Shy Jag?

[missyintx_99]

My Jag is extremely shy. I'm sure he just needs more time since we moved him into a new tank and then I redecorated. (Whoever it was that thought my purple gravel was weird, will really love my new pink gravel in the jag's tank ) He was stressed out the whole time I had him with the JD and Jewel, thats the reason we moved him. Now he's not staying nearly all black 100% of the time, he's got more goldish looking color now. But every time he sees somebody, including the feeder fish, he gets spooked and goes and hides. I'm tempted to call him Peek-a-boo.
Whats a normal expected amount of time for him to not freak when he sees a person or another fish?
TIA 8)

 

[smb]

If you mean your 3" jag, give him time.

He has to fend off a more dominate GT right now.

I promise you that he will grow out of it. It will take longer because he's being dominated right now but if you want him to be more aggro, take that GT out for a week, let the jag have the run of the tank, and put that GT back in and he will be a little more aggro.

If not, you can just wait and let the jag grow. He will take that GT down in time tho. He has to because right now the GT is king of the tank, and when the jag gets older he won't stand for it and he will have to kill the GT because the jag won't take a backseat to anyone. It's only a matter of time before he gets bigger than the GT because GT's grow so slow. Almost festae slow.

I'm sorry, but I honestly don't think your GT has much of a chance with a jag.

 

[missyintx_99]

I don't have the Jag and the GT in the same tank! I *LOVE* my Gt and would never put him at that great of risk. The jag is now the only cichlid, with 3 little 1" yo-yo's in the old 20 gal. The first of the month we're getting 1 more big tank and that will be the Jags permanent home. We had him in a tank with a male JD and a Jewel, both the same size as him and the JD is king of that tank.
We wanted the Jag to have some time to relax until we can get the bigger tank, hence the reason we went ahead and put him in the 20. He was seemingly too stressed out. Anyway, I just wondered if this is the way he'll always be, or if once he's acclimated to the new tank he'll come out and let us see him more. Is he the kind of fish that will recognize the owner and greet you when you walk in the room? Understand what I'm trying to say? I really do appreciate your thoughts, my thoughts had already crossed that way when we brought the Jag home!

 

[smb]

Oh ok. I thought you had them in the same tank.

I just wondered if this is the way he'll always be, or if once he's acclimated to the new tank he'll come out and let us see him more.

I haven't ever had a shy jag or even recall anyone ever mentioning that their jag was shy. He should settle down soon, especially in a bigger tank.

There's a couple things you can do to get him better acclimated. Try moving the lighting to the back of the tank so he feels safer in the darker front part of the tank. That way he'll go to the front more in time. Make sure he has a lot of hiding places so he doesn't feel the need to swim/dart halfway across the aquarium to hide. You can dim the lighting a bit if you think he's acting more skittish because of the lighting by wrapping some electrical tape around it. I would also crawl on your hands and knees up to the tank to see him instead of walking and that might help.
The last 2 suggestions don't need to be used tho, and if you do, just do them for a day or two because you want him to get used to you guys and his actual surroundings. I've never had to do any of this for cichlids, just piranhas because they are more skittish.

Is he the kind of fish that will recognize the owner and greet you when you walk in the room? Understand what I'm trying to say?

Yep, I know what you're saying.

IME, they don't "greet" people like oscars do. Mine were pretty mean and came to the glass and tried to bite at anyone that came near his tank. I always hand feed all my CA/SA's and he was no exception. It seems like all CA/SA's I've had didn't really like anyone but me. If I walked up to the tank, they would come looking for food, but if anyone else did, they totally ignored the food aspect and either ignored the person or tried to get thru the glass at them. I have no idea how they kow who is who, but they always seemed to.

I'm sure you could get your jag to interact with you if you want to put in the time with him.


PS:

Just in case, make sure you feed him and not your husband so he'll like you better.

That will really get him going and you can just say "I don't know why he does that, maybe I'm just a better fish keeper."

 

[missyintx_99]

smb said:

PS:

Just in case, make sure you feed him and not your husband so he'll like you better.

That will really get him going and you can just say "I don't know why he does that, maybe I'm just a better fish keeper."


Thats a good one!
I am the one who normally does all the feedings so thats a good possibility. Its thanks to this board and others like it that I have learned as much as I have already. Thanks for your input!

 

[smb]

How's that jag doing now?

Can you give us an update? I'm really curious as to know how he's settled in now.

 

[missyintx_99]

He is doing fantastic! He swims all over the tank, chases the yo-yo loaches, plays in the current from the filter. I hear him splashing around all the time. He gets in the current and literally sticks his face up out of the water and then jumps! Thank goodness the lid fits tightly on the tank and all openings in the back are covered with a strong plastic and duct taped down. He seems to recognize me and will just look back at me when I put my face up to the tank. The only person he seems not to like so far is my 18yo daughter.
He doesn't even go hide when I open the lid to put his food in. I think he's come around very well. He's really cool to watch. We give him a few rosy reds now and then and he seems to delight in tormenting them. He'll chase after them or actually catch one and then spit it back out. He doesn't understand after he has done this a few times why they no longer try to run from him. He never really eats but maybe half of one and then wants to *play* with whats left. Its really amusing in comparison to our 5" Oscar (in a different tank) who gets all excited at the site of the net in my hand and waits impatiently for me to let the feeders in the tank. I've started trying to fool the oscar by moving the net from one side of the tank to the other just to give the feeders a fighting chance. But he can snatch one up in less than a heartbeat so there isn't much of a chase.
I'm loving my Jag as well as my other babies!
Thanks for asking!

 

[ChiclidBoy]

THEY GROW SLOW AND GET STRESSED EASILY
THEY ALSO HIDE AND STAY IN ONE PLACE I HAVE ONE AND HE IS VERY SHY BUT IF MY FISH COME NEAR HIM HE SHOWS HIS TEETH AND SCARES THEM AWAY SO DONT DOUGHT THE KILLER INSTICTS OF THE MANAGUA