Identifying Corydoras 1 - The Spotted Ones

Identifying Corydoras 1

The Spotted Ones

Identifying the many species of Corydoras is becoming more and more difficult; there are a considerable number of species that can easily be mistaken for others that are similarly marked. Here I will try and show some of the characteristics that may help to separate some of the species that come into the trade as Corydoras punctatus, bearing in mind that these are only my opinions and should be used as a guide and not to be taken as fact. As I go through groups of species it will lead into other confusions and bring in species that are possibly new and yet to be described by science. The most obvious solution would be to have a picture database of all known species, which could then be used for comparison; unfortunately we don't have that luxury although the Aqualog "All Corydoras" book comes close.

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Ian Fuller
Ian Fuller

Born in Birmingham in 1946.

 

A toolmaker by trade, and self confessed Corydoras nut by admission

 

I started keeping tropical fish in 1970 in a small 18 inch aquarium, it was not very long before I had two, four foots and two three foots set up in the spare room. Overthe first two or three years I kept and bred many of the popular fish groups. Starting with South American Cichlids, graduating through Barbs, Anabantids and Characins. Although I had kept several species of catfish during this period it wasn't until early in 1973 that I took an active interest in them. From when I bred my first species of Corydoras in 1974 I have been well and truly hooked.    

                            

My first fish house took shape in 1977 and was a sectioned off part of my garage, which housed 36 - 18 x 18 x 12 inch tanks. It was then that I started seriously breeding Corydoras a project which still continues to this day in what is now my third fish house.

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