Ultimate Solution To a Shy Datnoid

[M|L]

OK, if you have kept datnoids before, then you know that many of them can be the most boring fish ever. Why? Because they hide 12/7, coming out only when the lights are out.

Well, here's the ultimate (and quick) solution to this problem:

Get a (or several) big tankmate that's at least twice the size of the datnoid.

You will almost always immediately notice that your datnoid will come right out of it's hiding place and swimming around the new addition.

-Ming

[rumblesushi]

why?

[M|L]

Because then, the datnoid gets the mentality that the new big fish would be the first to go if that huge weirdo beast that keeps staring at them suddenly decides to have dinner one day.

[rumblesushi]

Hahahahaha. Interesting philosophy, I wonder if that's true.

It really works though? Having a bigger tankmate?

[redtailfool]

it might.. like a reverse dither fish mentality... cant try though.. my datnoids are more personable than oscars. :D

[rumblesushi]

maybe it's just the small ones.

Unfortunately I have never owned a dat, but all of the small ones I saw in stores looked pretty vacant and were usually hiding but once I saw a couple of big ones and they were awesome. So attentive, they looked intelligent and they watched my every move.

I've wanted one since then but can;t get one at the moment.

[rayman45]

my ntt are shy... the ngt and wide bar are cool fish...

[Steve_89]

LOL

Interesting.

I think the key is just growing them out...

I have noticed that my little guy prefers to be in a tank of his own, I had him on his own in a 180g and it was very interactive.

[redtailfool]

Yeah 9 inches and bigger are not shy at all.

[vanimate]

Ming , the hard part is getting something twice the size of your dat that wont eat it! ;)

[M|L]

it could be anything.

when I had a 3" baby widebar last year, it was rather shy but when I introduced a school of 6+" hampala barbs, the datnoid never hide anymore.

same story now with the 5" widebar I have now. It hides 12/7 and won't even eat until the lights are out.

once I introduce some big barramundi and the big chinese perch, it came right out. unfortunately I lost the barramundi and the chinese perch, so now the datnoid is back to it's old self now. :(

[Steve_89]

Ouch...

How did you lose them??

[DrBranDo]

yeah just wait.
they will be ok after a while.
they can even be aggresive.

[michael]

All my datnoids amways hang out. Lights on they are always right at the glass waiting for food or watching me. I'll get a pic of it. My larger dats follow me. They are in an 8ft tank and are always following me as I walk around by the tank! If any the ngt is the one that hides.

[M|L]

I have the very opposite experience Mike.

I had a NGT that was swimming all over right after being released into the tank.

On the other hand, thinbar and widebar dats are always the ones that I have problems with.

[rumblesushi]

ming what happened with the mundi and the perch?

[Datnoid101]

When my thin bar was smaller I had it in a 10g with a tiger oscar that was twice as big. He was way more active with the oscar and would actually bully the oscar. A bonus was that my dat got conditioned on eating mealworms.

[John Martin]

I have 1 dat which is 15'' very large fish and he is still very shy
i had him with my pair of peacock bass which are 18'' and 14''
and he became very bossy at night when the light went out and
would beat the crap out of them so he is by himself again in a
6x2x2 yes just sitting in the corner.

cheers john

[M|L]

I have 1 dat which is 15''... still very shy


wow. how much abuse have you done to him?! :ROFL:

honestly, that's a very rare usual case. infact, this is the first time I've heard of an adult being shy.

[M|L]

ming what happened with the mundi and the perch?

I ate the barramundi LOL and the perch died... I don't know why. It was full of bright red eggs!! I should've stripped those eggs and raise some babies!