Peppered dying of old age?

I have 2 peppered's in my 55 gallon. One is bigger and when I got them someone had traded them in so I do not know the age. I thought he had already passed away so I was scooping him up and saw him breathing so I let him back in and he returned to the bottom to rest. He has really slowed down in the past couple of weeks but his color is fine as is all my other fish. All parameters are good, and to look at him sitting there you would think he is healthy. I put some black water extract in there as I have had that stuff perform miracles before.

Whatever it was, he passed away...

Sorry.....

No worries, I am thinking it was old age. He was traded in at a store I visit and he was big so I wanted him. The way had been slowing down makes me think he was old. He at least had a peaceful end, his poor buddy seems lost now, but hopefully the 2 bronze I added that keep following him will help out :)

i hear cories have been known to live up to 20 yrs. but idk if that is exception or rule.

my oldest cory was an albino she lived to be almost 14 years old she had lots of kids in her lifetime