New Big Dats Kind of Shy

asm129

Gambusia
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Dec 28, 2009
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I bought a big NGT, and 2 big NTT's last month. In their old tank with the previous owner , they were really active and all swimming around, but in my tank, they're kind of shy and hide a lot. I checked the water conditions and temp and everything looks fine. I have a 17" aro and 10 " pbass in the same tank and they're both active and normal.

What can I try to make my dats more active? They all eat but only if a pellet is dropped right by them and the aro doesn't see it. They won't swim to actively get at food. I thought it might be my aro spooking them but they were in a tank with a big aro in their old tank and they weren't shy.
 

Mount_Prion

Piranha
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Jan 31, 2012
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They'll probably come out of it eventually, but keep in mind that dats are ambush predators. They like to sort of hover in a spot looking for prey to swim by then *wham!*

I've found that dats do well with a lot of hiding spaces as well. Plants (real or fake) will help them act naturally.
 

krichardson

Bronze Tier VIP
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Jun 19, 2006
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Datnoid Island
What other fish were in the tank that they came from and what size were they?...
 

asm129

Gambusia
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Dec 28, 2009
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Thanks I hope so. I forgot to add that their old tank was a 400g and mine is a 240. Maybe I need a big upgrade for them to feel better?
 

Mount_Prion

Piranha
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Jan 31, 2012
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Thanks I hope so. I forgot to add that their old tank was a 400g and mine is a 240. Maybe I need a big upgrade for them to feel better?
That might have a lot to do with it. While a 240g is plenty large enough for a few dats, if they came from somewhere bigger it's tough to downgrade.
 

strollo22

Siamese Tiger
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May 21, 2012
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I removed all my Dats hiding spots to allow them more room to swim. I also had lights on the tank for about 16 hours a day (including natural light), for a few weeks to make them less scared of the light. Datnoids do prefer darker, dimly lit waters. If you're lights are too bright, they will hide all the time. Also note that Datnoids are very temperamental to changes. When they are in a new environment, It can take them a while to get acclimated and comfortable. I've had one for about 5 months and he's just now starting to eat in the front with everyone else.
 

asm129

Gambusia
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Dec 28, 2009
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What other fish were in the tank that they came from and what size were they?...
Their old tank had a 22" aro, 17" flagtail, a 17" IT dat and a 10" flagtail, plus the three big dats I bought from my friend. That was in a 400g (6ft. x40"x2.5ft.)The dats are a 15" NGT, 13" NTT and 10" NTT.

In my tank, it's those 3 dats and I also have a 17" aro, x3 7" clown loaches and a 10" pbass in a standard 240g.
 

asm129

Gambusia
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Dec 28, 2009
642
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Cafe Lu
Have they got territory? Some wood etc?

Lighting dim or bright?
The lighting is kind of bright. The NTTs won't eat at all with the lights on, but the NGT still will eat earthworms with the lights on. I'm planning to switch over to led lighting soon. They're still pretty shy even with the lights off though, especially the NTTs.

I have 1 big piece of manzanita branch in there and the NGT stays most of the day by there. The side panels of my tank are painted black and the NTTs kind of stay near the top of the water by the black panels.
 
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