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This is something that I want to avoid.

I want to breed the three dwarf Corydoras species (pygmaeus, habrosus and hastatus). Since they all seem to require similar conditions, and since I have limited room, I was hoping I could set up one breeding tank and keep all three species all together. And each species could serve as dither fish to the other species.

Would that lead to cross breeding? Or do you think I'd be safe? Is there another problem with this set up?

All three species I'm pretty sure are each other's closest relatives, so if they can hybridize, they would be able to hybridize fairly easily. I would definitely avoid this set-up.

Hastatus and pygmaeus are in the same lineage so there would probably be a possobility. Habsosus however is in a completely different leneage with C91 and other roundsnouted species and I wouldn't think they would crossbreed with the other two species.

Personally I doubt that they would ever cross, provided that there are enough of both sexes in the groups of the three species. Ian

Maybe I'll give it a try. If it does happen, I'll just keep any that look like hybrids and not breed them. And then separate the different species to prevent it from happening again.