Normal Rabbitfish Behavior or Something Else?

[LiquidSpace]

Fish: Orange Spot Rabbitfish
Aquarium: 20 Gallon long QT
Tankmates: Yellow assessor and harptail blenny.
No noticeable ammonia, copper is at 2.45 ppm. I am on day 19 of treatment with copper safe in my QT. Salinity at 1.025.

Tank has a 40 gallon canister filter and air stone.

This morning I turned on the lights and this fish was laying on its side looking dead. As soon as I got the net to scoop it out he shot up.

He is showing dark coloration with its spines extended, just staying close to the ground.

The fish is hiding next to the pvc pipes and near the intake. It hasn’t eaten today. It was previously very active. The first picture is this morning, the second picture is what it was looking like up until yesterday. Both the assessor and Benny are active and normal.

I have heard these guys can be very shy. But this seems like something else. It’s just sitting there breathing very slowly.

 

[LiquidSpace]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Rabbit fish are skittish, frighten easily, get dark in color and flicker their fins
Provide moderate light and is fish breathing normal or rapid?

 

[LiquidSpace]

Very slow breathing. Weird swimming too, very lazy.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very slow breathing. Weird swimming too, very lazy.

Video is short but I dont like how the fish is sinking in lieu of normal swimming. Has it eaten at all?
I dont see signs of aggression. Are any of the fish intimidating it?

 

[LiquidSpace]

Video is short but I dont like how the fish is sinking in lieu of normal swimming. Has it eaten at all?
I dont see signs of aggression. Are any of the fish intimidating it?

Yeah, it can barely keep afloat. It was eating and swimming all over yesterday, but not today. No aggression that I can see. I’d feel safe saying it’s moribund. This sucks.

 

[LiquidSpace]

Video is short but I dont like how the fish is sinking in lieu of normal swimming. Has it eaten at all?
I dont see signs of aggression. Are any of the fish intimidating it?

Here’s another video.


It eventually just lays down, but once I open the lid or make and movements it starts swimming. My cat wanted to help.

And does it look really skinny? It’s been like that the entire time.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here’s another video.


It eventually just lays down, but once I open the lid or make and movements it starts swimming. My cat wanted to help.

And does it look really skinny? It’s been like that the entire time.

Thank you for a good video and unfortunately this fish is very thin and appears moribund, in which it may not eat or swim normal moving forward. Getting it to eat and fatten up will be critical

 

[LiquidSpace]

Thank you for a good video and unfortunately this fish is very thin and appears moribund, in which it may not eat or swim normal moving forward. Getting it to eat and fatten up will be critical

Thank you. On one hand I’m happy to hear that it’s probably because it’s thin, on the other I wish I would have asked earlier when it was still active and eating.