We've had lots of problems with Rasboras and such too, we order B. brigittae, we get uropthalmoides, we order uropthalmoides, we get maculata, we order maculata we get dorsiocellatta... the list goes on. Some gatesii and kubotai were to come in just this week, though I do not dare to expect anything. I think over 50% of the time, we'd get the wrong fish. I am not sure why it is but this is just all to common an occurence with fish coming out of SE Asia right now (last couple years) especially rasboras.
It is my experience (Working in an LFS and importing for myself and my local club) that when purchasing fish off a list, one can expect the unexpected. While employed at a Pet store, I could honestly say that there would be at least one bag of fish per week that came in mislabelled or filled with contaminants. We received fish from Florida and SE Asia and the problem was uniform across the board. It was my understanding at the time that it was the norm and we would often not even look at the invoice and go ahead and ID everything ourselves. Doesn't make it right, but I have come to believe that that is the way it is.
This not only happens with the huge world-wide companies like Dolphin, (probably where AZG get their fish from) but smaller and specialized companies as well. I have seen and heard of mislabelled fish from reputable companies that are at the forefront of the business, and owned by "famous people in the know". (Won't mention any names :wink: ) so it can and will happen.
Most of the time, the fish will be pretty close, in the case of your Cories and Rasboras, sometimes you open the box and all you can do is scratch your head... I recently ordered some Lamonticthys filamentosa (a rare 3-4''whiptail cat and when they arrived, I was greeted with 10'' long monsters! They turned out to be Pterosturisoma microps, a fish that can hardly be mistaken for Lamonticthys. When informed of the miscue, the company stated that that is what they came in as. ( the universal answer / excuse to such an inquiry.) This from a highly reputable and recognized company that deals with wild caught cories and loricariides located in So Cal. You'd think they would at least have a reference book or something.
So what's the solution? I don't know, buy your fish from aquabid!?! your LFS!?! All I can say is try to get as much info as you can, even a picture of the fish in the holding tank if possible. the bottom line is take any list with a grain of salt regardless who it's from, all too often they are just passing on names and info whether if its correct or not.
