i want a fish that wont hide all the time. will they actually swim around instead of hiding? (please dont tell me i need a 5000 gallon tank)

No. They get up to 10ft long and at least 200 lbs. You'll need a pond for it. Not only that, but they're kind of vicious. Get a piranha.

Get a Piranha, they don't hide, other fish hide from them lol

In my opinion Alligator Garfish (Atractosteus spatula) shouldn't be sold in the aquatics trade, with the exception to people with VERY large tanks. These fish can easily top 1.5m/5ft in length, and more!

My basic advice is that if you can't house a fish in the long term, then buy it in the first place, even if it does look 'cool'. How big is your tank?