R: My irwini is somewhere between 4-5" and was really small like 2" and skinny when I got him, he has a great big belly on him now and I have trained him to take shelter in a cave leaned up at the glass.
TBTB: You've done a great job, judging from that other thread of yours with pics.
R: I drop his food into there and recently these last few days he has became a little more active instead of just sitting there.
TBTB: Yes - a matter of size and comfort and, hence, confidence.
R: I'm wondering if I take out all the wood and have the tank virtually bare would this train him to be more active?
TBTB: They are almost strictly nocturnal animals. He may be stressed a bit but he will get used to it, I think. He may not be much more active, just more visible to you as he will be lying in 1 or a few spots around the tank all day waiting for the lights to go out.
R: all the videos I see of big ones on youtube they behave like normal catfish swimming in the open isntead of hiding.
TBTB: The majority of cats are hiders and nocturnal critters. So, the statement of "normalcy" I disagree with. There are some that are definitely active swimmers day or night, like IDS.
R: is it a thing with size?
TBTB: absolutely.
R: or can you slowly adjust them to come out more?
TBTB: with partial success yes. Food can do it. But the smaller they are, the more they will hide - their self-preservation instinct tells them to eat as much as possible to grow fast and outgrow being preyed upon and to hide and to come out only at night to avoid sight-oriented predators.
