are Jack Dempsey's usually shy

tks4d2

tks4d2

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Aug 10, 2006
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I recently adopted two of these youngsters from petco and they are so shy! They're hiding under the driftwood and the clay pots throughout the entire day. The youngest one (3") will chew up the hikari gold cichlid pellets and spit them out, including tubifex and bloodworms. The larger one isnt even eating dry foods. They're driving me insane! No idea they were going to be this timid. :(


is this typical JD behavior or are mine just getting used to the envionment??
 
it might just be a new home and not used to it. wat size is your tank?



nate
 
hmm

I have a 4.5 inch one and he has gotten more outgoing, but eating is still an adventure. He will eat, spit out a pellet, eat, spit it out again and repeat. He will keep flakes down, but isn't too interested in them. I have tried feeding him cichlid sticks, but I have yet to witness him eat one. I tried freeze dried krill shrimp today and he went right after them, but did the same thing as with the pellet. He appeared to slowly be eating them down, but couldn't chew up the shell and that is what he was primarily spitting out. :confused:
 
It took one of my Firemouths 10 days to start eating and venturing out. I had tried different foods (flake, pellets, bloodworm and brine shrimp) and bought 12 schooling fish to make the tank feel more secure for her. I think on day 10 I feed bloodworms and sinking pellets - she went for the sinking pellets.

You could perhaps add Giant Danio's if you have the room, to make them feel more secure with the fish activity at the top.
 
hmm

wardley's cichlid flakes. I ussually stick with tetra products or hikari, but these were the only cichlid flakes any of my lfs' had.
 
when i got my jv jacks they were the most timid fish I think I have ever had hiding from everyone and everything. I thought to myself "these are definatly not the big giants of the tank I was hoping for." That only lasted a week or two. They will come around.
As for food, jacks are attracted to foods they can smell, so with flakes or sinking pellets you might find a more immediate response. However, I use floating Spirulina (spelling probably off) sticks by NutraMax and a generic cichlid pellet so I can easily remove excess food and because my tank is very heavly decorated with rockwork. I give them brine shrimp, bloodworms, and an ocassional cricket or feeder fish as snacks. Jacks are not finiky eaters by any means, but do like variety.
I wouldn't be worried about finding a food they will eat right away, chances are they are just stressed and any food you do put in there will only cause problems with your ammonia. They should be fine ;)
 
Mine has always been "out and About" cruising the tank, always coming to the top for food when he see's me with "His" food can.

But the last couple days he's been hiding a lot baack in the plants. not coming out even for food.

Had him for 6 months now; was 3 inches long when I got him, now almost 6...
 
aardvark1 said:
Mine has always been "out and About" cruising the tank, always coming to the top for food when he see's me with "His" food can.

But the last couple days he's been hiding a lot baack in the plants. not coming out even for food.

Had him for 6 months now; was 3 inches long when I got him, now almost 6...
Click to expand...


Has Ralph upset Jack, and latched on to him or something? You haven't made any changes in the last week (diet, aquascape), water chemistry dropped in any way, changes in your behaviour?
 
Try Tetra Prima. It always works for me. Must be something in it that attracts the fishes attention. I've never known a fish that doesn't eat Tetra Prima. Obviously they're quite small granules so not much good for bigger fish but I've found it to be an excellent food for juvies and smaller fish.
 
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