Shy Jacks????

[henningc]

I have a group of 7 Jack Dempseys I purchased when the were 1 1/2" They are all between 3"-4 1/2" now. Three days ago I transfered them out of their tank and into a 175gal stock tank outdoors. I set up distinct territories with rock structures so everyone could claim turf and they could pair off. As of this afternoon, my Jacks are still hiding like big babies. The mighty Jacks are not moving around much other than to dart from one rock structure to another and then out of sight. I even put some feeder livebearers in there and they will not come out and chase them. So my question is how long will it take them to settle in and stop this hiding like a bunch of school girls? School girls you're braver I just couldn't think of another flip phrase.

 

[Manafel]

I would say to give it a week for them to settle in. It's quite normal for fish to be shy in their new tanks.

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[ktrom13]

Right now they are a small fish in a big new enviroment. They need to adjust to their new surroundings and then they will become the mighty jacks once again.

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[stephcps]

Yeah...they are still very young fish too. So, you really just rocked their world. Give them a little time....I have seen it take 2 weeks or more. Plus....the outdoor tank....what is it like?

 

[henningc]

Thanks for the replies. I have worked with some smaller cichlids and never tried to put any through such a radical change. One thing I do know this group are all pigs in Jack Dempsey costumes. I will give them more time to come around. Funny thing, my Endlers and Least Killies are in other stock tanks and it didn't bother them one little bit. My mighty marble crayfish are terrified as well and hide all the time. Very much different than the crayfish who rushed the front of the tanks daily to get a 1/2 of a pea.

 

[henningc]

OPPS, the tank has several rock formations on one end seperated by floor space, a larger breeder friendly formation on the other end and there are two sunken plastic coffee canisters in the middle to break line of sight. They have a few Oak leaves on the bottom and a few small patches of duckweed up top.

 

[stephcps]

have they begun to act better? are the sides covered? or are they open?

 

[henningc]

They are moving around just a bit. I have a dominant male that is moving and trying to get his two, don't ask me why two, female friends to move to the far end with the breeding structure set up.

The sides are not covered, but they do have room to move around a lot. Guess it will take more time.

Quick question, when my big male gets the two selected females to move with him will this be a problem if they spawn? I mean will he kill the other female? My guess is yes.

 

[henningc]

Jacks are getting comfortable. The pigs made the water have an algae bloom. OK, I feed them too much and made an algae bloom. I tossed in five large females gambusia as dither fish.

Any other things I should look for?