# Hiding Places Or No Hiding Places



## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

I notice a lot of tanks aren't really set up like the wild, ie. lots of roots/plants/dark water/dim lights... yet the information of their natural habitats tells us this is what they are used to. I also see that the most active fish (and can work the other way of course) are in tanks with little or no objects in the tank. I have also seen lightly planted tanks very active too.

If you had a shy child, who hid in his room all the time... it would be better for him to be gently pushed into the world to grab some confidence rather than let him become a recluse

Do you have any evidence/experience to suggest the amount of hiding places in a tank alters the boldness and development of your piranha?

Scenarios would be:

1) No hiding places, just glass and gravel, bright lights

2) One or two hiding/shelter spots from vision and light, maybe the odd bit of bogwood, maybe some light management

3) Lots of hiding places all over the tank, many plants/reeds/bogwood/caves/peaty dark water/dim lights, a slice of the amazon

Obviously many of you have had a variety of species and variety of tank setups, would be good to get some feedback on these in one place.


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## NakedSavage (Apr 9, 2008)

The only fish i really had a problem with being to skittish was my solo red... i taped my bulbs with electrical tape to dim the lights and nothing... only when i got rid of most of his hideing spots did he stay active and visible alot more. I left him with one spot to hide and he couldnt stay fully hidden in it.. it took a few weeks but it really helped him get used to ppl around his tank..

so in my experiance, if they have plentifull places to hide, they will... now that i think about it, it was the same thing with my blood parrot, always hideing untill i reduced the hideing spots.

I voted one or two spots.


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## Ibanez247 (Nov 9, 2006)

Ya a few hiding spots works for me. MY pygos al ltend to stay out in the open even though there a few hiding spots for them. Mostly a clump of plants so nothing solid to hide behind. My manny I set up a piece of drift wood so that when it did hide I could still see it. I had no hiding places for awhile but it tried hiding behind plants and would freak out if I got real close to the tank. Now it spends most its time under the stump but I can see it just fine. It tends to come out and patrol the tank then mosey on back to its safe spot. A lot depends on the fish itself. Some just have more balls than others.


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## spec-v (Feb 27, 2005)

I gotta say no hiding places...with that said I only do that with a pygo shoal and not serras. I also I make sure the fish are atleast 6-7 inches and out of the juvie phase I.E. got there spots. It just cuts down on the aggression among the fish but I will add that you shold have at least 6 or more fish for this to really work in my humble opinion. In my tank I have three P. Natts and If I had no decorations they would fight but in the past I have done the bare tank with 7 fish and it worked fine.


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## Soul Assassin (Nov 21, 2006)

NakedSavage said:


> The only fish i really had a problem with being to skittish was my solo red... i taped my bulbs with electrical tape to dim the lights and nothing... only when i got rid of most of his hideing spots did he stay active and visible alot more. I left him with one spot to hide and he couldnt stay fully hidden in it.. it took a few weeks but it really helped him get used to ppl around his tank..
> 
> so in my experiance, if they have plentifull places to hide, they will... now that i think about it, it was the same thing with my blood parrot, always hideing untill i reduced the hideing spots.
> 
> I voted one or two spots.


totally agree with this for serras, large pygos dont need any and IMO it reduces aggression


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## martini (Jul 19, 2009)

I have three young pygos (2"), and keep a few large rocks in the tank just to keep them away from the powerhead/filter flow, if they need it. (Most of the time they are out and about!) But you can still see them easily behind the rocks, even when they are chillin' back there. I think they have bonded better by having few distinct, territorial hiding places, but that has just been my experience so far.


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

My sanchezi is doing everything he can to hide, even lying on his side under bogwood! I've had to give him a hiding place, he insists. I thought he was dead, touched him with the net and boom! he swam out sh*tting himself. He's so far laid down on his side, vertically, any way he can to get away from being exposed/ light. Ligets are taped up now too so its not even very bright in there... time will tell, ask me in a month hah


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## nilocg (Apr 5, 2010)

I would have to say 1-2 hiding spots. Recently I had a large branch surrounded by branches that all the p's would hide around/in. Since I have taken it out they have been infinitely more active and swim around as a shoal. I still have a few hiding spots(one on either side of a 6 foot tank), but they dont seem to use them anymore.


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## I Can Mate (Apr 8, 2010)

corbypete said:


> My sanchezi is doing everything he can to hide, even lying on his side under bogwood! I've had to give him a hiding place, he insists. I thought he was dead, touched him with the net and boom! he swam out sh*tting himself. He's so far laid down on his side, vertically, any way he can to get away from being exposed/ light. Ligets are taped up now too so its not even very bright in there... time will tell, ask me in a month hah


yeah same thing happen to my when i was sold a sanchezi by mistake for a rhom. in my 30g he would almost hide all day until like midnight i came down and see him in front like he is trying to escape. i returned him to the lfs for a real rhom and few days later i came to see him and he was finger chasing me! i was pissed like u stupid Piranha!


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

I Can Mate said:


> My sanchezi is doing everything he can to hide, even lying on his side under bogwood! I've had to give him a hiding place, he insists. I thought he was dead, touched him with the net and boom! he swam out sh*tting himself. He's so far laid down on his side, vertically, any way he can to get away from being exposed/ light. Ligets are taped up now too so its not even very bright in there... time will tell, ask me in a month hah


yeah same thing happen to my when i was sold a sanchezi by mistake for a rhom. in my 30g he would almost hide all day until like midnight i came down and see him in front like he is trying to escape. i returned him to the lfs for a real rhom and few days later i came to see him and he was finger chasing me! i was pissed like u stupid Piranha!
[/quote]

hmm, interesting. 
I wonder if its something we're doing wrong? In the local fish shop it's just tank, bright light, no bogwood etc. and lots of comotion.... my tanks dim from low lights,dark murkey water from the peat and in my lounge so fair ammount of traffic.... dunno...

