Occies & company are here

[pvaughn]

All fish arrived today.  All alive and seemingly well.

The brichardi settled right in.  No problems that I can see.  

The occies, however, sank to the bottom and didn't move for perhaps a half hour/45 minutes.  Then they dissapeared.   Then I saw 2 huddled in a corner.  Then they dissapeared.  Then one showed up near the shells in the middle of the tank.  This one investigated a shell and decided to burrow under it.  Now I don't see any of them.

Is this normal?  Does anyone have any suggestions?  

I've really been looking forward to these fish and am a bit--make that a lot--dissapointed.

Oh, checked water.  amonia 0; nitrite 0; nitrate .5.

[Mattf]

You're fine mate. My occelatus female took about three days before I saw her living normally. I was quite concerned too.

The males took it faster though...

[pvaughn]

mattf,

thanks for the quick reply.  feeling MUCH better knowing that yours behaved similarly.

[YoderHimself]

yeah my shellies (diff. sp.) took about 3-4 days to come out and a little over a week to really behave normal.

[Voodoo Chilli]

My staps did the same thing last week when they arrived.  I turned the lights off and just let them alone for about 24 hours- they settled in nicely when I turned the tank lights on and fed 'em the next day.

[pvaughn]

Appreciate the info.  Thanks all.  Seems like they all take a while to settle.  I came home a little while ago and found one hovering over a shell, one in a depression next to a shell, and the other four MIA.   I'm going in to feed bloodworms and see who surfaces.