CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

just bought an 8" JD for 5 days. He did not eat and he's really scared of people who walked by his tank.. (1-2 feet away).
Help!!!!
the only i can think of is PH level.. it's low.. but he's supposed to be very hardy.
I tried to feed him dried shrimp and cichrid stick (tera)

American cich's can adjust well to a PH that's not in their optimum range. If you've only just got the JD i would think perhaps it is just a bit freaked out by it's new surroundings. JD's can be skittish fish at the best of times and you might find it takes quite awhile to adjust to your tank. If it continues to not eat watch for any extension of the anus area or any stringy (wool looking) defications. Internal Parisite is one of the most common actual health(non-behavioural) issues that will stop a fish eating when your water perameters are actually all good and the stringy excrement is usually the most obvious sign (often noticable even if the fish has not been eating for quite some time).

You need to feed him and leave or at least back off and dont' move IF you have to watch him eat.. He is new and you are the threat to him..He wil ajust with time..