Sick Apisto after shipping

[Oohitsae]

So, my Apistogramma Trifasciata pair were supposed to come in wednesday morning, but instead didn't show up till late today (4:30pm)
The female is looking to be in pretty good shape, but the male is extremely stressed looking from the trip, I assume. I had drip acclimated them both for 3 hours before adding them to their 20, but while the female is swimming around getting used to her new surroundings, the male is breathing heavily and won't use his pectorals. He just kind of lays on my floating plants and moves here and there when he gets uncomfortable, and then floats till he finds another spot to hold him... His fins don't look clamped, but he won't use them much, so I am assuming they are..
All I have done so far is cupped him so he doesn't have to move so far, and the lights have been off all day.
I was considering running to walmart and getting some stress coat (ran out a while ago) or just adding some AQ salt to his cup, but I want to know what everyone thinks.


What is the best method to help him? They are a confirmed pair, so I'd hate to lose him!

Water parameters are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 20 nitrate.
Only tank mates are some BN pleco juvies who aren't showing any symptoms of anything.

 

[HUKIT]

Take him out of the cup as that will only create more stress. Leave them be for a couple of days, don't feed and try to leave them alone to explore to their new surroundings uninterrupted. Personally I'd skip the salt and Stress Coat and just give them some time to relax in clean water.

 

[Oohitsae]

I did take him out of the cup for a while but then he decided he didn't want to stay upright anymore. I don't want my plecos or the female bothering him so I moved him into a .75 gallon betta container that I use for QT'ing my new betta purchases. He has a heater, temps at 84* and I added a very small amount of AQ salt, and a bit of melafix. He's perked up a bit since then (been about 1/2 an hour), but I'm still worried about it. Lights have been off all day and it's completely covered around the sides, i can only see in when I take the lid off, so no outside elements can bother him either. He's still flipping upside down every now and then, but he's trying to right himself now.


I do have a question though, Him and the female I got were a proven pair, if he dies, will she be willing to pair up with another male? Or are they like some penguins and monogomous for life?

I'm still a bit new to apistos and cichlids, so if that's a stupid I apologise

 

[Oohitsae]

He passed away. Luckily the seller is going to ship out a new male on Monday free of charge even for shipping.