question about hiding fish

Question
Hello and thanks for your time. I have had 6 large fan tail goldfish in a large tank (100 gal) since January.  They have always from the beginning been very friendly and always beg for food. Even if they just ate as soon as I walk into the room they will all go to the glass and swim into it towards me.  They always are close to me when i feed them waiting at the top of the water for me to drop in food.  Just the other day I noticed that I had not seen them beg for food in like 3 days.  And when I walked up to the tank they are all hiding behind things and swiming very fast to get cover behind something. They almost show a mix of aggressiveness and being very scared.  I put food in and they eat it but all playfulness is gone and they are scared to death of me.  Did something happen maybe from a roommate doing something? Or could they be trying to lay eggs or something?

Thanks

Answer
Hi Eldon,

It is unlikely that your Goldfish are acting up because of breeding. Normal breeding season is in the late spring/early summer. The fact that all the goldfish are becoming jumpy definitely rules out breeding behavior.

As you mentioned, there could be a chance that a roommate could have disturbed the fish. The most common and obvious way that the fish were disturbed is tapping on the tank. Lots of people do this, and they think it is harmless, and gets the fish to be 'active'. That's incorrect, and tapping on the tank can hurt the fish's sensitive nerve system.

If someone was tapping on the tank, the fish would have been scared, and they probably assumed that you were going to tap as well.

First of all, tell anybody who passes by the tank frequently not to tap on the glass. Better yet, print out a small note and stick it on the tank.

Since they are obviously stressed, you can add some extra water conditioner (a full dose) to help reduce stress. All brands of water conditioner work.

If you want to re-build your reputation with the fish, you can try sitting by the tank and feeding them, and waiting for a bit longer every day, while watching the fish to show them that you mean no harm. Fish are intelligent, and over time, they will recognize your face and know that you're their owner.

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!