Timid platys

[angel555]

I wonder if any of you can give me a clue about why my platys have suddenly changed their behaviour. They were introduced to my tank 3 weeks ago and were happily moving around the tank and really enjoying themselves..... now as soon as my partner or I come near the tank they disappear and hide. We have not messed about with the tank too much, we have been doing our water changes and general cleaning. We have also been making an effort not to make sudden movements around the tank..... but to no avail.

Can anyone give me a clue - and what do I need to do to get the platys back to their previous behaviour?

 

[Polardbear]

Same thing I just said in another post -

"Try feeding them some of the freeze dried tubifex worms that come in little compressed cubes. I stand very still and hold the cube at the surface of the water while it gets soaked and starts coming apart. After a couple of times of doing this even my non-homebred swordtails (who were very shy to begin with) will come over and try to rip it out of my fingers. Now they all come over immediatley when they see me. "

 

[Def]

Sometimes they're just like that. If I walk by/come close to the tank in the afternoon, they run and hide. If I come near the tank in the evening, they come out to play. :shrug:

 

[vidiots]

If they are left alone much of the time they may just not be used to your presence. I have kids constantly moving though the house and I'm constantly fiddling with one tank or another. The fish just ignore us unless I reach for the food, then they all come up to the opening quickly impatiently waiting for dinner.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Everytime I walk past my tank the platies think its food time. They get disappointed a lot!!! The swordies are just as bad but get more frantic...

 

[TESS]

Have you got a dog or a cat in the house that might be having a look at the tank and its occupants when you are not there?. I noticed my platies done that but they have snapped out of it now, i also noticed at the time of the nervous platys......muddy paw prints on the tank......my cat neo, he now gets told to GET OFF THE TANK!,when ever he looks at it , he stopped.

 

[fishguy18]

I was just going to say wat tess just said!....I had a platy once who was like that....and i could not figure out why it all of a sudden was so shy!.....so i did a little detective work and i found that my dog was jumping up in the stand to get a closer look!.....she quickly learned what the water felt like on her head!.....she never jumped up again ......hope this helps