Baby Peppermint in community tank

Hello, I am baaccccccck. xD

Soo, Snowball and Bristle have settled down now. Bristle has claimed two of the four caves and snowball has actually ditched the other two and dug under a big island ornament where she is spending a fair amount of time. Snowball will be going from the current 180l tank to my tank (when established) which is the exact same tank (jewel 180).

The issue I am posting about is regarding my newest addition whom will be accompanying snowball to their new tank. This is a peppermint bristlenose (not 100% sure on the L number, not a white seam at least). The peppermint went in and instead of hiding, she has decided to just lay on the sand in the open. This isn't what has bothered me, what's bothering me is;

1) She isn't eating (nearly always have this with my new plecos).
2) Not moving very often, this includes when a cory started to eat a pellet that it push onto her. The cory was eating the pellet off of her and she just sat there.

The other concern I have is for her safety, in the tank there is a full grown male common bristlenose and a 3-4 inch snowball pleco. Snowball should be ok but bristle charges around the tank like there's no tomorrow.

Here's what I need to ask and will appreciate help with;

1 - Will bristle take a territorial stance against the peppermint like he did with the (a lot bigger) snowball?
2 - Is there a chance of him laying on her accidentally?
3 - Is it normal for a peppermint to lay in the open and very casual upon contact with other fish?

Only other thing is... what would you recommend for moving the plecos to their new tank when the time comes?

Any help will be appreciated, thank you in advance.

the first time i got albino longfins the larger male did this. just sat in the open for ages...actually how i got my avatar pic

He sat there for about 12 hrs with no real movement then i woke up and he was safely in a cave and happy as. If he is still not moving tomorrow then I would suggest something is really wrong. I take it you did the proper aclimatisation procedure and didnt just dump him in. With mine, I put it down to shock as i tested the water they came in and then the water from the tank and they were so vastly different (mine being worse, oh the trials of inexperence). Once he got used to it he was ok. I aclimatised him over about 15 mins which in hindsight was way too short for the difference in water parameters.

When it comes to moving bristlenose. I catch them them and put them into a tupperware container half filled with the old tanks water. then slowly add in water from the new tank using a syphon made from airline with a tap so the water only drips out and leave them in that for a while until the water is at least 50:50 or more then in they go. Or if the tanks have the same water parameters (i.e. same tanks from a breeding setup) then i just throw them in.

Never have i had a pep lay out in the open, they are not like ya normal BN, they are shy and prefer to hide out of sight.

Whenever i move any of mine they head for the nearest cover at warpspeed. I would be worried if my pep layed out in the open, and i dump mine into any of my new tanks, juvies to adults.

Rarely do i see my adult peps eat, and they refuse to come and get food until the lights are out. Fry & Juvies will come out, but as they get older they get shyer and shyer until they hold off until the lights are off too.

Thanks for the replies.

I originally put it down to shock. As for adding her to the tank...

I left her in the bag floating in the top of the water for 20 minutes and then put her into the tank. I'm wondering if it was the putting her straight in instead of adding some water to the bag that did it.

Woke up this morning and she had dug a little whole under snowballs cave which was barely big enough for her. Upon getting home I found her upside down on the floor and as I moved the ornament she was behind, snowball flew out and she just floated around, not breathing or swimming so...

RIP Pepper. Second baby bristle I have owned and second one to die on me. First one was a common and that was my fault... Being new to keeping fish I just rushed out and got him and putting one in a 4 week old tank is just stupid.

I have rung up pets at home which is where I got her out of a tank of them... They told me they will replace but to bring up a water sample just to ensure that the water is ok. Unfortunately, being my mum's tank, she only watches the temperature, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia. Waterhardness and pH just isn't being tested, however, my full grown common (bristle) swims around happily enough and he spends most of his time on the side of top of his cave. xD Snowball is also looking healthy so I honestly think it may have been the shock.

Any suggestions? Should I try another one or do you think it could just be mean on the fish? Probably worth mentioning that she was about 5-6 cm long.

Any input is appreciated, may be going up there later to get another one though so hopefully someone will read this in time.

At the moment water wise, the tests are showing;

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: (can't test need to get another as my sister used it as well).
Temperature: 25-27C.

THIS may help you to acclimatize new fish.

It sounds like your Peppermint went into shock when you released it.

Yeah that's what I thought.

Went back and they checked the water and their words... "The water is perfect." Doesn't explain much as perfect differs from fish to fish xDD

Got the most active, changed it up and got a peppermint with a few little bristles. On the front of the tank at the time, all over so I got a good view of his stomach. Fair size, he has come out and is all over the side of the tank right now. So I am pleased.

Thanks for the help.

congrats on the new pep and good luck this time

Thanks Just went to check on him and he pulled himself along the air curtain and then started to omnomnom on the wood. Looking good, don't think he is big enough to bother snowball or bristle either.