Very shy, skittish Silver Dollars - need some help please

[Bubble_B0y]

80 gallon - 8 silver dollars
1 pearl gourami
1 angel
3 cories


Everytime I turn the lights on - the silver dollars run away behind the rocks and caves and logs.

The other fish are happy - swimming around - they don't get scared.

But the silver dollars run EVERYTIME the lights come on.
I have been feeding them with the lights ON, but the slightest movement from a person walking or tap on the stand, they will run away.

I feel like giving them back to the fish shop - and swapping them for more gourami and danios and cories.
Unless, someone can give me some tips on making them less shy.


I was told to get an Oscar - because they will act like a dither fish and help them come out.

 

[Zagz]

How long have they been in your tank? I wouldn't get an Oscar with those fish!

 

[Bubble_B0y]

How long have they been in your tank? I wouldn't get an Oscar with those fish!

i've had them for about 3months now.

The angels/gourami/cories for over 1.5 years.

 

[Devilishturtles]

My silver dollars (3 of them) are skittish as well, but I really do like them. They aren't like that 100% of the time, just when I turn the lights on. They are cool to watch, especially when they school.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

My silver dollars (3 of them) are skittish as well, but I really do like them. They aren't like that 100% of the time, just when I turn the lights on. They are cool to watch, especially when they school.

yeah - they are very pretty when schooling - This is why I want to Keep them.
Mine school all the time - (ESPECIALLY when running away and when the lights are OFF - lol)

But I want to somehow fix them getting scared -
Sometimes my tank looks completely EMPTY and DEAD when they are not schooling.

Is there any fish I can add that will not make them scared? or anything I can do.
It's not the easiest behaviour always trying to tip-toe around the tank.

What fish do u keep with your silver dollars?

 

[Devilishturtles]

I keep angelfish with mine, and they really seem to sorta keep the silver dollars on their toes. It might do them some good to have a more interactive fish in with them. In addition to the angelfish, I also have black tetras, some cories, a betta, 2 pictus catfish, and a BN pleco.

 

[Idealconcepts]

Bubble_B0y - my SD do the samething when I first turn on the lights on my tank, I had eight and now down to six. I had one died from smacking himself into something and eventually dying and the other got injured and later died. For my tank its the the intial change of darkness to light. Could you try turing the lights on in the room to wake them up slowly and after about 10 mins turn the lights on in the tank? Or turn the lights on in the tank and walk away for about 10-15 mins for them to adjust?

 

[Bubble_B0y]

Bubble_B0y - my SD do the samething when I first turn on the lights on my tank, I had eight and now down to six. I had one died from smacking himself into something and eventually dying and the other got injured and later died. For my tank its the the intial change of darkness to light. Could you try turing the lights on in the room to wake them up slowly and after about 10 mins turn the lights on in the tank? Or turn the lights on in the tank and walk away for about 10-15 mins for them to adjust?

I'll try that.
thanks

 

[Bubble_B0y]

I Did it !!!!
the silver dollars are swimming/schooling/Unafraid of the light !!!!!

I took some advice from other threads -
This thread about schooling
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=96779

And this thread about Lights
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=96959

And this thread about Fish gathering in the corner of the tank
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=96318


basically, I took the advice that fish will only school if there is a threat.
And the advice that one fish is dominant and is not allowing the rest of the fish to come out into the open parts of the tank.

So what I did - I had to re-arrange my tanks.
I have 2 tanks (the 80 gallon above and a 40 gallon) - I moved my angel and cories to my 40 gallon
and took my barbs from my 40 gallon and put them into the 80 gallon.

But I had to play with the numbers and experiment a little to see which fish the silver dollars were happy with-

I first added 12 barbs - but that didn't help.
So I reduced the barbs to 6 barbs - and that worked ! WEIRD !!

It seems the barbs/male pearl gourami really help the nervousness and shyness of the silver dollars.

Thanks Everyone!
Very Helpful Forum !!!!

 

[rich311k]

I am glad to hear it is working out for you. Silver dollars are very pretty fish.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Awesome