convinceing fish to swim around more? instead of staying in front.

[BOSTONBAKEDBEAN]

i have a hippo and green cromis that just sit in the front of the tank. every things great healthy but they dont leave the very front corner of the tank, its a 150 hex wide as it is tall. reef is build in the center. would adding blue background help? or mabe rearange the reef to be against the back wall? kinda wondering if anyones had similar exsperience. or any ideas.

 

[NateHanson]

The hippo I had for a while was very active, darting in and out of the rocks. If he got spooked he'd stop swimming around but he'd do it in a cave somewhere, not out in the open. . Sounds strange what yours is doing. I wonder if it has to do with the tank dimensions. What are the dimensions of a 150 hex tank? (sounds cool actually, got pictures?)

 

[B.rian]

how much flow do you have going in your tank? are there lots of caves and bridges for your tang to swim through?

 

[maxfischer]

Have you tried talking to them? Maybe its you. Let them know how you feel and maybe they will be more active.

 

[MarkO]

want to see them swim?
Feed 'em

 

[billm]

fish are wierd most of my fish prefer the left side of my tank no agression going on, flow and rock simular on both sides go figure

 

[Moe_K]

Maybe look into some dither fish?
Dither fish (i.e. chromis) are fish that act like decoys or look outs for the other fish. If the dither fish are out swimming around, the more timid fish know that it's safe to come out and play. If the dither fish get spooked, everyone goes into hiding.
There are a few types of fish that are commonly sold that would fit the bill. I remember chromis, I think anthias might work, but I'd look into Scott Michael's reference book to be sure.

 

[NateHanson]

What if your dither fish won't swim Moe.

He's got a chromis that is sitting still. Get ditherfish for the ditherfish? Where will the madness end???

 

[BOSTONBAKEDBEAN]

haha nice! feeding thats the prob i think hes just watching me all day long its funny. its in love lamo feeding he chases then he/her? waits for more tons of rock caves ect. ok dimentiono's 36"diamiter/31 1/2" wide and 36" tall totaly my dream tank hear mixed opinions about surface volume but it actually has about the same as a rectangle tank if not more. ill take a pic when i remember. i especialy like cause i got the tank n frame fr free repaied/stoped leaks. reef is my bonzi. kinda how i think about it. sure others do as well.

 

[BOSTONBAKEDBEAN]

hithery dithery dock lol got some cromis and they hang out with the tang there buds.

 

[NateHanson]

That's a cool shape! I definitely want to see a picture. Do you have to wear a snorkel to reach the bottom of the tank?

 

[~Flighty~]

Where did you find a tank like that? I would love one if it was only 24" deep or less.

 

[BOSTONBAKEDBEAN]

acctually i totaly fit in it. i wish i could snorkle it.
the tank seems to be compleatly custom "odd dementions", but it was floating around on creigs list for a while, i finialy grabed it for free. the whole botom pain of glass was leaking but who ever origionaly built it/ fixed it, did it wrong. i did it right. so i can'complain ive seen 90 galon hex for around a grand ect .