New jack dempsey hides all the time?

[Voorhee]

i just bought a pair of jacks.. and if i enter the room they hide in rock pile? the tank is low lite.. 1wpg.. and dark substrate. aswell some live plants attached to big pieces of driftwood..

lots of cover.. but still they hide...

also i have 3 giant danios as dither fish..
2 orange pike cichlids.. they swim around more then the jacks but also hide if i come to close..

are the fish not used to the tank or is there something wrong..

there beautifull fish and i'd like to see them more.. the LFS had no rocks or anything so the jacks swam around in the open.. also the pike had no rocks or wood either?

tank is 70gal 48x16x21

let me know..

thanks..

 

[jflowers]

How long ago did you get them? Its pretty normal if they are only a day or so in your tank.

Jon

 

[Voorhee]

i picked them up on saturday.. 2 days ago..

 

[jflowers]

Well in my newbie experience I would say that is normal, till they get to know your feeding times and such. Sure you will see them more soon.

Jon

 

[juanveldez]

it is very normal for new fish to hide like that and it will take longer for them to get used to it the larger that they are. but if ya give them time it will happen. a full grown JD can take 3 weeks or longer just to get used to its surroundings, I would also take the xingu I's out of the tank as the JDs will grow faster than them and will eventually lead to territory issues. each of my 3 different pikes have a tank or are divided to prevent injury to them.

 

[mwm]

I got my JD's at the end of september and they still get spooked pretty easy Although mine dont really have anymore caves due to them falling over and me never being able to see my fish. Mine love to dig and i put some bigass rocks, drift wood and fake plants cuz they will rip ur live ones apart. My only suggestions is give it time

 

[fufanu360]

yep. perfectly normal! cichlids can be such wimps sometimes

 

[freddyk]

Yup, it's very normal, and while we can't see the fish all the time in a more decorated aquarium, the fish sure appreciate the secure hiding spots.