Corydoras loretoensis and C096 contaminant

This weekend I bought a group of C. loretoensis. I had read up a little bit about them and to my understanding individuals with a dark eye-mask could be from a different colour form/location.

For that reason I started a thread on Planetcatfish asking for help and id of my fish. I found out that the information about the eye mask was old and that it simply depended on the maturity of the fish.

What I also found out was that one of the loretos in fact is a C096, a different species also from Peru. I completely missed it even though I saw that the fish was a little bit different I did not cop on that it was a different species. In fairness they were quite similar but I could see the difference when it was pointed out to me and after having taken close-ups.

This is the thread:
www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38042#p260391

I was just wondering now if by any chance the same could have happened to someone else buying loretos, it’s a bit of a shame me having a single fish of one species if more could have come in.

It would be interesting to hear from others in the same boat, maybe we could arrange something in the future so that the fish potentially could be bred?

My fish are still being quarantined and need some t.l.c. so it is not an option to move the C096 or add more until they have settled and recovered and I’m sure that they don’t carry any nasties.

This is the C096:


Here’s the one of the regular C. loretoensis:



I know it’s a slim chance but worth a try.
Andreas

Couldn't spot much difference myself Ive been looking for two minitues,I'd reckon a few people have beem caught out ,it would of been great if they also told you it was worth thousands.

dubdero wrote:

Couldn't spot much difference myself Ive been looking for two minitues,I'd reckon a few people have beem caught out ,it would of been great if they also told you it was worth thousands.

That's what i thought!

They are very similar but it is a little bit easier when you can see the whole group and one stands out just a little bit.

Andreas

JohnH wrote:

You have me wondering now - I bought a half-dozen before Christmas but one expired soon after being brought home (in quarantine) I must really have a closer look at the others now you've brought this matter up.
I see there are more in the same shop, but they really needed a spell of 'settling-in' time before I chanced buying more.
I must have another look at those as well.
Thanks,
John

Hi John, the ones you described as needing a spell of "settling-in" are probably the ones that I picked up, they were quite rough looking and i did hesitate but in fairness the staff offered to hold them for me until they had recovered.

It would be very interesting to hear about yours and if there were any oddball amongst them.

Andreas

dubdero wrote:

Couldn't spot much difference myself Ive been looking for two minitues,I'd reckon a few people have beem caught out ,it would of been great if they also told you it was worth thousands.

Thats the only difference I could see.
It could be worse, you could have been told a pair is worth thousands

interesting thread here and on planet catfish forum. as the fish settle in any differences in pattern and behavior will become more apparent and it will be a bit easier to make a solid id.
look forward to reading more on this topic.

Cheers Derek,

Update:

The little lads are doing very well. They have been de-wormed(although i think i need to do this again), are eating well, fins are growing back and there has even been a little bit of courtship going on.

There are now three of the seven that I think potentially could be something else than C. loretoensis.

Fish# 6, identified as a C096 by Steve on PC


Fish# 3, which was in a bad shape originally


Fish# 1, the largest and which i find the hardest to put as one or the other:



For now the reside in the same quarantine tank but I'm planning on splitting them up soon. Hopefully they have some more colouring up to do which will make things easier as I'm not really sure about Fish# 1 as it is now.



Andreas

How are they now ?
Have you seen any changes or more species ?

Thanks for the reminder JustinK, I should have updated this post a while ago.

This turned to be a complete disaster (I’m gutted), when reading my previous post in this thread I realize that I was overly optimistic at the time.

The specimens expired one by one over a long period of time, probably starving to death. Signs were lack of appetite, lethargy and about half of the individuals developed a hole or depression at the forehead (hole in the head disease or sign of starvation?). They were offered a variety of live and dry foods but paid no interest. I keep other wild cories but have not had problems like this before.

I got some great advice of Derek here on the forum who really knows his stuff but it was too late at the time.

Perhaps I should not have treated them for worms that early, but at the same time some of the individuals were riddled.
In the end I should not have bought these fish, It’s a shame that it took the death of rare fish to learn a lesson.

Andreas

The biggest shame is that these fish were sold to you.
Shame on the shop!!!

I have been there before its a hard lesson to learn but one i am sure you will never make again.
I know i wont be spitting cash out without being 100% sure all is good.

Very true, I surely will be more cautious in the future.

At least they never left the quarantine tank.

Andreas