Why are my dempseys hiding???

[proximo8]

I have 2 Jack dempseys, one female one male. I had the female first and I really enjoyed watching her swim around. By chance I found a male dempsey at the pet store and decided to take a chance and see if they would get along. Well it seems they get along really well they never leave each others side, however after having them together for about 3 weeks the all of the sudden started hiding and being very afraid when i come close to the tank. Any ideas to why my fish are so frightened????

[Cylon]

Put a flower pot in the tank with the opening facing the back. They may be wanting to find a nice sheltered area to breed.

If you feel they are afraid you can put a dither fish in the tank. A smaller fish like a giant Dano will make them feel safer. if a small fish is swimming around freely they may feel less threatend.

[jm1212]

try adding some more cover like caves, plants, driftwood, or dither fish (like giant danios) and that may help them feel a bit more secure

[jessicar613]

Could they have eggs already? Maybe they're not hiding, but rushing back to guard their eggs. Do they go to the same place every time?

[proximo8]

I have several hiding places in the tank. Three flower pots and rock caves and live and fake plants. I also have a pleco and dojo loach in the tank. The dempseys swim around freely in the tank when nobody is around but as soon as i move in the room they panic and hide only comiing back out after i've been still for a while or if food is placed in the tank. The female dosen't seem afraid of me but the male hides at any site of me and the female will follow.

[proximo8]

They do always return to the same place but they do not keep the other fish away from the pot. They are not aggressive towards any of the other fish in the tank. Only frightened when me or my girlfriend go near the tank. We do not tap at the tank or make any sudden movements but they still hide from us.

[freshwaterkid]

Put a flower pot in the tank with the opening facing the back. They may be wanting to find a nice sheltered area to breed.

If you feel they are afraid you can put a dither fish in the tank. A smaller fish like a giant Dano will make them feel safer. if a small fish is swimming around freely they may feel less threatend.


This really worked i tryed it with my oscars they are like 2 '' and they where really scared so i added 4 rosy minows which where larger then my oscars. Automaticly my oscars started comming out an chasing but also getting to know there tank .

[grannylvsfish]

my firemouth is doing the same thing. he used to come up and eat out of my hands, now he hides whe I go near the tank. makes me sad since he was so loving and was always out front.