Mandarin Dragonet Acting Funny?

[Cole_Voeller]

I have two baby dragonets from Biota, that I’ve had for about 5 months. Currently eating pellets and copepods. I had an ich a problem a while back, and while I treated all my other fish with copper, I did TTM with these two. Afterwards I put them into a temporary tank, where they still are. Anyway, they have been doing great, except the male right now. For the last day or so, he just slowly drifts around near the surface, and I can nudge him and he hardly reacts. He keeps his tail curved and clamped, and I haven’t seen him eat either. He has acted like this once before about a month ago, and it stopped after a couple days, and he went back to normal. It’s just really weird and worrying to see him act like this which is why I want to ask if anyone has any idea what this could be.
Thanks all!

 

[HankstankXXL750]

What are the tank parameters. Ammonia? Nitrates?

Does the tank have any rock work, pvc for hiding? If you don’t have one you might add an air pump in case the tank is low in oxygen.

 

[Cole_Voeller]

What are the tank parameters. Ammonia? Nitrates?

Does the tank have any rock work, pvc for hiding? If you don’t have one you might add an air pump in case the tank is low in oxygen.

1.024, ph 8, 0 ammonia (I’ll check again when I get home), <5 nitrates (just did a water change a few days ago).
Not a lot of rock, I can add more. There is PVC which he uses. I use a sponge filter for this temporary tank so there is plenty of oxygenation.

 

[Cole_Voeller]

What are the tank parameters. Ammonia? Nitrates?

Does the tank have any rock work, pvc for hiding? If you don’t have one you might add an air pump in case the tank is low in oxygen.

Just got home. He is now zooming around on the sand bed, hunting baby brine shrimp and copepods. What a weirdo. I was going to take a video of his weird drifting thing.

 

[blaxsun]

Just got home. He is now zooming around on the sand bed, hunting baby brine shrimp and copepods. What a weirdo. I was going to take a video of his weird drifting thing.

You've got a keeper.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Just got home. He is now zooming around on the sand bed, hunting baby brine shrimp and copepods. What a weirdo. I was going to take a video of his weird drifting thing.

Do you have a cover on the tank? I had similar issues with a yellow watchman goby and then he disappeared. Don’t know what his issue was, and I can’t remember if he died and we replaced him with one that repeated the hanging out at the top.

Which ever way it went, I did find him in the sump at some point so not sure what was wrong. However, anytime I have a fish do something different than normal, I first check ammonia as it can be a killer, then nitrates as they aren’t as harmful, but some fish respond more than others. I always add air pump when issues present as it can only help, and does no harm.

Also, I assume that they both are not male. But even if different sexes, there could be a little territorial conflict as they get used to a new environment.

Biggest concern IMO is the lethargy and not fleeing from you intrusion.