Why do my fish ALWAYS HIDE????

[murph]

Well if your fish are not dieing your probably doing better than half the other newbs to the hobby. Like was said give it some time. Just turn the lights on like normal feed like normal and relax. Many times the stress the hobbyist is feeling directly relates to the stress the fish are feeling.
This may sound silly but I have seen it happen. As soon as the hobbyist stops stressing over the tank the fish do the same. This is often true of tanks that are set up and serviced by an outside handler. As soon as the customer got use to haveing the tank in the house or business the fish seemed to follow suit.
You may also want to try some dither fish. These are easily acclimated fish whos tendency is to hover out in open waters. Pajama cardnals may work for this. The other fish see the dithers out in the open and become more confident of there surrondings.

 

[kingspade]

but they dont seem stressed from acclimation they seem scared of something in the tank??????

 

[kingspade]

PLEASE!! anyone else have opinions??

 

[murph]

I think you may have miss understood. Get a pair of small pajama or bangai cardinals, they should be inexpensive. Pajama cardinals will naturally hover calmly in the top or middle of the water column.
The tangs will see this and become confident that there are no predators in the area and become more confident of there surroundings in general.

 

[kingspade]

why does my tank seem to be the only one to have this problem, 3 of my family mombers have fish only sw tanks and all their fish never hide out like mine, granted my tank has a lot more going on inside as far as flow, rock ammount and im sure noise too, but whenever any of them get a new fish they are always out swimming around never hiding?????????

 

[1journeyman]

Nah... we all have had experience with jumpy fish.
My school of Chromis are amazingly jumpy. Which is bad as they are considered "dither" fish that are supposed to make the other fish more secure.

 

[kingspade]

im wondering why all my family that has tanks dont experience this? i know for a fact that their water parameters are below mine, my dads nitrate is sitting around 60-80, same with my uncles and when they put fish in they seem right at home. all this hard work to keep up the quality of the tank and i cant even enjoy my fish or show them off. :SKIT: "Wheres all your fish?? "Theyre in there somewhere, just hide behind the wall and peek your head out and you might be able to see one" thats an example of what is said when i say to someone "come check out my new fish" it is sickining

 

[dfox]

They will probably snap out of it eventually. In the beginning, my 2 yellowtail damsels were very skittish. I got really worried when they both stayed in the back corner for 2 solid days after I put in some additional cured live rock. I mean they were plastered to the side wall. Then one day, they moved off the wall by 3 inches, then next day by 6 inches, then they got used to it. Depending on how fast I approach the tank, they will still dart behind the rocks, but if I slowly approach, they just watch me, then when I sit, they go about their business. My guests actually think it is really cool how fast they can move and stop on a dime. ***) I mean they must be going 200 mph in relative terms.

 

[rappa]

I think you just have bought stupid fish. Maybe you should return them for a smarter pair.

 

[kingspade]

i know, what luck huh 2 fish a week apart from different tanks, and they are both affected with down syndrome???

 

[46bow]

swap fish for your dad....

 

[fallnhorse]

My fish never hide from me, or my eel. They are always begging. Pretty soon i'm going to turn them in for pan handling.

 

[wax32]

What's your lighting situation? Is the tank light very bright and the room light pretty dim? If so, the tangs are seeing reflections of more tangs and are avoiding a fight!

You could try turning more lights on in the room so the difference isn't so great. Also, approach the tank slowly and don't stick your face up against it.
Also, try not spreading out your lights so much... have the actinics come on, then a half hour later everything else, all at once. My fish freak a little whenever the lighting changes... maybe yours don't like all those lights popping on and off at various times like that.
Just some things to try.

-- ACTUAL RESULTS MAY VARY! --

 

[tnt]

if it makes you feel any better, I put a purple firefish in my tank almost 3 weeks ago. I have yet to see it again. My foxface lo is still pretty skittish, and I've had him for almost a year. He gets a little better everyday. I think you just need to give it some time. If you keep changing things and messing with the tank, they aren't going to get any more comfortable. JMO Good luck!

 

[wax32]

Originally Posted by tnt
If you keep changing things and messing with the tank, they aren't going to get any more comfortable.
VERY TRUE!

 

[new to saltwater]

I have 2 Green chromuses in my tank and they were doing great and now after 2 weeks he hides and does not even come out to eat. Just hides between the rocks. Any suggestions why he would be doing this.

 

[2014FishKiller]

I have the same problem before until I noticed few of active tanks that have same common fish, the Green Chromis and clown Fish, I decide add three of each into my tank, it have change the inactive tank to a very active one, my three Green Chromis always follow the Blue Tang, all four clown fish now swim in front of glass.

 

[lmforbis]

I found the addition of my flame angel seemed to bring out the activity of some of my other fish, especially my royal gramma and tomini tang.

 

[mandy111]

I see on your post you have ammonia in youre tank ? You should not have ammonia. Often fish becomes skittish if not housed with compatible tank mates in a suitable size tank. Eg lipstick tang is very active loves to get up some speed. Not possible for a happy fish thats bumping into glass every 3 or 4 feet ? Keep your hands out the tank and don't change things around. They will come good if in an appropriate surroundings !!!

 

[eric b 125]

I'm going to have to agree with everyone else: give the fish time to get used to the tank. The less you putz around in the aquarium, the better.

I've had one medium purple tang in a 200 gallon aquarium for over 6 months. It's always out and about when I'm sitting on my couch, but when I approach the tank it will hide from time to time. The PBT I have in QT has no qualms with being visible all the time, but that may change when he goes into the DT.