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what is the average lifespan for a peppered cory.

I've got 2 that are about 5 years old, and their starting to look old, and pretending their dead, (lying motionless on the floor at funny angles (including upside down)) before bustling off in another direction.

now I know them temps aren't great for them (28-29c) however I have no other tanks (except a 12" cube which is unheated, and has no open spaces suited to cory's) however they've never show any problems (other than not breeding, but I can understand that)

These should live for quite some time, but 5 years in "too warm water" isn't too bad, I would say.

If you have that warm water, maybe you should consider a cory that is more suited to warm water, such as

--
Mats

I would have liked to give them a tank with more appropriate temperatures, however I'm banned from getting more tanks, and the only ones with an acceptable temperature range house Mbuna (not ideal tank mates)

I do plan to replace them with C. Sterbai. though currently debating whether to get them from trimar or not (given how I prefer to see the fish before buying it. however cost wise its expensive yo go down to trimar itself, and all the other shops are a huge amount more expensive (£7 an oto @ maidenhead aquatics. or £1.25 each from trimar.))

just a thought, what are these like in hard alkaline water??

just considering them as tankmates for my Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis. I was going to leep them in with firemouths, however from what I've just read in the PFK magazine that although they can tollerate 24c(75f), they prefer 16-18c(61-65f)in which case a smaller (thinking 30" mark) unheated tank would suit them fine.

as such I was thinking it might be worth trying to breed some cory's in there. however the livebearers require hard(ish) alkaline water.

Please do remember C paleatus is not an amazonian cory. I encountered them in Uruguay, together with cichlids close to the sea

They MIGHT cope very weell with hard water, although I think they might rather have it softer and a bit brackish - I think, I'm not knowing

Regarding the tempreatures, in summer (January) it can be fairly hot there - over 25 degrees averige of day and night in northern Uruguay, or southern Brasil, but in winter average temperatures candrop to 10 degrees or less for a few days

Last wintrer I had a few day of less than 10 degrees with no problems for my wild caught paleatus. However in summer 30 degrees had been accepted too

Under conditions that suit them cories can live a long time. I knew of a fellow years ago that had a small group of Aeneus that were 20 years old and still spawning. I have some such as my Rabauti and A few others that are at least 10 years old. Good food and water as well as temperatures in the low to mid 70's is the secret.

I am a rank amateur aquarist but I have 6 Panda Cory's and 4 Melini's that are teenagers at least. ( I don't know how old the Melini's were when purchased). Cool (72-74) and hard water. Regular changes. They seem to like it. Still very active and young looking (to me).