still having troubles with shy lorteti

[certraline]

So about a month and a half ago I adopted some c. lorteti -- a male and a female, which I've oh-so-creatively named Bonnie and Clyde. I see them once every few days, and never together. They don't get along (the male thinks the female is one annoying little POS), but I've never noticed any signs of physical bullying (once the female scurries away from wherever the male didn't want her, he usually doesn't keep after her). However, I'm a little sad that I only see them every few days. The more tank pictures I look at, the more I've decided that my tank is actually pretty heavily planted. I also added a black background last weekend, all in the hopes of making them feel secure. They live co-pacetically with several ghost shrimp and 2 otos who function as clean-up crew.

I was worried that my puffers were just miserable and scared and hiding, but I saw the male today for a few seconds (literally 2), and his coloration looked great to me. He was a light mottled green on top, red eyes, round white belly, and just a hint of darker coloration rimming the edge of his tail. It made me happy to see that he's doing so well, but a little sad, too, because I really do never get to see them. I know the food gets eaten because it disappears overnight, but otherwise I wouldn't know they were there.

Anyone have any other ideas for how to encourage them to feel comfortable coming to the front of the tank?

Thanks.

[Troender]

If you recently have changed the tank (like setting up a background), give them time to get used to it. Some puffers don't handle changes very well. Normally lortetis are pretty tough puffers, curious and brave. But puffer's temperament differ from specimen to specimen, so it's likely that your puffers need time to adjust to the changes in the tank.

[OkieMavis]

My lorteti sulks and hides from me for days after I rearrange his tank. However, most of the time I have him eating out of my hand. They're smart fish and will eventually come to associate you with the snails that get dropped into their tank. Then the begging starts!

Also, do you have a lot of caves/hiding spots? A lot of times they'll be more willing to come out if they know there's always a safe place to hide nearby.

[jimi]

my red eye isnt a social thing ither he perfers the back part of the tank to the point i have to drop food back there so he will eat regularly some times he comes out but not realy ever and my friends red eye is also shy im thinking the red eyes are more nocturnal but still they seem a shay species

[OkieMavis]

That's so funny- cuz my guy is always at the front of the glass, begging for food. I figured they were pretty friendly fish. Guess I just got lucky!