Fish Afraid?

[jd1zzle]

So my 125 is looking better and better! I started out with a firemouth I saved from a breeding pair that I had in my 55, and a baby jack Dempsey which I picked up at a LFS. I have recently acquired a Salvini and a couple of blue acara as well. I can see a pecking order forming (from the other side of the room) as they all tend to follow each other in a line around the tank. One thing I have noticed though is they all go into hiding when I am near the tank. Well, besides the jack who is quite curious and a little piggy at that. Anyhow, the salvini has found a spot between the flower pots and the blue acaras tend to stay in the rear of the tank behind the pots. The firemouth has his own cave that he likes to defend. I am assuming while they are getting used to their new digs they are going to be hiding a lot? I know I sound like a newbie asking this question, I've just always had jacks and Oscars that are very friendly. In my 55 my firemouths with their babies are more sociable. Oh, I also wanted to mention I moved a pair of convicts from the 55 to a 30 by themselves and they are much happier. Anyhow, thanks for replies in advance!

 

[Sophie]

How long have you had them?
Fish can take months to get used to you being around.
I'm sure Firemouths are quite skittish regardless, the tank of them at work spend the majority of their time in the caves and if they do come out, they hide when you go near! Never seen anything different the year we've had them in there.

 

[wrightt3]

How long have you had them?
Fish can take months to get used to you being around.
I'm sure Firemouths are quite skittish regardless, the tank of them at work spend the majority of their time in the caves and if they do come out, they hide when you go near! Never seen anything different the year we've had them in there.

Yeah, Firemouths are complete wimps for a central American cichlid. You won't get much interaction from them at all

 I have to pretend to go upstairs then sneak back down and hide behind the couch to get a glimpse of mine

  

 

[Wills]

If you can, try looking through a window from outside at them - that way you get an idea of what they are like when people are not around... this way you can find out if they are ok and just taking a while to come round to having people around.
 
I moved my tank a while ago to our new house and it went from being in the lounge and is now in the kitchen - so they dont see people around as much which has made them a bit skitish but they are coming round now.
 
Wills

 

[jd1zzle]

The breeding pair of firemouths in my 55 aren't afraid of anything, although they have been there much longer and they have babies to defend. If I kind of hide the fish come out and swim around together and seem to get along. Maybe they will come around to getting used to us. I do stick around at feeding time so they can get used to me that way.