PlanetCatfish.com

Hi all,

Once again I need to pick some Corydoras nut brain.

How rare are the C.Undulatus, especially in U.S?

Yesterday I went to the local store and ready to buy those after I saw them week ago or so, and did some research about them.
Although I didn't find much information but at least so the pictures. And I thought they are really similar looking to C.Elegans.

How can I be sure they are C.Undulatus and not C.Elegans?

They seems similar, perhaps same family? Both seem to have similar coloring/marking. And both female are more dull and grey. Only the thing I noticed about the fish in the store was. They have this yellow/goldish small little spot on the top of the head in front of the dorsal fin. It seems I see this on the picture of C.Undulatus at the Cat-eLog of this forum. But it seems not showing on the C.Elegans. Also C.Undulatus seem to have more clearer(less marking) on their dorsal fin than C.Elegans.

Anyway, I was about to buy them but the lady works there told me that they are not C.Undulatus but they are C.Blochi. That really confused me since I didn't know what C.Blochi look like. So I came home without them and do some research. And I look the picture of C.Blochi and they don't look anything like that. And they look like C.Undulatus.
I think she confused since those are the 2 Corydoras name written on the tank glass.

So I would be appreciate if anyone know about them or how to recognize them in any way. It would be great if there are some easy way to do but I kind of doubt that since there are just too many similar Corydoras out there.

C. undulatus, is quite a plump bodied Cory, C. elegans on the other hand, are far more slender in body shape.

Ian

Corydoras undulatus

Picture courtesy Ian Fuller & Corydorasworld.com

Corydoras elegans
[img:500:306]http://corydorasworld.com/var/news/stor ... _large.jpg[/img]
Picture courtesy Ian Fuller & Corydorasworld.com

Thanks Ian.

It seems I need more careful observation when I go there again. Especially the body shape.

One more question.

So you think that is it possible to find them in the U.S? I mean, are there any chance of the fish I saw are actually C.Undulatus? Or could it be one of those C.Julii and C.Trini case that people miss name them on purpose to get higher value?

There is every chance of getting C. undulatus in the US, there is not the visual confusion with them and C. elegans, that there is with the julii/trilineatus.

Ian

Corydoras "San Juan" are another one that gets misidentified with these in the USA trade.

apistomaster wrote:Corydoras "San Juan" are another one that gets misidentified with these in the USA trade.

Ughh you are right, Larry. After little digging and find out that the "San Juan" is C. Bilineatus, although they seem to have more uniformed crisp lines/marking and didn't see the difference of color/marking between their sex. They too are similar looking cory for untrained average Joe like me.
Like I mentioned, I will take even closer look when I go back there and if they are still there. Maybe I should pass on this one since they did had cramped dorsal fins.(maybe because they were in the tank with the serpie tetras and get fins nipped, I don't know) Also I hate to get stuck with the less than adequate number and tough to find more later.
Not to mention I have too many fish at the moment, anyway.

At least I learned something that "San Juan" is common name for C.Bilineatus. That is of course if they correctly marked.