Hiding platies

[PlatyLady]

Hey everyone,

Have been noticing in the past couple weeks that ever since I've added two more neon rosy barbs to the tank, all my platies (except the two wags - don't know why) have been hiding more often, and darting to safety when anyone walks by the tank. There are lots of hiding places. The guppies and otos are fine, as usual.

I assumed that the platies would get used to the barbs eventually and come out more. I don't see the barbs picking on anyone but themselves, and I haven't found any nipped fins/tails on the platies.

Are the barbs stressing out the platies? What can I do to get them to come out like before? They seemed fine when it was just one barb, but I'd hate to have to give the two new ones away.

 

[madasafish]

May well be. Barbs are many times more aggressive than platies (the nice guys). It could be that with a greater foothold in your 28 gallon, the barbs have taken command. One semi-aggressive fish can rule a corner of a tank, (or sometimes the whole tank...) but 3 or more may take complete control.

Fish behavior, though, is complicated. The otos in my 10 gallon (2) were quite friendly for a long while, but finally freaked out and now zoom out of sight when I walk by. I'm guessing that with dwarf puffers (who never seem to bother them) as tankmates, they've become a whole lot more skittish (see the "to nip or not to nip" picture in my gallery or on the homepage as FW Photo Contest winner ). I imagine that the same is the case with your platies. They may not really be harrassed, but may have developed a much greater skittishness/more keen sense of self-defense now that they are confronted with more aggressive fish. But heck, I'm sure some ppl will say that barbs aren't that aggressive... IME, even a moderately aggressive fish (dwarf gourami, kribensis, some barbs) can have this effect on the real docile folks.

I don't think there's any reason to take your fish (barbs or otherwise) back. I'm guessing that if you wait infront of the tank calmly, your platies will come back out to play.

Hope this helps.

 

[PlatyLady]

Thanks. Sounds like you've been through a pretty similar situation. You described it better than I did, actually. They are definitely skittish! And here I thought barbs worked the other way around - one or two being agressive, three or more being less agressive. Maybe that's just tiger barbs?

I guess I'll keep waiting for the platies to come out. Like I said, haven't seen any physical issues to be worried about, but I'll keep an eye out, after all the barbs might still be getting used to their tankmates and may start nipping.

I'm glad you didn't suggest taking them out, although I would've considered it. I just want the old gang to come out and play some more.

 

[PlatyLady]

they've become a whole lot more skittish (see the "to nip or not to nip" picture in my gallery or on the homepage as FW Photo Contest winner ).

BTW, cute pic! That dwarf puffer is either really really tiny, or that oto is huge!