Help ID my oddball Cory

[MichelleN]

We didn't see the differences when we picked him up, he was all alone in a tank by himself in the corner, as were two others, so we foolishly "rescued" all three. And when we got him home and got a real good look, we didn't think he'd make it through the night. He seemed smudged and his eyes were sunk in!  But he did, then a week, then a month, and more.   He's doing well with our other "rescued" false jullii now regrowing their barbels in a quarantine tank. He's active, but not as strong yet, and has remained smaller.  Anyone know what he is? I've looked at pictures online of different corydoras but haven't yet found something that seems to match all three of his "racoon" mask, the large bluish dots near the tail fin along with his dark dorsal. And that's ignoring his odd little eyes.  Someday we'd like him to have his own kind to swim with, if we knew what to look for. Much appreciated if anyone has suggestions. 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by MichelleN

[shkote]

Corydoras leucomelas sometimes get sold as trilineatus. I have one that was sold with a group of false julii. He was a little darker when I first got him. 

[Colu]

I have looked in my ian.a.m fuller corydoras book and can't find a cory  with that pattern  on body and black mask overs eyes there are similar corys not the quiet the same

Edited December 14, 2020 by Colu

[MichelleN]

@Lynze that is a truly gorgeous cory!  

 Ours seems much darker and has stripes and the spot which is the same on both sides.  But man, yours is a looker!  Just stunning. I think I'm jealous. 

Does it seem content with the false julii? Ours used to spend much of It's time alone when they were in the 75 tank, but now that they are all in the tiny meds tank "he" seems more part of the herd, and I think better off for it. 

@Colu

I know! Thank you for looking, I found a couple charts and really fun corydoras compilation video (so much variety) but they seemed to have combinations of two or three of his traits, never all. Maybe it's a mutt (haha).   I guess all we can do is keep him with this group and keep half an eye out. 

Edited December 15, 2020 by MichelleN

[shkote]

I have read about the possibility of pandas and false julii cross breeding, but I don't know if there is any truth to it. Perhaps it is possible and you have a hybrid panda x false julii cross in your mix? It's also possible it's another variant/morph of a julii that just looks a little different from the rest. Either way, it's a pretty little fish!

My leucomelas seems to be accepted as one of their own most of the time, but you can tell he doesn't belong completely. It seems he shoals with them as a last resort, but spends more time alone than the rest of them. 

[Andy's Fish Den]

I would agree with @Lynze that its Corydoras leucomelas. also goes by the name false spotted corydoras. 

Corydoras(ln9) leucomelas • Callichthyidae • Cat-eLog (planetcatfish.com)

[Colu]

Body Patten different to corydoras leucomelas has spotted body Patten the one on picture spot have joined up in to lines

[Kat_Rigel]

13 hours ago, Colu said:

Body Patten different to corydoras leucomelas has spotted body Patten the one on picture spot have joined up in to lines

I think that might just be normal variation, sort of like every zebra having a slightly different stripe pattern. This one just happens to have the spots lined up fairly well.