FISH SEEM MORE SKITTISH/HIDING

[Randy1153]

My fish did this - showing skittish behavior, hiding when a whitetail tang turned aggressive as it matured. Things were great for a year or 2. Then like your tank, the hiding & skittish behavior started. I had to observe from a distance to find out who was the culprit. Because once fish see you in their line of vision, they are fixated on “feed me”. If they are unaware of your presence you are more likely to find out if one of the fish has started bullying. I suspect this might be going on since you only changed your lighting recently.

Another possibility is if you are spending a lot of time doing maintenance, but less time feeding slowly. This has happened to my husband, if I am out of town. The fish start to associate him more with tank maintenance than with food. He tends to feed the fish quickly. He is careful to make sure all fish are eating, fish look good etc. But his movements/pace are much quicker than mine & it amps the fish up a bit. So basically everything that @gregzz4 stated I think helps. I try to train my fish to associate me with food & use cues. That way they tolerate maintenance etc.

Maybe try some special treats, like a clam on the half shell etc. for your angels & see how they act around each other. I like placing grazing feeders at opposite ends of my tank to keep my fish calmer/less competitive.
For angels/butterflies I use the Little Fishies Pouch Feeder & smash LRS Reef Frenzy against the mesh. It makes it easy for them to “pick”.
For tangs I put 2 nori clips at different areas of the tank.

HI EVA! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPLY! SO ITS FUNNY, I HIDE AROUND MY KITCHEN WALL AND WATCH THESE LITTLE SUCKERS IN THE LIVING ROOM SWIMMING IN THE TANK. BUT THE SEC I GET CLOSE, MOST OF THEM HIDE, AND WHEN I WALK AWAY, THEY COME OUT,LOL. OUR WHITESPINE GOT HUGE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD, BUT SHE IS NOT A BULLY, JUST A BOISTEROUS TEENAGER!! OUR EMPEROR WHO ALSO GOT HUGE IS A BULLY, NO OTHER FISH CAN HANG WITH HER, SHE LIKES TO BE LEFT ALONE, AND IF SHE FEELS BOTHERED, SHE LETS OUT WITH THESE VERY LOUD GRUNTS, AND GOES AFTER THEM. OTHER THAN THIS AND THE NEW LIGHTS A FEW DAYS AGO, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. I AM CONSTANTLY MEDDLING WITH THE TANK FOR MAINTEN ITS 265 GALLONS, THERE ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FEED THEM SLOWLY?

 

[Bluecbs]

Time to call in the paranormal investigator.......

 

[Eva Rose]

HI EVA! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPLY! SO ITS FUNNY, I HIDE AROUND MY KITCHEN WALL AND WATCH THESE LITTLE SUCKERS IN THE LIVING ROOM SWIMMING IN THE TANK. BUT THE SEC I GET CLOSE, MOST OF THEM HIDE, AND WHEN I WALK AWAY, THEY COME OUT,LOL. OUR WHITESPINE GOT HUGE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD, BUT SHE IS NOT A BULLY, JUST A BOISTEROUS TEENAGER!! OUR EMPEROR WHO ALSO GOT HUGE IS A BULLY, NO OTHER FISH CAN HANG WITH HER, SHE LIKES TO BE LEFT ALONE, AND IF SHE FEELS BOTHERED, SHE LETS OUT WITH THESE VERY LOUD GRUNTS, AND GOES AFTER THEM. OTHER THAN THIS AND THE NEW LIGHTS A FEW DAYS AGO, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. I AM CONSTANTLY MEDDLING WITH THE TANK FOR MAINTEN ITS 265 GALLONS, THERE ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FEED THEM SLOWLY?

In my old tank I had a really boisterous Bluejaw Trigger. He was not at all aggressive or a bully. But at feeding time he would come barrelling up to grab the meaty food. He was so fast, the other fish were not as quick. So to make sure I could see all the fish got an adequate portion i started using tools. Especially a turkey baster.
In my current tank, I take thawed frozen (like LRS). I place a bit in a pouch feeder. The butterflies & angels like to pick at this. Then use a turkey baster to target feed some LRS to my clowns, jawfish, wrasse etc.
The turkey baster gives me a lot of control. I can literally pull up a few chunks to drop directly to jawfish. Or blow some tiny bits to chromis.
By using the baster, I can feed a bit in different areas too, so the more timid fish get their portion.
So my fish will swim to the pouch feeder to " beg". Or my Regal Angel wil tap on an empty clam shell when it sees me. I feel using the tools like the turkey baster & pouch feeder give more control. I can feed more precisely (& slowly) so fish strongly associate me with food.

