How long do dovii generally stay shy?

LowCel

Piranha
MFK Member
Oct 10, 2006
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Charleston, WV
I was just wondering how long dovii typically stay shy. I have four juvie dovii alone in a 210 gallon tank. I removed the cutteri that they were sharing their tank with yesterday. Right now they are pouting a little since I stressed them out removing the other fish.

Anyway, they have never been very outgoing. The males are between 4 & 5 inches and the females are 2" and 3 1/2". I know there is no certain time frame but right now whenever I go to look at the tank all I see is a tank with wood and rocks. They will very carefully come out to grab a little food but then they just go right back into hiding. So any ideas on how long until I get to actually see them when I walk in the room?
 

dmopar74

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Mar 24, 2006
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Tri cities washington
every dovii seems to be different. ive seen dovii at 4" straight killers and finger chasers, and dovii at 10" never come out of hiding. never seen a dovii 15"++ that was a puss though.


on a side note i got 15 2-3"+ dovii growing out, and of course the largest, meanest, and most colorfull one is constantly hiding, but a damn brute.
 

Aquanero

Global Moderator
Staff member
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Feb 16, 2009
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New Jersey
You always hear it depends on the individual fish and it appears especially true when it comes to Dovii. One thing you have to take into consideration is that they grow very large and a 5" fish is still a baby, or at best a toddler. In nature they would still hide at this size to avoid being eaten. Generally speaking you can't really be sure when they will gain confidence. Keep the system they are housed in very stable i.e. water, decore ECT. and they will come out of their shell in their own time. Some of the real MFK experts on Dovii could weigh in here.
 

mbunafishkeeper

Feeder Fish
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Jul 24, 2007
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my male dovii is 6", i had him with others until today and he wasnt shy atall but became a coldblooded killer this week so i had to give him his own tank, i removed him earlier today and if i go up to his tank now he will come out of hiding.
 

demjor19

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 17, 2006
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Mine was a terror at 3" and has been getting more aggressive as he grows. They are all different though...
 

sandyv

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2009
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California
I put 6 giant danio's in my tank (dither fish) and got my doviis out and about. I guess the danios are pretty fast, because none of them has been caught yet.
 

TWiST

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 6, 2008
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perth australia
i had a female that was full on nasty, bashed the glass all the time, i could lift my leg in the air while lying on the bed and she would go ballistic, she was very aggressive from very small, ive got a male that is around 27cm and isnt that aggressive, i cant keep anything with him but he doesnt attack the glass yet :(
 

Power

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 25, 2009
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sydney
i've owned a 6" dovii for about 6 weeks and was very shy for about a week but he is now very confident around me but seems to be shy around other people
 
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