Fish that stay in hiding -- what fish do you never see?

burningmime · Jun 29, 2021

I got my first shipment of tangs for my new 180 a few days back, and of them the Blue Eye Kole Tang hasn't strayed from his cave other than maybe to grab a couple floating pieces of food. If I look from the right angle I can see him swimming a bit so I know he's alive. But he's staying in his cave, whether it's bullying from the other tangs (got a mean purple), stress from all the shipping, or he's just happy and fed enough in there that he doesn't want to go out. Maybe he'll venture out eventually.

What fish in your tank do you never see out and about?

jeffrey750750 · Jun 29, 2021

I've had my royal gramma for over two years and I only see it when its feeding time. My watchman goby also two years old im lucky to see it once a month. Weird I'd say

tjohnson3 · Jun 29, 2021

My tail spot blenny… only see his head poking out of his rock if you know where to find him. Only pops out at feeding time

UNREEFER · Jun 29, 2021

Firefish. Never comes out in the open. Stays near his little den. A few inches at most and darts back in if he gets a little spooked. Unfortunately, the den on the side of the tank where it's hard to observe.

GHOSTLY · Jun 29, 2021

None Of my Fish Hide After Lights come on for 2 hours but during that 2 hours with first light and nighttime my springers damsel hides in a cave, my clownfish sleep in the corner, and my mandarin turns Pale dusty White and sits facing me to sleep. Its really cute

Deep · Jun 30, 2021

Most liopropoma. I have a swalesi that I hardly see, but enjoy it when they do dart out quickly for a piece of food. Their secretive nature makes them more exciting.

Gtinnel · Jun 30, 2021

I have 3 engineer gobies and I only see them when I go feed. They will dart out to grab a bite of food and then right back into their caves.

Frizzy reefnewb · Jun 30, 2021

Royal grammar literally only came out when food was in the water

Dbichler · Jun 30, 2021

My two diamond gobies but they are afraid of my bird wrasse and huma huma so can’t blame them

Haydn · Jul 1, 2021

I rehomed a pajama cardinal for a friend in my tank, it disappeared into the LR and I never saw it again. I thought it had died. I broke down my tank some 3 years later and as I was cleaning a bit of LR it dropped out alive and well! It went back into my refurbished tank about 6 years ago and I have never seen it since.

I like the idea that I have a Schrödinger's fish

Paul B · Jul 1, 2021

I have 2 Gecko gobies (I think) but I have never seen them. I see a quick flash of a tail maybe if I shoot some worms in a cave at the back of the tank. I don't even know if I still have two of them.

I once had a cusk eel or brutlid fish which was bright yellow and about 6" long. Never saw it in 18 years except if I crawled behind the tank with a flashlight at night.

I killed him by accident in a Clorox accident. Didn't even know I still had him.

I have 2 possum wrasses that I rarely see.

I have a pair of these watchmans and the female is constantly laying eggs or tending them so she never comes out. I can see her all the way back in a burrow with her eggs.

These rainsford gobies are also constantly spawning and they made a hole in the gravel behind the undergravel filter where they live. They may even be spawning under that filter.

This Janss pipefish I generally only see the tip of his snout and has been in there for about 7 years. He used to come out when he was young, but very rarely now which is a shame for such a beautiful fish.

The bluestripes also hunt in the back on the algae covered glass and never come out any more. But used to spend all their time in the front.

I probably have 25 fish and most of them hide. But I don't generally buy very common fish.
I am getting to think my fish just don't like me.

Calm Blue Ocean · Jul 1, 2021

That fish would be my Midas blenny! Such a shame because it's a beautiful fish with a great swimming style and loads of personality...when it's not tucked away in it's little cave...watching. Always watching.

Itsadeepbluesea · Jul 1, 2021

Mine was a yellow watchman goby. Many times I thought he was dead only to have him pop out breifly.

ScottJ · Jul 1, 2021

High fin goby. I can go days without him coming out. It is really a shame becayse he is so pretty. My wife named him Bananna Split because of his yellow face and stripes. His cave is in a part of the tank I cant see. I have to blow food down there with a long pipette and hope he gets some.

lba4590 · Jul 1, 2021

My firefish is afraid of everything. If it feels safe and everything is ignoring it, it’ll dart around all over the place. But if I open the lid to the tank (generally to feed) it’ll dart in its cave.. come out after almost all the food is gone to grab a few bites. If I add a new fish or do a water change, I don’t see it for a week or more. So skittish. Come to think of it I haven’t seen him since I had to catch my hawkfish 2 weeks ago, so I might not even have him.. really hard to tell..

nkyreef · Jul 1, 2021

Green Mandarin. Never in the open - always have to search for her.

MoHey16 · Jul 1, 2021

My marine betta, I always have to peak in his cave to say hi! Although a very beautiful fish to watch swim around the tank during last 30mins of light.