"Napping" peppered cory

[Apulo]

Last night I figured I'd get some friends for my two panda cories so stopped by Petsmart (yeah, I know) and picked up a threesome of peppered cories that looked incredibly lively.

I got them home and did a two hour drip acclimation before dumping them in a net and adding them to my tank. They all seemed rather lively and the pandas seem to have really liked having some new friends.

This morning I woke up to cories playing around in the substrate except for one that was floating on his side at the top of the tank. I cried out "Oh no!" and went to scoop him up to put in a bag to take back to the store.

Imagine my surprise when I got close to him and he jetted off to join his buddies at the bottom of the tank.

I have read others having the same issue and that the fish was fine after a day or two.

Does this one just like napping and floating around at the top of the tank?

[lefty o]

every once in a while you will find a cory sleeping, and beyond a doubt swear it is dead.

[Apulo]

I was totally convinced it was dead, I even went to the kitchen to get a baggie.

Before I left for work, about 45 minutes later. He was happily hanging out at the bottom of the tank with his buddies.

Adorable yet confusing little guys.

[AndreaW]

Yes, Cories are kinda funny that way. However, they are also sensitive to water parameters and will sometimes exhibit strange behaviors when something is off. Last month, one of my cories was floating upside-down at the top but as soon as I would approach the tank, he would perk up like nothing was wrong (happened a couple times). Turns out there was a small ammonia spike from some uneaten food. Apparently he was the sensitive one. I did a water change and he perked right back up and was fine after that. 

[Apulo]

On 4/1/2022 at 10:56 AM, AndreaW said:

Yes, Cories are kinda funny that way. However, they are also sensitive to water parameters and will sometimes exhibit strange behaviors when something is off. Last month, one of my cories was floating upside-down at the top but as soon as I would approach the tank, he would perk up like nothing was wrong (happened a couple times). Turns out there was a small ammonia spike from some uneaten food. Apparently he was the sensitive one. I did a water change and he perked right back up and was fine after that. 

Yeah, that was the first thing I checked. Everything was perfect except for a small lack of nitrate.

[Jawjagrrl]

I had this happen with my kuhli loaches one time. They loved to come up to and steal the betta's food, but I saw one just floating motionless in the floating plants. I was really bummed as they were a present for my spouse who was still new to fish and he was watching. I went for a net, took off the lid...nothing. I gently nudged with a wet fingertip...nothing.

Convinced he was a goner, I started to scoop him out. Zoooooommmm! All over the tank, then joined his friends while I cursed like a sailor. My husband laughed so hard... that might have been the beginning of his real interest in the hobby. 😄 

[Apulo]

I'm starting to believe the cory was just playing a cruel April Fools joke on me.

[Apulo]

The poor lil dude didn't make it

The other two are fine and no ammonia or nitrite in the water.

I bagged up the corpse to take it back to PetSmart for a replacement.

😪

[lefty o]

that sucks, but rest assured they can and will pull the im sleeping so hard i look dead thing.