HELP! with my hippo tang

[danelam]

A new hippo tang arrived yesterday with two ocellaris. I have them in quarantine now and went through all the proper acclimation processes. I didn't do any dips/baths cos I didn't want to stress them even more as they'd been in transit for a long time.

Anyway, since arriving in the tank all the hippo does is lay flat on its side wedged behind a piece of PVC pipe. Not once have I seen her swim off the bottom of the tank ... what should I do? I want to save her!

 

[marrone]

This is normal behavior so don't worry about it. Once it settles in it will be out swimming in the open.

 

[Bikinisalt]

Hippos are shy at first, it should be fine. Just watch out for ick, they come down with it quick when under stress...

BTW how do you know it is a female.:scratchch

 

[danelam]

i don't know it's a girl. It's stupid but I just associate it with Dory so I just assume it's a she:redface:. Dumb assumption I'm sure. I've have spirulina flakes for her. Should I get something else that perhaps she'll be more likely to eat?

 

[danelam]

it's hard to watch for ich though, cos I can't really see the fish.

 

[Bikinisalt]

Clip a small piece of nori on a clip and leave it as close as possible to where Dori is...

 

[danelam]

I will have to buy a new clip - I just broke mine this morning. And some nori too!
I've seen that Bob Fenner doesn't recommend quarantine for new hippos. Have I done the wrong thing?

 

[danelam]

wow she's starting to swim a little now

 

[Deanos]

Should I get something else that perhaps she'll be more likely to eat?

A healthy Hippo tang will likely eat anything you attempt to feed it. Just be sure to provide it with as much "non-meaty" food as your filtration system can handle. In the future, please research dietary requirements prior to purchase.

 

[danelam]

i did research what to feed her, but there was such a range and was wondering if there's something that really does the trick

 

[Bikinisalt]

I have 2 Hippos. Mine eat everything, flakes, pellets, nori, krill, prawn, brineshrimp, mysis shrimp, etc. When I first got them I put a piece of nori on a clip and put it down as low as possible into the tank. Let it stay there and walk away from the tank. She will eventually start picking at it because it will feel natural like in the ocean. Then you can start using other foods.

 

[danelam]

Thanks bikini salt. Appreciate the tips

 

[juiceguy]

healthy hippos will eat almost anything, flakes, frozen, nori once they get over there shyness. mine was a pig, grew to 6" and became a terror to her tankmates or anything else that i tried to get into my tank.

 

[h20 freak]

Garlic juice soaked nori will be a good preventative to disease if your concerned she will come down with something.

 

[danelam]

Garlic juice soaked nori will be a good preventative to disease if your concerned she will come down with something.

Do they sell garlic juice at supermarkets?

I went looking for it briefly today but couldn't find any.

She's just started eating some nori from the clip though which is a good sign. I'm not sure, I can't really see, but I thought I could see a white spot on her already.

 

[danelam]

There's definitely 1 tiny white spot between its eyes. There doesn't seem to be any others. does this constitute ich?

 

[rookie07]

you can rubberband some seaweed to a rock, thus avoiding the whole clip(makes the tank look better if you ask me.
Mine was shy for 2 days upon introduction. now he/she is out all day grazing on rocks and chilling. Great fish, will warm up more and more.
how can I tell the sex of my tang.

 

[latino277]

This tang will eat anything you put in the tank. the key is to leave the tank room right after you feed... any movement outside of the tank will spoke her/him and then it wont eat.

 

[h20 freak]

Do they sell garlic juice at supermarkets?

I went looking for it briefly today but couldn't find any.

She's just started eating some nori from the clip though which is a good sign. I'm not sure, I can't really see, but I thought I could see a white spot on her already.

just crush up some garlic(got a juicer)and put it on nori or ne veggies