dawnearly

I just started a fishtank 4 weeks ago. It is a 38 gallon freshwater tank. I started out with 5 neon tetras about 2 weeks ago. One of them died 3 days after I got them, he was a sickly looking one to begin with. The others are doing fine. I just went into the pet store today and picked up 5 more fish. I had the shop test the water first. I picked up a Platy, a Gourami and 3 guppies. I just went to feed them ( I feed 2-3 times a day, just enough for a couple minutes of feeding). I did turn on the light. The rest of the fish swam right up to the surface, but the Platy went straight down to the rockery and hid. It has been an hour or so, and he is still in there. Should I be worried? Any help would be appreciated !!

Isabella

Fish generally don't like sudden lighting changes. For example, they don't like when it's completely dark in a room and the light in their tank suddenly turns on. This stresses them out and causes them to be afraid. That's why they hide or make sudden movements. What I do, before I turn on the light in m tank, is I turn on the light in my room first - so that the fish get used to some light at first and turning on the aquarium light won't cause any stress for them. Lights should be turned on gradually - if it's in the evening, the room lights should be turned on first, then the aquarium lights.

If you're turning the lights on gradually, as I described above, then maybe the fish is still afraid of the new environment and needs some time to get used to it. If not this, then carefully observe the fish for the way it swims, the way it looks, and if it eats.

Butterfly

Sounds like a really pretty tank Eventually your platy might like a friend.
If the tank has only been set up about four weeks then I would think the cycling process is finished. neons are very sensitive and therefore not a good fish to cycle with. Here is a link to some good articles to read and I think they will answer some of your questions
http://fishlore.com/Forum/index.php?topic=620.0
Carol