Super shy synspilum

[o5b0rn3b]

Picked this guy up about a month ago. He's 3" and is living in my 30 long with a dozen rosy barbs. The tank is in my livingroom, the most active room in my house, and he still doesn't have the confidence to eat off the top of the water. I've had him go 4 days without food trying to get him to eat pellets with no luck. Hides constantly when someone is in front of the tank, and will only eat the flakes that sink to him.

He can't eat flakes forever, what else can I do to try and get his confidence up. I put a couple of my sajica (half his size) to try and get him to at least not hide 100% of the time. They both (females) beat up on him, in his tank. I'm at a loss, and am really considering rehoming the fish I wanted so bad.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

Some fish got scare because of other fish active too much like barbs species, if you just want it to be the center fish then you might consider to rehome those barbs and put some slower, calmer fish species like molly and remove those bullier it too, you can add new fish later only after it regain its confidence.

 

[duanes]

Is your tank basically open on all sides?
In nature cichlids live near banks of rivers, and streams, and near rock walls.
I cover my tanks on 3 sides with styrofoam insulation panels that are painted black to give the cichlids a sense of security. In this way they do not feel like they can be attacked from all sides.
Bing the most active room in the house , the cichlid possibly feels constantly bombarded with stimuli and therefor never secure..

 

[cichlidfish]

I find fish are shy in small tanks. They feel safer with more room to flee from danger. That syn will outgrow that 30g pretty quickly.