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Irwini Catfish question

Most cats are active during night time. Easiest way to see your cat and have him more active is get rid of the drift wood and other rocks/cave setups. This solves the problem most have with their cats hiding. They become more active and less skittish. Niger and irwini's and most cats are lazy by default and don't move much even with out decor...but the bigger they get the more active they become.
 
Problem is, Right now the fish is in with small indo dat and some bichirs, theyre growing out in a 20 long. I am worried that if i remove all of the decorations the fish might fight. or the datnoid might hide in a corner stressed all day.

Any reccomendation? I would love to see my Irwini
 
It's better for the fish if you let them hide. No decorations = stress and is bad for the fish and who like the bare laboratory look anyway :screwy:
 
That sounds good. has anyone had luck keeping them with raphaels? I hear they prefere groups, but as Raphaels are similar especially to young Irwini would they not group together?
 
True some fishes do stress out with lack of decorations however, give it time they get used to it. Majority of cats don't come out when you have decor because they prefer coverage. They hunt for food at night or when there's low light and hide when there is light or the light comes on. From my experience only I've never had any cats stress out on me I never use decor and they are always fine. I've had my jar and a few tank mates freak out on me for a couple of days when I took the decor out in his tank and everytime I turned the light on he 'd get skittish however after a week or two he was fine. He doesnt' even mind it when people walk by or place thier hands on the glass(mostly the kids) because they got use to it. However, I will say that the dats might go at it. As they are bullys amongst each other the bigger or more aggressive one always bullies the other dat(s). At younger and juv stage anyways.

I'm not suggesting not decor though just not the huge driftwoods and slabs of rocks that cats can dissapear to. Some fake or real plants and a solid rockthat the cats can retreat to or still go to to feel safe but not to where it literally disapears or hides itself completely. Although my don't have huge decors mine use the filter tubes to squeeze between or the corner of the tank. Some of mine raphaels use to use the fake plants until they got to big. They still lay agaist it from time to time. From my own persoanl experiences the cats are more active this way. Just one way to get the cats active.
 
Funny my niger cat is the shyest of all my cats always trying to run off and hide somewhere I especially hate it when he trys to squeeze between my filter tubes because i have fix it everytime. But he's an ok eater eats well grows I think accordingly to his age. My spotted raphaels are really active and my striped raphaels are always hiding I have a sun cat with them that is always out and about too. I guess every fish has their own individual personality.
 
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