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Hi all,

As some may know my C. sterbai have been spawning regularly for the last few months, since the warmer weather.
In the same tank I also have C. similis which had also been spawning but not as often.
All offspring from this tank have been raised together in another tanks.
Two of them look different to any of the other offspring, its clear their not similis but they don't look quite right for sterbai either, could they be sterbai similis crosses??
I hadn't given the possibility they may cross a thought, was a little concerned when the C. caudimaculatus (being a similar looking species) were still in the tank although at that stage the similis had never bred, it wasn't until I moved the caudi's and added another group of similis to the tank they started breeding and the few spawns from the caudi's while in the tank weren't fertile.

I had noticed when spawning some of the similis males were a little eager chasing everything and anything in the tank lol but didn't think much more of it at the time.

After seeing these two show up, think I may have to separate the two species.

Anyway here's some pic's of them.







Tammy

yeah looks like you may be right coloration looks a little off to me

The colour patern is more reminiscent of C haraldschultsi than C sterbai. ie. darks spots on a pale background as opposed to light marking on a dark background. The bluring on the caudal with a metalic sheen raises a question also. My guess is that you have got a hybrid there Tammy.

Thanks for sharing that info with us, forewarned we are. Caution when houseing these two species together.

Alan

hmm.. i will be interested to see what they look like when full grown... but seperating them may be a good idea

Hi!

Yeap they do look like a bit of both, for sure it is a crossbred specimen...
I encourage you not to spread around these and keep them eventually as curiosity...
Cheers
Yann

Looking at them I'd say they must be?? The only corys in the breeding tank are the similis and sterbai.

For the time being the 2 in question have been moved to a separate tank from the others.
Will also be making sure they don't leave the fish room, so wont be past on to anyone else.

For comparison I've added some pic's of a normal sterbai about the same age.





Tammy

HI!

One thing really bother me with your Sterbai, maybe it is because of the lightening or the camera flash but, it is the "bronze sheen" near the caudal pedoncule... only similis should have these...
You really should be keeping both species seperated, that would avoid such crossbreeding risk...
Cheers
Yann

The sterbai in the last post is not a cross, its just the flash/lighting.
Similis 'bronze sheen'? I thought it was a 'blue sheen'.

Anyway the reason for posting, if my suspicions were correct use it as a warning to others to keep the 2 species separate.

I never imagined these two species would cross after all its said to be rare for any corys to cross, hearing few reports of such thing, but in such events panda normally being one of the culprits.
Maybe it happens more often then we know?? Can only hope it doesnt.

Tammy

Can't be definite.
Maybe is young plus envirnoment or the flash. But I am quite open to cross anyway as long it stays in the tank.