Panda Cory (playing) Dead

Does anyone else with panda cories witness them dead, only they aren't dead?

I have a panda whom, this evening, I've seen lying in odd positions among the plants.

I know pandas can remain motionless for some time on the substrate, but this little guy seems to be exhausted and is listing in plants.

Just a few minutes ago I thought I'd lost him. He shuffled into some hair grass and all his fins literally relaxed at once, I thought I'd just seen the life leave him. He was lying on his side - you would swear it was a dead fish. I went to get a net to fish him out, then he darted up for air then right down again.

Since then he keeps "going to sleep". The other Pandas seem fine. The other fish are fine. I tested the water 6 days ago and everything was 0,0,0. I'm certain the water is more than sufficiently aerated.

Do you think he is ill or is behaviour explainable for cories?

Why do my cories insist on freaking me out?

I have a pic of him lying almost perpendicular in plants. I didn't take one of him lying on his side; I thought he was gone.

What I mean about his fins is: He was resting, listing in the plants then moved forward slightly - obviously still alive- then came to a sudden stop and slowly drifted onto his side. He fins then just moved out suddenly, like jazz hands, as if he'd given up, relaxed. I thought I'd witnessed the exact moment the life left him.

Then he moved again. Unfortunately there are too many places for them to hide in my tank. I'll go to try and find him again now...

Hi Cora,

I kept pygmy cories for a while last year and I remember this aspect of their behaviour which freaked me out on several occasions - the narcoleptic-like sleep while eating or resting was easy for me to adapt to but being convinced of having witnessed their certain death only for them to spring back to life in a Lazarus-like moment just as they were about to be fished out of the tank was a bit of a shock to the system for me. I'll have a hunt for the threads and add them into this post.

Unfortunately, my cories didn't do very well - they seemed to be absolutely fine for the first 5 months, then died one by one during months 6-9, so, for that reason, I can't confirm whether this behaviour is normal or a precursor to developing an illness. However, hopefully someone who has had cories for a longer spell than this will be able to confirm whether they also notice this.

Edited to add:
*struggling to find the post(s) but this one http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/new-fishkeepers/do-corydoras-sleep-upside-down-in-plants!/msg8642/#msg8642 by someone else might be helpful.
*shows how memory can play tricks over time. It seems, from my posts, as though this behaviour occurred when my pygmy cories were ill, with both feigning death (when actually alive) and, on one occasion, feigning life (when actually dead ie what transpired to be slow-onset rigor mortis in an upright, statuesque position). Although this feigning-death behaviour may well happen with healthy cories too (someone will hopefully be able to comment on whether this is the case or not), I would strongly advise you to keep an eye on the cories for any changes in behaviour or signs of anything else awry.

I had a panic moment last week with a salt & pepper cory (habrosus). I too thought it was dead as it was wedged between the hornwort and the glass. After I jiggled to hornwort to make sure, it swam an inch or two then stopped upside down in the plant. It eventually ended up in a corner where it remained unmoving for the rest of that day.
However, I think my fish might have had a reason. When I put my hand in the tank to jiggle the hornwort I realised there was almost no flow from the filter. A jugful of tankwater in a bucket soon found the cause. I had to use another jug of water to finish cleaning the media it was so disgusting  I can't remember the last time I cleaned it

Hi Cora,

Keep up the good work in keeping an eye on your cories - I'm just like that with my fish, and have had many an overnight vigil or been up with the torchlight on a frequent basis during the night to check up on the situation.

The following might of interest/use to you, to keep an eye out for, etc. - hopefully won't make you paranoid, though!:
http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/fish-health/pygmy-cory-not-thriving/msg18468/#msg18468
http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/fish-health/pygmy-cories-2-with-missing-parts-of-tails-and-1-with-a-spot-bent-spine/msg18897/#msg18897
http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/fish-health/pale-bloated-protruding-eyes-on-tail-less-pygmy-cory/msg19489/#msg19489
http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/fish-health/pygmy-cory-another-problem!/msg19857/#msg19857
http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/fish-health/another-pygmy-cory-problem/msg20163/#msg20163

How are your pandas today?

Afternoon all

life is particularly hectic at the moment, and not necessarily in a good way - which is why I'm not around consistently.

Not all of my pandas are from the same vendor. Most of them are a smoky white/dull/gold colour, as Pandas should be. But I think at least 2 of the 3 I bought in the latest patch are quite pale. I just assumed it was a natural variation. They are also smaller and therefore, I assume, younger, than the others. Perhaps they are just immature and will change colour as they get older.

I was paranoid that they aren't getting enough food, but whenever I drop sinking catfish pellets they always seem to come out. Perhaps I am overfeeding the tank! Because I want to make sure all 10 pandas get something to eat. Unfortunately unless it sinks and is well hidden, food doesn't last long at all in my tank!

The only other thing I am paranoid about is, as I've said several times, the fact that because it's so densely planted (good thing for light-shy pandas) is that I can never get a full count of them. If one of them died and was nestled in some back plants I wouldn't know about it. But I am loathe to start ripping up plants.

I've done more reading (cheers) and it seems that the coming up for air really isn't a problem, even if regular. As long as they aren't gasping at the surface, which they're not, then it should be ok. Although some people do report this popping up for air preceding a series of deaths, but I think that's post hoc reasoning.

So, in summary: pandas are still ok (the ones I can see) and I'll let you know if I remove some plants.

Cheers for all your concerns!