Move a fish who's hiding or let them be?

[Ocelaris]

I picked up 2 fairy wrasses, a leopard wrasse, a melanurus wrasse, and a rainford's goby who have been in quarantine together for a week and a half. 4 days ago my LFS had a female rhomboid wrasse and I picked her up as well. I put her in with the others, but she was getting picked on by another fairy wrasse, so I moved her to another quarantine tank where she was eating fine. I then brought everyone back together where the rhomboid had established herself, and she battled with the other fairy from before (a rubripinnis). But then for 2 days she was out and eating no problems.

Then I started coppersafe, slowly, enough that it would take 4 days to get to full strength. After that she's been in the chaeto ball hiding, not coming out to eat. I've done 3 water changes over the 3 days and added carbon, everyone else seems to be fine, but I am wondering if I should separate her out and give her, her own qt tank for a bit?

I can't see anything like heavy breathing or issues, so I don't know if it's something new or just a reaction to the copper or tank mates?

 

[ngoodermuth]

Are you sure she's not still getting picked on? Do you have an acclimation box? Maybe you can put the aggressor into a "time out" for a day or two and see if the rhomboid comes around.

If it's not aggression, I'd suspect illness or a parasite might be to blame...

 

[Ocelaris]

It doesn't appear to be aggression, she's out a little more today as I got live brine shrimp. But I saw one scratch their face/gills on a pvc tube. They have all gone through one round of prazipro, but I imagine there are still some bugs in the quarantine tank.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Just be vigilant, hiding and refusing to eat could indicate another issue - like velvet, or intestinal parasites. Keep an eye out for white stringy poop, heavy breathing, swimming into the flow, etc.

 

[Ocelaris]

Thanks, with the scratching I decided to go start api general cure as I've had good lick with that before.

I'm a bit relieved that she was out and about a tad, and nibbling on mysis and brine. Here she is a few days ago, and second in command.

 

[Ocelaris]

Things are looking better, everyone is out and eating after 2 days of general cure. I'll do another round tonight and hopefully things only get better.