I wouldn't say that is normal behaviour. Can you provide some more details of the tank?
What are the other fish you have?
Tank size?
Water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
Last water change?
What are the other fish you have?
Tank size?
Water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
Last water change?
I have a 40 gal (long) and so far there are only a clown pleco and the neon blue gourami. I don't remember what the parameters were from the last time I checked, and the last water change was about a week ago and was only a 25%.
I've had the Pleco for around a month and the gourami I had just added in today.
I had also got a new filter for the tank as the old one had malfunctioned.
He may have just been getting used to the tank, hiding out when the lights were on and getting bolder in the cover of darkness.
If the water is good he should come out more very soon.
Did you seed the new filter with some old media? Do you have plants?
It never hurts to at least do an ammonia test.
If the water is good he should come out more very soon.
Did you seed the new filter with some old media? Do you have plants?
It never hurts to at least do an ammonia test.
That all sounds good, so it's likely not a problem with water, which sometimes odd behaviour can be due to.
I would suggest adding more cover for him if he seems to he hiding.
I would suggest adding more cover for him if he seems to he hiding.
I'd say yes, this is normal behavior for a fish that's not comfortable in it's environments, as it's instinctive. Lights on mean day time predators from above. Lights out means nocturnal predators from below. Make sure to provide lots of cover--gouramies like broad leaf plants to hide under, as well as build bubble nests to breed. Most will take a while to get comfortable, and even then, are seldom the most out going of fish. The more cover available, the most relaxed and outgoing the fish will be.
When I got my dwarf gouramis he was very shy, and his color was not very bold. After 3 or 4 weeks his colors brightened up and he became much more social.
