homesick or just shy

[fur43]

I bought a female platy on sunday. She wedges herself in the tightest corner she can get in and doesnt move often. I did see her eat this morning.
I am wondering if this is normal for new fish. I usually buy fish in pairs, so i don't ever come across this problem.

-thanks

 

[FreddyJ]

Fur--
Fish psychology can be incredibly complex and difficult to figure out. (Trust me, I've tried! lol) My guess is something else is going on: what is the size of the tank, who are the other tankmates, what are your water parameters? These are probably questions that might hold the answer to your question.

 

[fur43]

I have a 10g tank with 6 other platies (4 female, 2 male) and 1 pleco. They all get along. I do not have a water test kit, so I don't know if there is anything wrong there. The others don't seem to be acting strange.

 

[MissFishy]

Your tank is getting a bit crowded, so I'd probably stop stocking there. If she's hiding she's either scared or sick. I would do an immediate water change and look closely at her to see if she has any symptoms of anything. Is she eating?

 

[GIS Guy]

I did see her eat this morning.

..........

 

[Fish Friend]

Have you got lots of ornaments for the fish to hide in, usually when adding new fish if you havent got enough decor for the fish to feel safe around then they end up doing what your platy has done.
Is the platy clamping up by any chance aswell?

 

[fur43]

The tank does have plenty of decor, i re-vamped the tank when she arrived with a tunnel, cave, and more plants. I am planning on upgrading to the 20g in the spring. I am also picking up a test kit to see if there is anything wrong with the water.

I don't know what you mean by clamping up.

 

[Grumpy_Marine]

She wedges herself in the tightest corner she can get in and doesnt move often.

Ok enough jokes on my last name here please...lol j/k.

I have never had platy's but i have had fish that hide in corners. My paradise gourmais did it when first added to tank for about one day, then they started venturing out in the tank. As for guppies... usually when i see them isolating themselves i know it is close to the end, i see one hiding in a corner they usually die within a day or two, no clue what causes them to die, water is good, they eat, just wake up in the morning and they are dead. Doing w/c is good keeps water clean, how long has it been hiding in corners? Are there any bullies that force it in the corner?

 

[fur43]

She has been moving more and more in the past couple of days, but still not as active as the others. I'm not so concerned now that she has been improving.

thank you to everyone that replied