 

[DawnfromPa]

Sometimes there is a leader of the skittish pack..tangs and rabbitfish... but there could also be an animal that is jumping at the tank or child when you are not looking.

 

[DawnfromPa]

It sounds like a trust thing and may take some time...slow movements, no pointing at the coral or fish..lol move slllloooooowwwww

 

[Randy1153]

In my old tank I had a really boisterous Bluejaw Trigger. He was not at all aggressive or a bully. But at feeding time he would come barrelling up to grab the meaty food. He was so fast, the other fish were not as quick. So to make sure I could see all the fish got an adequate portion i started using tools. Especially a turkey baster.
In my current tank, I take thawed frozen (like LRS). I place a bit in a pouch feeder. The butterflies & angels like to pick at this. Then use a turkey baster to target feed some LRS to my clowns, jawfish, wrasse etc.
The turkey baster gives me a lot of control. I can literally pull up a few chunks to drop directly to jawfish. Or blow some tiny bits to chromis.
By using the baster, I can feed a bit in different areas too, so the more timid fish get their portion.
So my fish will swim to the pouch feeder to " beg". Or my Regal Angel wil tap on an empty clam shell when it sees me. I feel using the tools like the turkey baster & pouch feeder give more control. I can feed more precisely (& slowly) so fish strongly associate me with food.

Your obviously very good at this pain in the neck hobby! Love the Blue Jaw! I'm to afraid to add one to our tank, I know they are the less aggressive out of Triggers, but you never know. Regal angels are very difficult to keep, has she given you a run for your money? I can't believe she taps on the shell to get your attention, that's crazy! Before this all started happening, just like a month or so ago, our fish would greet us too, I just don't get it, what happened here,lol. Great advice!

 

[Randy1153]

It sounds like a trust thing and may take some time...slow movements, no pointing at the coral or fish..lol move slllloooooowwwww

I guess, although this recently started happening. Don't understand how they lost trust in me, SMH! Believe me, I'm moving slowwwww, and I'm trying not to make eye contact with them,lol lol.

 

[Randy1153]

Sometimes there is a leader of the skittish pack..tangs and rabbitfish... but there could also be an animal that is jumping at the tank or child when you are not looking.

You called it! I believe it's our Whitespine Tang, she darts behind the rocks for no reason at all, and then they all follow, lol. We have no kids or pets other than me(child) and fish(pets).

 

[DawnfromPa]

I am going through the trust building exercise right now. We got the fish with another tank and they were never socialized. They even had an automatic feeder. I have to yell at my family to not point and to go slow..My dog runs by but they are slowly getting used to everyone. The tang will send all of the larger fish into a tizzy. I actually started talking to my fox face like you would talk to a puppy or baby and got a positive response... Now you are an adult male and that one is up to you. I pull up my piano bench and sit still and talk to them... algae strips entice them to come out too. But be vewwwy vewwwy quiet...lol

 

[Randy1153]

I am going through the trust building exercise right now. We got the fish with another tank and they were never socialized. They even had an automatic feeder. I have to yell at my family to not point and to go slow..My dog runs by but they are slowly getting used to everyone. The tang will send all of the larger fish into a tizzy. I actually started talking to my fox face like you would talk to a puppy or baby and got a positive response... Now you are an adult male and that one is up to you. I pull up my piano bench and sit still and talk to them... algae strips entice them to come out too. But be vewwwy vewwwy quiet...lol

Hysterical! The things we do for our pets!!!! I actually go thru so much Nori in our tank! Ridiculous amount! Like I said, our fish got bigggg! I feed it 7 days a week. Between 2 large angels 4 Tangs, 1 Foxface.

 

[DawnfromPa]

I love feeding my guys too...they love to eat. Do you sit with them when they are eating? I wonder what spooked them recently...? Did you change your lights schedule for daylight savings?