And I Quote....

[Fintastic!]

I was browsing in an lfs today (not my regular one) and got talking to the guy there. He has 50 years fishkeeping experience apparently. I asked if he had any peppered corys and he hadn't. He said (here's where the quote comes in) 'You don't need to get all the same. You can get different corys and they all shoal together and inter-breed.' That's all I wanted to say.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Some do shoal together like albinos and bronze cories he is right in some way, but some won't shoal and some will

 

[Fintastic!]

The albinos and bronzes are the same only the albino is the albino version of the bronze, iykwim. Maybe I'm wrong but it's the first time I've heard that said about corys. He meant all types.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Well. Not all types of cories will shoal, and I've heard that they will multiple times before, but certain types will, like really closely related ones. And I already know that a bronze corie is bassicly the same, as an albino cory but is still sold under a different name than the albino Cory. I don't believe that all types will shoal. Because try imagining a corydoras pygmaeus schooling with a full grown albino cory

 

[Fintastic!]

Yeah, I thought that. He was saying I could get one of each different type. I'm trying to up my peppers now and funnily enough they must be hankering for company as I've noticed they're hanging around with my bronzes and albinos. Even sleeping in the caves with them.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Lol, I have no ideas if they will school together but by saying all cories will school together is just a bunch of bs IMO

 

[Fintastic!]

I think my peppers are just desperate. Probably bored with eachother. Thanks for your replies Fishy friend2!

 

[Harlequins]

You probably won't see corys shoaling in their full glory in an aquarium set up has they would do in the wild....

They will be happier in bigger groups,but even with my largest groups of 15 Tri's & 15 pandas they dont necessarily shoal together,more miggling with each other,unless they go into breeding mode,i may see a dozen zooming around.

I have 10 different species between my tanks, they do tend to stick with there own kind,so technically they prefer their own species,but they will hang out with different species...even my albinos and their own offspring which are now fully grown bronze corys dont shoal together or even attempted interbreeding... so much for same species shoaling

 

[Fintastic!]

I've noticed they hang around together as opposed to actual shoaling. I suppose they feel safe enough in our aquariums. We can't have it all.

 

[Mowbz]

The above is about right, they might no necessarily "shoal" together, but they'll mingle and get on together.

Breeding is exclusive to their own species, except in the case of, i believe, Julli's and Trilli's, which may sometimes interbreed.

Bronze and albino may sometime spawn together, however they are both the same species, C. Aeneus.