, and i'm not sure what color variety they are. i'd like to know before i start selling off/giving away the fry so i can let people know what they're getting though.

-Liz