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Timid Rummynoses

Egmel

Member
Joined
28 Mar 2008
Messages
729
Location
Guildford, Surrey, UK
My rummynoses keep hiding behind a bunch of stems, they've been in just over a week and they dart for cover the moment anyone enters the room. Is this normal or will they come out into the open more when they've had a chance to settle in?
 
I've bought 10 but haven't been able to count them in the last couple of days, no floaters so I'm guessing still 10!
 
Hmm... That's okay then, I thought maybe you bought a stupid number like three but you obviously know your stuff.

They'll probably be okay in a week or so. They could just be timid because of tankmates (or lack of), flow, bright lighting, the tank is in a busy room, loud noises, carbon. It could be anything but I'm sure they'll be fine. Most fish take a week or so to properly settle in anyway.
 
My neons took a week or 2 to be brave enough in their new surroundings to come out when I first got them. You could peer into room, but as soon as you went in and they saw movement they'd swim off and hide.

After a couple of weeks though they'd start coming up to me when I was next to the tank. Now, all the neons and all the glowlights just swim about right in front of wherever I am when I look in the tank :D
 
When my 8 Green Neons know there is people around they also hide behind my big bogwood centrepiece. But when they don't know I'm there (like now) they come out and chase each other around and generally act more like they should.

Don't know why personally :/.
 
Sounds like I should give them a little while longer then. It's the first group of fish I've put in a heavily planted tank and I wasn't sure if it was normal for them to hide for so long. The 6 ottos I put in at the same time are much more out going.

The lights are fairly bright, 60w over a 4ft 30g, the room is busy when I'm at home but that is usually only in the evenings. There might be noise from next door during the day though as they're on the intersecting wall. I'll keep an eye on them, but I don't think they're going to like me tonight as I need to prune, probably going to undo the last week of settling in!
 
Sure they just need to settle in, but are you sure your water parameters are ok?
Rummynose do need a very mature tank to show their best and a nice amount of flow.

If all is well then just wait. I've found them to be very smart too, for a tetra anyway. Mine recognize me like a cichlid would and come up to the front of the tank now for food!!! While my cardinals shoot off into the back.

10 is a good number but... sure you could get a few more in a 4footer. You won't regret it ;)
 
jay said:
Sure they just need to settle in, but are you sure your water parameters are ok?
Rummynose do need a very mature tank to show their best and a nice amount of flow.
New tank old filter/plants/decorations, did a straight swap over. It's got an eheim 2213 and the original juwel internal going so there's quite a turnover. Parmeters were fine last time I checked.

If all is well then just wait. I've found them to be very smart too, for a tetra anyway. Mine recognize me like a cichlid would and come up to the front of the tank now for food!!! While my cardinals shoot off into the back.

10 is a good number but... sure you could get a few more in a 4footer. You won't regret it ;)
I was thinking about getting some more, but I've been a little low on fish of late (waiting for the guppies my ex chose to die off so I could get some fish I wanted!) so when I went and bought these guys I decided to let the filter bacteria have a chance to catch up. I added 6 ottos at the same time and I already had a gold spot dwarf plec, some snails and some shrimp in there. I was thinking of adding another 6, but then I don't know, if I did that there isn't really room for a shoal of anything else and I'm not sure I'm ready to make that decision yet.
 
jay said:
....Mine recognize me like a cichlid would and come up to the front of the tank now for food!!! While my cardinals shoot off into the back.


Yeah, all my tetra's do this too :D

When anyone goes up to the tank, not just me..... they must think "Human = Food. Mmmmmm!"
 
Mr Bee said:
"Human = Food. Mmmmmm!"
I'm trying to train mine to realise this, it may take some time.
 
Right well according to my bank balance these have been in the tank over 4 weeks and still spend all day hiding behind a large thicket of stems. As soon as the lights go out they come out in search of food but otherwise I hardly see them :(

I wonder if my tank lights are too bright but for most of the time I'm running only 2 15w lamps over a 125l with an extra burst to 60w around lunch. If I drop much lower then my plants wont get the light they need.

I do have a sand substrate which may be brighter than they're used to...

Can anyone recommend a plan that may help them explore a little more during the day? Maybe adding some less timid fish or something?
 
I'm having the same issue at the mo, i was thinking of adding some more "boisterous" fish, dunno?
 
Dan Crawford said:
I'm having the same issue at the mo, i was thinking of adding some more "boisterous" fish, dunno?
Well I'm glad it's not just mine! Do yours come out more after lights out?
 
When I have had rummies they have always been alongside neon tetras. They always swam with the tetras, but I assumed they would do that whatever fish they were with.

HTH
 
Mine are in with just ottos and a parotocinclus so maybe that's the problem.
 
a1Matt said:
When I have had rummies they have always been alongside neon tetras. They always swam with the tetras, but I assumed they would do that whatever fish they were with.

HTH

Theres a natural affinity between rummies and cardinals, so neons I'm sure to rummies make a fine compromise to a cardinal. :) In the Rio Negro they are always seen together.
 
Hmmmm. We have 9 Rummies and from day one they have always been on show, back and forth across the tank non stop, super active fish, we also have 5 neons and 8 x-ray tetras and they have joined the Rummy shoal so it's always a blur of fishy activity.

Feeding time is easy as we tap the side of the tank (three little taps with the end of your finger nail) lt took a few days for them to realise the taps meant grubs up.

Fish come from all directions making a B line for the feeding spot, even the RTB and Striatas come up and feed on the surface.

I guess we must be doing something right. ;)
 
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