JD always hiding

[lbirath001]

Why does my jack Dempsey always hide. He comes out to eat and goes back and hides or sleeps.

 

[SKB]

I have to ask these questions to know for sure, so: how big is he/she? What size tank is it in? Tank mates? Water parameters? Such as ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?

 

[dragonfisher33]

how long have you had him? fish to new tank is shy initially and will adjust to the new setting later on.

does the JD look healthy? it might be hiding because of certain illness.

what are you water parameters?

how's your lighting? strong light might discourage certain fish from coming out. it's all dependent on the personality of the fish.

assuming everything is OK, then it's just a shy fish. but i've never heard of a shy JD, so i would check on the fish, the water parameter, your fish tank setting, and have your finger crossed that it's just a new fish tank syndrome.

 

[SKB]

how long have you had him? fish to new tank is shy initially and will adjust to the new setting later on.

does the JD look healthy? it might be hiding because of certain illness.

what are you water parameters?

how's your lighting? strong light might discourage certain fish from coming out. it's all dependent on the personality of the fish.

assuming everything is OK, then it's just a shy fish. but i've never heard of a shy JD, so i would check on the fish, the water parameter, your fish tank setting, and have your finger crossed that it's just a new fish tank syndrome.

I agree with these statements also. My jd has always been my biggest baby in my tank. But if you have a big enough tank to put other fish with it "dither fish" then they will maybe come out more. But for the most part mine still hides. Some just have different personalities.

I still would like answers to the questions I asked firstly though

 

[lbirath001]

I have to ask these questions to know for sure, so: how big is he/she? What size tank is it in? Tank mates? Water parameters? Such as ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?

It is about 3-4 inches. The tank is 60 but I have a tank divider up until the small community fish die off. The only fish that is on the same side of it is a blood parrot cichlid. Ammonia is .25 I need to get a nitrate tester still. Not sure.

 

[lbirath001]

how long have you had him? fish to new tank is shy initially and will adjust to the new setting later on.

does the JD look healthy? it might be hiding because of certain illness.

what are you water parameters?

how's your lighting? strong light might discourage certain fish from coming out. it's all dependent on the personality of the fish.

assuming everything is OK, then it's just a shy fish. but i've never heard of a shy JD, so i would check on the fish, the water parameter, your fish tank setting, and have your finger crossed that it's just a new fish tank syndrome.

I got it on Saturday. It looks ok from what I can tell. Here is a pic of my setup.

 

[dragonfisher33]

I agree with these statements also. My jd has always been my biggest baby in my tank. But if you have a big enough tank to put other fish with it "dither fish" then they will maybe come out more. But for the most part mine still hides. Some just have different personalities.

I still would like answers to the questions I asked firstly though

oh, i didn't see you posted a comment before me. i think we were answering his post around the same time. the credit is all yours

 

[dragonfisher33]

I got it on Saturday. It looks ok from what I can tell. Here is a pic of my setup.

View attachment 181265

you don't have enough hiding space or plants to cover the ground. although most JD aren't shy, but a little hiding space here and there provide great security for them. Also is your tank in the middle of the room? if so that's not recommended because it will frighten the fish whenever there's movement outside of the tank. just my two cents on your setup

 

[lbirath001]

you don't have enough hiding space or plants to cover the ground. although most JD aren't shy, but a little hiding space here and there provide great security for them. just my two cents on your setup

Do you think I should remove the divider?

 

[lbirath001]

you don't have enough hiding space or plants to cover the ground. although most JD aren't shy, but a little hiding space here and there provide great security for them. Also is your tank in the middle of the room? if so that's not recommended because it will frighten the fish whenever there's movement outside of the tank. just my two cents on your setup

I've added that rock since I took that other pic

 

[dragonfisher33]

Do you think I should remove the divider?

oh my gosh, i didn't even see the divider. why do you have a divider? that's not enough room for the JD. if you're worried about the safety of the other smaller fishes, you might want to rehome them. JD will make snack out of them.

 

[dragonfisher33]

what's in the other half of the tank btw? seems like platy from far away

 

[lbirath001]

oh my gosh, i didn't even see the divider. why do you have a divider? that's not enough room for the JD. if you're worried about the safety of the other smaller fishes, you might want to rehome them. JD will make snack out of them.

Those are all the fish I have in the tank.

 

[lbirath001]

I've added that rock since I took that other pic

My set up

 

[dragonfisher33]

Those are all the fish I have in the tank.

ok, so you need to rehome the platy, gourami and molly. they're not suitable for your JD

 

[lbirath001]

ok, so you need to rehome the platy, gourami and molly. they're not suitable for your JD

That's why I have the divider up for now....

 

[dragonfisher33]

That's why I have the divider up for now....

once you remove them, get some big plants and more rocks/caves. JD like to claim territories as its own

 

[Camek]

Personally I would leave the fish and remove the divider and, like they said, add caves. The community fish will help bring the jack out and make it more comfortable, It depends on that specific jack dempsey attitude weather or not it will bother the others. I have had jacks for a few years now and mine all live peacefully with everything until now, because they ARE alone after losing tank mates to a long distance move. Now they pick on each other lol

 

[Aski247]

Do you think I should remove the divider?

Yup.

If you are just waiting for the community fish to die off, might as well let them not go to waste and serve as a meal.

 

[Bix22]

Or you could rehome the community fish into another tank you could purchase and leave the bigger JD in the large tank. Two different tanks would be fun. I also agree with the others about more plants and hides holes.