Can't catch sick Cichlid !

[mole]

One of my cichlids isn't looking well.  It looks thin, doesn't eat and just rests on the same 2 rocks.

I've setup a smaller tank with the intent of nursing it back to health but can catch it.

I have a 90G tank with rock work and it always gets away from me hiding in the rocks or plants.

Taking out all the rocks and plants would be quite the undertaking, but at the same time I'm not sure if it'll recover otherwise.

Any ideas?  Should I just hope for the best?

[Eagle_Eye]

Ide say at most take you're time with it, remove the rock werk... long hard yet worth it if you can katch that little bugger eh!!

Take you're time, personnay i woudn't worry about plants..

then you catch him and nurse him well cause you worked hard enough to get a hold of him. and get him well.

Good Luck on you're journey!!

[Eagle_Eye]

forgot to mention, just in case....

as you are putting you're rocks back.. slowly deposit them
don't just drop them in tanl... don't needs those rocks falling right thru for you to find you're self quickly in a puddle..

just use caution yet you must get this done fast to catch that critter in time!!

[Stevie]

Try using two nets and leave them in the tank overnight so that the fish get used to them.  Then see if you can slowly move the sick guy into one net with the other.

[Nelson]

I've used a sheet of plexi cut to the inner dimensions of my tank to restrict the fishes movement.  May not work for you depending on the amount of rock etc. in your tank.

[mole]

I'll try leaving the net in and find my old tank divider to see if its big enough to help.

I'd  like to avoid pulling rocks if possible, it would be so much work and freak the fish out in the process.

Thanks for the advice.

[Eagle_Eye]

so did it werk??

[mole]

They're not as afraid of the net but still too fast to get catch it in open water.

I assume it's getting better since it now swims to get food and joins the others at times, although still spends lots of its time resting on rocks.  

It looks like it has a small divot in his side.  Could this be a bite mark or some illness.  This may be what caused the recent changes in its behavior.