Are My Dwarf Chain Loaches Ok...they're Always Hiding?

[alexpb22]

I bought 5 Dwarf Chain Loaches for my tank last week and despite them being incredibly active the first couple of days, I barely see them at all now!!  I'm worried that they're not happy.
 
I did intend to buy six but the lfs only had five so I took them all.  I may at some point soon add some more to bring them up to 8.
 
Thing is that when I first put them in they were incredibly active, swimming together, playing in the current of the water, swimming at all levels and generally frolicking about.
 
A couple of days later and they seem to have gone into hiding.  I do see some of them occasionally but no more than about 2 or 3 at a time and I'm not sure if they are the same few.
 
I do want to add some more in case they are lonely but then as they are so expensive I don't want to buy more if actually they're just not doing very well and may eventually not last.
 
My question is...is this normal behaviour?  If thy were hiding from the start then I wouldn't be surprised but I think it's strange that they were so active to start with but have now become inactive.  

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

What else is in the tank with them? Midwater fish of a similar size, that are not very boisterous, will act as good dithers. 
 
I started with 5 Dwarf Chain Loaches (like you, all shop had), then added two more (which cost a lot more per fish, hence only 2 bought), which did not really help make them be more active and more visible. It was only when I added seven more from the original store that the whole group responded mostly positively.
 
Things have not gone entirely smoothly in the group over time. I lost one last summer and lost another ~2 months ago, so I now have 12 in theory... There have been some hierachy challenges, especially after adding new ones. A lot of them are usually visible these days, but some of the group of 7 added in April were tiny and the odd larger one (now ~5cm SL and ~20 months in my care) loves to wedge itself in tiny cavities in the bogwood!

 

[nortonmad213]

when i had over ten they were incredibly active,
also check your water parameters, in adding these fish in one go may of altered your levels. water temp i found made them more sluggish if it wasnt right for them.
also i was forever finding one who managed to wriggle under an ornament and got stuck there.

 

[alexpb22]

What else is in the tank with them? Midwater fish of a similar size, that are not very boisterous, will act as good dithers."

I've just got some dwarf neon rainbows and honey gourami

  

when i had over ten they were incredibly active,
also check your water parameters, in adding these fish in one go may of altered your levels. water temp i found made them more sluggish if it wasnt right for them.
also i was forever finding one who managed to wriggle under an ornament and got stuck there.

I checked my water and everything seems fine, I do have nitrates over 30ppm but that's from my tap water so not a lot I can do. I'm thinking that adding more will help but not sure as they're expensive and may just not be doing well. I also don't see them at feeding so no ideas if they are eating properly or not!