Are Platy's usually this shy?

Our new platy, The Red Baron, is very active in the tank, he's getting along with the two guppies in there. But if anyone is near the tank he swims away and hides behind an ornament or plant and watches them. When I fed him he wouldn't come out for food until I went away. We just got him and he's the first platy we've had so i'm not sure if it's normal or just his personality.

 

I have two platys, LokI and Thor - LokI is rather belligerent and unphased, Thor is thoughtful and cautious. It took nearly a week for Thor to become accustomed to my presence. Your Baron doesn't know you yet! If he's going out for food when you're not there, he's likely hungry but doesn't feel safe to go eat with you there yet.

Time will help change this. Keep a watchful eye for serious fin-clamping and resting on the bottom in awkward little crawlspaces - Thor puts her dorsal fin down and holds still yet doesn't hide when she's uncertain, so there is a fine line between big stress and small stress that you'll come to be able to read if your fish is anything like mine. I think Baron is just getting accustomed to people still.

 

I agree with Edmund. Platy can be very shy when you first get them. But with time they get braver.

 

Don't worry he is just getting used to his surroundings Eventually he'll start coming out more.

 

Well I hope he settles in nicely and gets more comfortable. I don't want to.stress him out too much. How long should I wait before I do a water change with him in the tank?

 

I would approach your tank every day, several times a day (extra in addition to the mandatory feeding-times). Just move slowly so there's nothing sudden to make you seem startling. Ideally you will want to do your water change whenever your schedule would normally demand a water change, so I'd say give him lots of opportunities to see you be gentle and passive - the more accustomed to you he is, the less new things he's dealing with for his first water change. You can always give yourself a little extra time to take the change more slowly and gently if you're worried about scaring the poop out of him!

I used to sit on my bed across the room to watch my platys when they were still nervous. It made me less scary but still present. That helped them quite a bit. Once he figures out you are the holder-of-yummies I think he will warm up rather quickly X)

 

Haha well the tank is in my bedroom, and its a small room so he sees me a lot. Theres also an ottoman pretty close to the tank where I like to sit because it's close enough to see the shrimp better. I'll give him time and be slow when i'm near the tank. Every other day is bloodworms so maybe on those days he'll start to get friskier.

 

Addendum to my previous statement: poop will happen regardless of whether you scare it out or not. Heh. They're pretty darn good at it, though there are worse offenders in the world of fish. *glares at his super-pooper mollies*

 

One of the guppies in the tank is a continuous pooper i'm noticing -_- I saw him poop at least ten times today. I don't even want to know how much I didnt see. I'm going to have to.do a water change either way because the tank is adjusting to the bioload. For about a month all that was in it was bb powder from petco and fish food to try and keep a cycle. I don't want to risk an ammonia spike even if waiting a couple days will calm him better.