Emperor (P. Imperator) never comes out to play.......ever. Any advice?

[snstrflyer]

Ive had my Emp for 9 months now. I have him in a tank that measures 2 feet long 1 foot deep and 1 foot high. I think its a ten or twenty gallon. Anyway ive had him in there for 9 months and he has never even been to the other side of the tank. Hes never left more than a 3 or 4 inch perimeter from his hide. I know emp hide alot but he never has even been out. Could i just put him in a 2.5 gallon seeing that he only uses a few inches? Is this abnormal? He recently molted and still he has never been thru the tank. any help guys? Thanx.

 

[gromgrom]

Its normal. It means you did something right . Others say it means he/she is "happy", and i dont know if they can have complex emotions besides HUNGRY and STRESS personally...

So yeah, just check to make sure he's eating. It's hard as a beginning keeper to get used to something odd like this, but it just turns out the less you see your emperors, the better off they are. If you rearrange the cage, he'll explore it for less than a week before doing what hes doing now.

 

[snstrflyer]

Hey thanx alot for the post. I feel so much better. I take the best possible care I can of my animals and its good to hear he is HAPPY for lack of a more appropriate word. He eats very well and always accepts food. So seeing that he is happy and doesnt use 90 percent of the tank could I downsize to a 5 or 2.5 gallon? If he doesnt use the space then he should be fine....right?

 

[Bayushi]

I have had many an P imp loving in a large tank and have come to the understanding that while you might not see them, they do infact come out and move around the entire enclosure. Mine used to do it very late at night when the room they were in had settled down. I would be sitting at the computer and catch a glimpse of one of them out of the corner of my eye.

Personally I would not down grade the size of the tank,but that's just me.

 

[Michiel]

buy a rabbit or a dog

seriously, you should worry when it's wandering through the cage day and night, you are doing good!

 

[snstrflyer]

Thanks alot guys. So relieved that everything is normal. Cheers.