Once all the lights are off,. tv off etc. just my monlighting, ihe comes out, swims right upto the front glass, swims around etc.. I sit in the dark admiring him, its the only time i get to see my fish!

im giving him 3 months, if hes still the same he can go, obviously not happy, that or his eyes are still too sensitive as he was in the amazon a few weeks ago


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## fury (Nov 30, 2003)

my experience

they will adapt to what they are given.


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## I Can Mate (Apr 8, 2010)

corbypete said:


> My sanchezi is doing everything he can to hide, even lying on his side under bogwood! I've had to give him a hiding place, he insists. I thought he was dead, touched him with the net and boom! he swam out sh*tting himself. He's so far laid down on his side, vertically, any way he can to get away from being exposed/ light. Ligets are taped up now too so its not even very bright in there... time will tell, ask me in a month hah


yeah same thing happen to my when i was sold a sanchezi by mistake for a rhom. in my 30g he would almost hide all day until like midnight i came down and see him in front like he is trying to escape. i returned him to the lfs for a real rhom and few days later i came to see him and he was finger chasing me! i was pissed like u stupid Piranha!
[/quote]

hmm, interesting. 
I wonder if its something we're doing wrong? In the local fish shop it's just tank, bright light, no bogwood etc. and lots of comotion.... my tanks dim from low lights,dark murkey water from the peat and in my lounge so fair ammount of traffic.... dunno...

Once all the lights are off,. tv off etc. just my monlighting, ihe comes out, swims right upto the front glass, swims around etc.. I sit in the dark admiring him, its the only time i get to see my fish!

im giving him 3 months, if hes still the same he can go, obviously not happy, that or his eyes are still too sensitive as he was in the amazon a few weeks ago
[/quote]
wow my lfs is the same thing... well i traded mine for a rhom and its less shy but still shy. 2 weeks ago i picked me up a elongatus and by far is my favorite


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## RedSoxfan (Apr 7, 2010)

NakedSavage said:


> The only fish i really had a problem with being to skittish was my solo red... i taped my bulbs with electrical tape to dim the lights and nothing... only when i got rid of most of his hideing spots did he stay active and visible alot more. I left him with one spot to hide and he couldnt stay fully hidden in it.. it took a few weeks but it really helped him get used to ppl around his tank..
> 
> so in my experiance, if they have plentifull places to hide, they will... now that i think about it, it was the same thing with my blood parrot, always hideing untill i reduced the hideing spots.
> 
> I voted one or two spots.


I agree 100%,my new Gold P,was wicked shy at first,i took most of the caves out and now he is warming up to me a little by following me around when i ener his room.


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

RedSoxfan said:


> The only fish i really had a problem with being to skittish was my solo red... i taped my bulbs with electrical tape to dim the lights and nothing... only when i got rid of most of his hideing spots did he stay active and visible alot more. I left him with one spot to hide and he couldnt stay fully hidden in it.. it took a few weeks but it really helped him get used to ppl around his tank..
> 
> so in my experiance, if they have plentifull places to hide, they will... now that i think about it, it was the same thing with my blood parrot, always hideing untill i reduced the hideing spots.
> 
> I voted one or two spots.


I agree 100%,my new Gold P,was wicked shy at first,i took most of the caves out and now he is warming up to me a little by following me around when i ener his room.
[/quote]

Didn't feed mine for 2 days, he came out of his hiding area to eat in front of me... finally!

Now he's full ,hes back again, so will try 3 days next


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## shiver905 (May 27, 2009)

Hideing places = the will hide
No hideing places = they cant hide, after a bit youll have more out going fish.


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## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

i like a bare tank with a large # of pygos (or s. maculatus) because it tends to lessen territorial behavior you might get with even one or two hiding spots. with a lot of hiding spots they will each choose one and stick to that area.

i also like overstocking a tank to reduce territoriality and skittishness...safety in #'s...though, paradoxically, i see some active, non-skittish solo pygos on here.


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

Well 2 weeks of hiding behind the same block of wood and an empty looking tank, Everythings gone, the 3 bogwoods are out, and I can see my fish again. We'll see how he copes now, tanks is perfect, dimmed, soft brown water, time for him to get used to my lounge!


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

Looks like its worked, hes a lot more active - when I dont look at him haha

It's like catching someone out dancing to music in their kitchen or something when they think no-ones around! 

I walked in the lounge this morning, he was swimming around so happily, saw me and went "Sh*t!" and pretended he wasnt doing anything haha "I'll....just....slowly....swmin....back over here....yep... not doing anything....honest"







Same if im watching tv on the couch, if i turn to look at the tank I catch him out  Guess its just a matter of time now


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## Sacrifice (Sep 24, 2006)

corbypete said:


> Looks like its worked, hes a lot more active - when I dont look at him haha
> 
> It's like catching someone out dancing to music in their kitchen or something when they think no-ones around!
> 
> ...


LOL, I've had the same experiences. You spin around and look at them and they give you a look like a small child "I'm not doing anything...." LOL. With those puppy dog eyes. Cracks me up.


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