Goldfish are playful animals who love to swim and exercise. Goldfish are active swimmers, and you will always see them swimming in the tank. But what if you suddenly see them hiding? Why are your goldfish hiding? Is it normal for them to hide? Let us discuss this below:
In general, goldfish hide when stressed, uncomfortable, frightened, or lonely. However, other possible reasons can be lack of oxygen, poor water quality, and too bright light. Consider providing hiding spots in the tank as it helps your goldfish reduce stress and feel secure.
Let us dive into the article to know more about goldfish hiding behavior.
Contents
Goldfish is hiding
Goldfish usually prefer to hide when they are stressed or are not feeling comfortable. Heavy vibrations in the tank can also make your goldfish hide in the tank.
Your goldfish is hiding to protect themselves from any threat in the tank.
Therefore, you must provide hiding places in the tank for the fish as it helps them to rest and recover from stress.
Aquarium rocks, ornaments, and plants are some best options to create hiding spots in your goldfish tank.
Also read: Do Goldfish Need Hiding Places?
Is it normal for goldfish to hide?
Goldfish in the wild often hide themselves to be safe from predators. But in the artificial environment, there are no such threats to your fish. They might be hiding due to stress or are frightened by the other tankmates.
So, it is entirely normal if you discover your goldfish hiding in the tank. There must be hiding places inside the tank as your goldfish likes hiding which also helps them to reduce stress.
We would also want you to know that hiding is a natural behavior of goldfish when they get introduced to a new environment.
But if you discover them hiding more than often, then you must keep an eye on them as they might be sick.
Your goldfish might be battling an infection that requires immediate action as delay in such an issue can lead to severe damage to your goldfish.
8 reasons why your goldfish is hiding?
Here are the reasons behind your goldfish hiding:
The goldfish is new
You might discover them hiding if your goldfish is new to the tank. Hiding is a natural behavior of a fish when they get introduced to a new tank. It is because they might feel uncomfortable and frightened by the other fish in the new tank.
However, once your fish gets adapted to the new environment, you will see them swimming freely in the tank.
Stressed
Your goldfish will prefer to hide if they are feeling stressed. In such a case, you must create hiding spots for your goldfish in the tank, as it plays a vital role in reducing the stress of your goldfish.
You can use plants, aquarium rocks, and other ornaments to create hiding spots for your goldfish.
Also read: Are My Goldfish Stressed?
Frightened
Your goldfish might be frightened by the other tankmates. In such a case, your goldfish will prefer to hide in the tank. There is no need to worry as it is a normal behavior of goldfish.
Your goldfish will start swimming freely once they get used to the other tankmates.
Lonely
If your goldfish have one or two tankmates, then they might feel lonely and prefer to hide in the tank. We would want you to know that goldfish are social fish that love interacting with their other tankmates.
So in such a case, it will be advisable to introduce new tankmates so that your fish do not feel lonely anymore and stop hiding.
Also read: Can Goldfish Live Alone?
Overcrowded Tank
If your goldfish tank is overcrowded, then your fish might get stressed and prefer to hide in the tank. An overcrowded tank does not allow your fish to swim freely, leading to stress in your goldfish.
So in such a case, you must not overcrowd your tank. Expert suggests having one gallon of water per inch of fish.
Also read: Why Goldfish Jump Out Of Their Tank?
Illness
Your goldfish will prefer to hide if they are sick. Your goldfish might be battling infections that require your immediate action. So in such a case, it will be advisable to consult a marine vet immediately.
Also read: Dropsy In Goldfish
Water Condition
If your tank’s water condition is not good, it will make your fish hide in the tank. As goldfish are messy fish, they produce a lot of waste that needs to be eliminated from the tank to maintain the water quality.
Therefore, you must ensure to provide a well-filtered tank to your goldfish so they live an optimal quality of life.
Also read: Can Goldfish Survive In Dirty Water?
Not enough plants and decoration in the tank
If your tank does not have enough plants and decoration, it might make your goldfish feel vulnerable as they prefer to have hiding spots in the tank to make themselves feel safe.
Plants and other tank decorations help to create a hiding spot for your goldfish.
Also read: Do Goldfish Eat Plants?
Why is my goldfish hiding under the filter?
There can be many reasons behind your goldfish hiding under the filter. Some of them are as follows:
- If there is a new filter installed in the tank, it will produce strong currents that will make your goldfish uncomfortable. As a result, your goldfish will prefer to hide under the filter to protect themselves.
- If your goldfish tank is overcrowded, then your fish will prefer to hide under the filter. An overcrowded tank can also lead to stress in your goldfish as it does not allow them to swim freely.
- If the light in your aquarium is too bright, then it will make your goldfish uncomfortable, making them hide under the filter. However, you should always keep the light at a moderate level as bright led lights can also lead to stress in your goldfish.
- Lack of oxygen in the water can also make your goldfish hide under the filter. As the area where the filter is placed has the purest water that is rich in oxygen. So your goldfish prefer to hide behind the filter to get the most oxygen-rich water. Therefore, you should always provide a well-oxygenated tank to your goldfish as lack of oxygen can lead to severe health issues in your goldfish.
- If other tankmates threaten your goldfish, they will prefer to hide under the filter. You must ensure not to add aggressive fishes in your goldfish tank as goldfish are playful animals and are not aggressive.
These were some reasons behind your goldfish hiding under the filter.
Do goldfish hide when they are about to pass away?
Goldfish do not hide when they are about to pass away. Instead, goldfish prefer hiding when stressed, threatened, or sick.
Therefore, it would be advisable to provide hiding spots for your goldfish as it helps them to reduce stress.
Poor water quality and temperature are also some significant causes behind your goldfish hiding. The water temperature of the goldfish tank should be between 22-26 degrees celsius.
Conclusion:
- Goldfish usually prefer to hide when they feel sick, stressed, or threatened by their other tankmates.
- It is normal for goldfish to hide as they like hiding. So there is nothing to worry about if you discover your goldfish hiding, as hiding also helps reduce stress.
- In poor water quality, lack of oxygen, overcrowded tank, and not enough decoration and plants, goldfish prefer hiding.
- There are many reasons behind your goldfish under the filter, like a new filter, Inadequate Oxygen, too bright light in the tank.
- Goldfish do not hide when they are about to pass away. Your fish prefer hiding when they are uncomfortable, threatened, or stressed.
Related Questions:
Why is my goldfish not moving?
Poor water condition, lack of oxygen, and temperature are significant reasons your goldfish is not moving and staying still at one spot. Therefore, it would be advisable to provide proper water conditions and a well-filtered tank to your goldfish so that they can stay healthy.
Reference: ResearchGate