Hiding fish are frequently frightened or otherwise uncomfortable with their tank environment. Determining the reason they are hiding isn’t always easy, and coaxing them out can be somewhat troublesome as well. In some cases, the fish simply needs a period of adjustment. In other cases, the reason may be something that can be corrected by the aquarist.

Some fish are, by their own nature, shy animals. When introduced into a new environment, they tend to look for places to hide and shy away from open spaces. If this is the case with your hiding fish, it is likely you will begin to see a change within a few days of the fish arriving in his new home. If you do not see an adjustment within a few days, there may be another problem.

Some fish are more comfortable in schools, and having too few of them can result in hiding fish. These breeds prefer to be in groups of at least four or five fish. If the school is smaller than that, they may either hide together or hide independently. Either result is the same: you were excited about your new tank inhabitants but find yourself constantly searching for your hiding fish. If this is the case, try adding a few more of that species. You may soon find you have a happy school of fish parading itself throughout your tank.

Most fish like to have places to hide; this keeps them from feeling vulnerable all the time. Ironically, you may find with some hiding fish that the more places they have to hide, the less they will do so. Some fish get uncomfortable knowing there are only a few places in the tank that they feel comfortable hiding. By providing real hiding places, such as rock piles of driftwood, or artificial spots like ceramic decorations, you may find that your hiding fish spend more of their time out in the open.

Hiding fish are usually trying to communicate to you that there is something about their environment that is making them unhappy. Whether this is a schooling issue, a personality trait, or an environmental concern, determining and correcting the cause can make a big difference. While some fish will always be a bit shyer than others, you shouldn’t have to constantly be searching for your hiding fish. Figuring out why they are hiding and correcting the situation may turn them into the inner show-fish they’ve always longed to be!