Racial Profiling Amongst Cories

[slinky]

Here's a good question. I just returned one of my Balloon Rams and exchanged him for another False Julii / Trillineatus. Something was a little off about the little guy but I took him home. When I got there I realized that he looked a tad different but still seemed virtually the same as all the other 3 FJ/T but a clearly lighter color than usual. He does have one line horizontally and two dotted ones, one on top and on the bottom. Front seems more connected pattern. However, he's clearly lighter than the others.

After a few days of acclimating, he seems to hang out with the rest of them although sometimes he hangs out alone. Then again, all cories do that at times too. I noticed that by his gill area they are also more red than the other ones but, that too, I've seen common but the water seems to be fine for them. (I still need help figuring out why my pH keeps rising to 7.5 even though I have wood in there and my water goes in at 7.0.)

So the question is (a) is this guy really a trillineatus? I'll put up some pics shortly. (b) If he is, do they care between light and darker skinned FJ/T cories?

[jbeining75]

Whats your substrate? Do you have broken shells or coral or rock in the tank??

[slinky]

Whats your substrate? Do you have broken shells or coral or rock in the tank??
Eco Complete in the tank. No broken shells or coral. I do have a good amount of regular rock.

Here are pictures of the cories. The first picture is the group of two which are my old False J's or trillineatus - they have many more dark lines and are darker. I'm wondering if the light one is a leopardus but it's definitely not spotted although he seems that he might have a slightly bigger head. The last one, of the three, my new guy is in front and the other one in back. Wish the pic was clearer but you can see the new guy very clearly from the other two pictures.

[jbeining75]

Its probably the rock. Does it bubble??

[slinky]

Its probably the rock. Does it bubble??
Not at all.

[RichBowyer]

I have noticed with many of my fish that if you add a member of a species they are not part of the group right away. They know the new guys are outsiders and seem to take time to accept them.

[NickFish]

Not sure exactly what you are asking but the color of the same species of fish can vary greatly depending on how they were raised, the tank conditions, and the food they were and are fed. After awhile in the tank his color may change to match that of the others.
Hope that helps a little!

[fraggle]

I don't think it's a leopordus, their pattern is less connected and more dotty! Just think he's taking a while to settle in. Don't know about the red on the gills, maybe keep an eye on him?