# Melanistic Cory?



## Only One Haze (Sep 6, 2011)

I am out of town visiting in laws so I stopped by my mother in laws LFS Driftwood Aquatics in Tappahannock VA. They have some nice stuff, mainly the basics, but then I saw some cories that I had never seen before. They were labeled as Melanistic Cory. They are pretty dark in color and have a tan stripe on them running top to bottom about midway down their back down toward the front to just behind the eyes I think it was. Anyone ever seen these or have any info on them. I am planning one grabbing a group of 5 tomorrow on our way back home. I will see if they are still open and try to get a pic and the scientific name tonight if at all possible. Thanks!


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Melanism is the exact opposite of albinism. It is an excess of melanin (which does link it, name-wise, to melanoma, as melanoma is a cancer that afflicts the melanin-producing cells in the skin). It's a recessive genetic trait. Not sure if melanistic animals suffer the same vision problems of albinos.

This should help you get started:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/_species.php?species_id=311

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/_species.php?species_id=111

but from your description I'm guessing they might be the opposite of an albino "Panda Cory" or "skunk cory" also. There are also Penguin Cory Cats ... I couldn't find any real info on penguins though 

When I'm trying to ID a cory ... I visit this site:
If you can't find it here, I dunno what to tell ya hehe
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/genus.php?genus_id=1


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## Only One Haze (Sep 6, 2011)

Thanks! I am going to give them a call in the morning and try and get the scientific name.


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## Only One Haze (Sep 6, 2011)

Definitely Corydoras Melanistius. For some reason I was thinking the back half was almost a solid color but they are spotted.

Here are some shots of mine:



























These little guys are awesome! Got a nice group of 5 and they really liven up the place!


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Glad I could Help 
Now go find an upsidedown cat ... they are hilarious.
They spend about 90% of their time upside down. They usually rest upside down also.
the only time I've seen mine flip over was to eat off the gravel, and even then it prefers to do a headstand instead. mine actually loves eating flakes from the surface though. he goes nuts for bloodworks or other larvae.
They are not technically a cory cat, but mine hangs out with the cories.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/_species.php?species_id=334

next thing you know you'll start looking at the loaches ... they can be hilarious to watch. my dojo loaches love to dance all day. they wrap around each other constantly (mating). my cloan loaches are a hoot. they also love to dance, but they also like to sleep upside down and scare the stuff out of me


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## Only One Haze (Sep 6, 2011)

Yeah my local Petsmart actually has a bunch of the upside down cats. Every time we go in their we have to check them out.

I think I want to add a group of Black Schultzei Corys to add some nice contrast. And the seller on aquabid actually lives here in Richmond, so I could just pick them up!


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

I think I remember them. Pretty much all black I think. Definetly different for a cory.
I'm always trying to find an oddball cory to add to my lil family. So far all 6 varities hang out together. The skunk can somtimes have a lil attitude and goes off by itself for a few days. But, the rest are always schooling together. The upside down cat has started hanging out with them a lil. Today I saw the skunk and upside down resting side by side. The skunk was just staring at the lil upside down guy. I'm sure he was trying to figure out what that cory was on. I saw my lil albino try to turn upside down also. He had a hard time at first, but he did finally get upside down. He didn't stay that way for too long though.

Anyways, I love my cats and I can talk about their silly behavior all day.
So, I'll stop now ... But, good luck with yours


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## Only One Haze (Sep 6, 2011)

hahaha thats awesome! I bet that was a sight! This is one of the parents of the group of black schultzeis. Great looking fish


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

I think i'll order one of them actually 
I'm know every manager by name of every fish store in my area.
I' sure one of them can find blackie 
I noticed you had a frog. I've thought about putting one in one of my tanks for about a year now. Had any fights? Do you have the kind with the spikes on their knees?
I've always been afraid that it would kill some of my fish when it got big enough.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

African Dwarf Frogs are slow and almost completely blind. There is little chance of it hurting any fish. They have been known to sometimes get lucky and catch the tail of slow moving fish, but the fish usually can get away from them. These frogs actually eat pellets and algae tablets that fall to the ground. They cant see well enough to hunt.

They are also some of the only frogs you can keep completely underwater. They will go up for air, but they do not need any land.


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

think 2-3 dwarf frogs would work in any of the tanks listed in my signature?
I'm leaning towards the community tank. the puffers would most likely eat him if the salkt didn't kill him. he would also do fine in either of the 10g tanks most likely. But, I'm not sure how many I could put in a 10g.


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## Only One Haze (Sep 6, 2011)

Oh yeah, the frog does great. 2-3 would be great in your 38. We feed him frozen bloodworm with a pipette and have actual hand fed him a few times. Its pretty cool. He has bumped into some of the other fish, especially the cories since they are around the bottom. Sometimes we swear he thinks he is a cory or they think he is one of them, because they swim to the too together all the time. One would work in your 10 as well. That is where this guy was before moving into the 30.


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

I now have 2 dwarf african froga in my snail tank. They seem to love it in there.
I had them in the 38g, but the gourami and andgle wouldn't leave em alone.


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