Take out the hiding spaces?

[asm129]

I've had my group of polys for 6 weeks now and most of them hide all day and don't eat. I've checked my water parameters and everything looks normal. They're in a 150g 5x2x2 tank.

Here's what I've got:
x1 5" endli
x2 9" delhezi
x1 8" lap
x1 6" weeksii

x2 senegal
x2 palmas polli

Only the senegals and palmas polli come out to look for food. The rest just chill in their caves and they don't even make an effort to get food even when it lands just a few inches away from them.

I've tried everything from switching foods (pellets, live, tilapia), feeding with the lights out, keeping the lights off for days at a time, etc. But most of them won't come out to eat. I've put food in their tank at lights out and it would still be there in the morning.

I'm thinking about taking out their hiding spaces so they'll get used to the light and at least I'll be able to see them. What do you think? Will this stress them out even more or will it force them to be more active and look for food? It's just I've been waiting more than a month for them to settle in and losing patience with them.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

That would be about the worst thing you can do right now. Give it time, no fish would starve themself to death.

 

[GarNiac]

my tank is bare bottom, no hiding spots at all, just painted black along the sides and the bottom, and they eat just fine, and anytime. It is their nature to hide once hiding spots are presents in the tank. They are most active at night to hunt for food, so there is nothing to worry about if you find yours refuse to eat during the day.

 

[asm129]

Hmm... sounds like conflicting advice. One person says leave the hiding spots there and they will eventually come out. Another person says they will be fine without places to hide. Any other opinions?

 

[mrwinkle]

Hmm... sounds like conflicting advice....Any other opinions?

I think the size of the polys determines which is best. I have seen larger (10"+) hang out in the open primarily because the poly feels its size limits the chances of them becoming a meal to a larger fish... So if you have smaller polys the chances of them becoming a meal increases as the size decreases. That being "typed" if your polys are under 10" to help provided them "piece of mind" let them have their hiding places, and as the grow larger they will shed the "need" of having a hiding places.

 

[lix.ma14]

my tank is bare bottom, no hiding spots at all, just painted black along the sides and the bottom, and they eat just fine, and anytime. It is their nature to hide once hiding spots are presents in the tank. They are most active at night to hunt for food, so there is nothing to worry about if you find yours refuse to eat during the day.

This is just a suggestion but you should put a few hiding spot for ur bichirs since they love to hide and they don't like the "sun" or light. Also, it can decrease aggression and territorial problem!

 

[GarNiac]

conflicting advice? hmm... with or without hiding places, your bichirs will still be alive, what you should be worrying instead is how you keep the water clean.

 

[GarNiac]

This is just a suggestion but you should put a few hiding spot for ur bichirs since they love to hide and they don't like the "sun" or light. Also, it can decrease aggression and territorial problem!

well, I've never noticed any aggression and territorial problem with my bichirs, maybe you had??? I raised mine since young, and my bichirs are doing well.
Its all depending on how you keep them healthy, everything is useless if you cant manage keeping clean water in your tank. With or without hiding place is just a matter of people preferences. As long as your fish is healthy, then nothing is really that matter.

 

[robroy]

Senagals & polli are known for being more active. Personally my Endli was 5" when I got it and hid a lot. Its now 10" and active but its still quiet compared to my polli. I do feel as they get bigger they'll get bolder.

With regards food-starve for a few days and then feed but try something different each time. Surprisingly mine fed on pellets first.

 

[LeoKhomutov]

My advice would be to leave the hiding places where they are. Try feeding them once every three to four days... not every day. Keep the lights over your tank off but have some low light on in the room. And for God's sake, unless you truly quarantine and/or disinfect live feeders... don't use them. I lost a 30" silver aro to some bacteria carrying feeders. It would really suck to loose your polys that way. Be patient, in my experience it can take several months before your polys really acclimate to their tank and begin to feed regularly.