New Fish

[zodiak245]

Im new to fish keeping so im not sure what to do. I just got some green neon tetras yesterday and they are currently hiding. How long until i should be worried because if i try to feed they will hide. Im afraid that they will starve themselves. If im not near the fish tank, they will come out and explore.

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Edited April 19, 2022 by zodiak245

[Colu]

Sound like they just need time to settle down also the bigger number the more confident Tetra's are

[Patrick_G]

I agree, some fish are a little shy at first, then settle down. Adding a few bold fish might help them feel less anxious. 

[lefty o]

feed them, then back away from the tank. over time they will relax and figure out you getting near the tank means its dinner time.

[PineSong]

I recently received some koi swordtails from AquaHuna. Healthy and active but clearly not used to people or maybe to life in a tank with a bucket of guppy grass, not sure—they hung out in the back corner anytime I came near and even a week or two in, food would hit the substrate before they would venture out, even though they are in a tank I don’t have to open a lid or anything in order to feed them. Now they swim to the front like normal fish who know where the food comes from. I say give your tetras time to adjust and spend lots of time in front of the tank so they learn you are not a threat.

[HH Morant]

On 4/19/2022 at 8:20 PM, PineSong said:

I recently received some koi swordtails from AquaHuna.

Hey @PineSong! I don't mean to seem too demanding, but I would love to see a picture of the swordtails!

[PineSong]

On 4/19/2022 at 9:37 PM, HH Morant said:

Hey @PineSong! I don't mean to seem too demanding, but I would love to see a picture of the swordtails!

Well I woke them up to try; this is the best I got. I may do better in daylight; I was pleased with them and felt they looked like the photos on the website.

[zodiak245]

On 4/19/2022 at 9:20 PM, PineSong said:

I recently received some koi swordtails from AquaHuna. Healthy and active but clearly not used to people or maybe to life in a tank with a bucket of guppy grass, not sure—they hung out in the back corner anytime I came near and even a week or two in, food would hit the substrate before they would venture out, even though they are in a tank I don’t have to open a lid or anything in order to feed them. Now they swim to the front like normal fish who know where the food comes from. I say give your tetras time to adjust and spend lots of time in front of the tank so they learn you are not a threat.

I should just put food in the tank and leave right?

[Odd Duck]

On 4/19/2022 at 9:01 PM, zodiak245 said:

I should just put food in the tank and leave right?

Don’t leave, just back away so you’re not right next to the tank.  If you get about 3-4 feet away, that’s usually enough.  Then just hold still and watch them.  Do that daily for a few days, then slowly back off less and less depending on how they’re behaving.  If they get to where they don’t seem bothered that you’re there (may take a couple days or a couple weeks), then you’ll be able to watch from fairly close as they eat so you can get a good look at them.  Eventually, they will almost always come around and not be bothered at all about you approaching since they will associate you with feeding.  Some shyer species may still prefer you to maintain a bit of distance in first generation wild caught individuals.

[Chad]

I worried about the same thing when I first got my tetras. They were so scared they wouldn’t eat, they would always hide when I came around. In my case, after some time (a few days to eat, a few weeks to swim in the open) they settled in and have thrived. They will eat when they are hungry enough, they will swim around when they are confident enough. 

[lefty o]

On 4/19/2022 at 9:16 PM, Odd Duck said:

Don’t leave, just back away so you’re not right next to the tank.  If you get about 3-4 feet away, that’s usually enough.  Then just hold still and watch them.  Do that daily for a few days, then slowly back off less and less depending on how they’re behaving.  If they get to where they don’t seem bothered that you’re there (may take a couple days or a couple weeks), then you’ll be able to watch from fairly close as they eat so you can get a good look at them.  Eventually, they will almost always come around and not be bothered at all about you approaching since they will associate you with feeding.  Some shyer species may still prefer you to maintain a bit of distance in first generation wild caught individuals.

yup, back off 4-5 feet, and have a seat in a chair or couch whatevers close.