Most small shoaling fish are nervous, to a certain extent.
Making sure your shoal is big enough, and that they have enough cover helps a lot. Paradoxically, the more hiding places fish have, the more they'll be out in the open; they feel safer knowing there are hiding places close at hand.
If you're happy on both those points, then a bit of good old Pavlovian conditioning might not go amiss; feed the fish when, and only when, you have five or ten minutes free to sit with them while they eat. They'll soon learn to associate you with food and be a lot less shy
Making sure your shoal is big enough, and that they have enough cover helps a lot. Paradoxically, the more hiding places fish have, the more they'll be out in the open; they feel safer knowing there are hiding places close at hand.
If you're happy on both those points, then a bit of good old Pavlovian conditioning might not go amiss; feed the fish when, and only when, you have five or ten minutes free to sit with them while they eat. They'll soon learn to associate you with food and be a lot less shy
Mine are just the opposite now - much like the Pavlovian thing FM mentioned.
But, at the beginning I don't remember them being too shy. My favorite experience was that I started with 3 rescued coppers, and then went to the LFS to get a few more to up their shoal. They were totalling different sizes - rescues were 1.5 inches, the new ones were about 1/2 inch. As soon as the new ones went in, the others rounded up each and every one of the new additions that were put into the tank until they were all shoaling together! It was really cool to see.
How big is your tank? How many other fish/types are in the tank? How many are in the shoal?
But, at the beginning I don't remember them being too shy. My favorite experience was that I started with 3 rescued coppers, and then went to the LFS to get a few more to up their shoal. They were totalling different sizes - rescues were 1.5 inches, the new ones were about 1/2 inch. As soon as the new ones went in, the others rounded up each and every one of the new additions that were put into the tank until they were all shoaling together! It was really cool to see.
How big is your tank? How many other fish/types are in the tank? How many are in the shoal?
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woody0687
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I have a 46 litre fluval edge which is newly planted but lots of hiding places!
I did have some eques tetra in there for a week with them but removed them at the wkend as I soon realised they were aggressive! Now just have endlers in with them!
Could this have been the problem and now they are just getting relaxed!
I will try that technique and see what happens! The past few times iv fed though they haven't shown any interest in the food, could this be because the filter shoots the food down? Should I turn filter off when feeding perhaps?
There is a shoal of 6! Originally had 5 but bought an extra to top up!
I did have some eques tetra in there for a week with them but removed them at the wkend as I soon realised they were aggressive! Now just have endlers in with them!
Could this have been the problem and now they are just getting relaxed!
I will try that technique and see what happens! The past few times iv fed though they haven't shown any interest in the food, could this be because the filter shoots the food down? Should I turn filter off when feeding perhaps?
There is a shoal of 6! Originally had 5 but bought an extra to top up!
Mine prefer to eat the food from the surface, so maybe turn off the filter for a little while feeding...
They are also fairly placid, so they may have not been happy with more boisterous tankmates...
They are also fairly placid, so they may have not been happy with more boisterous tankmates...
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