help with new hippo tang

[Divemaster561]

Hello,
I just introduced a baby hippo tang to my new tank. Its cycled, has zoanthids, xenia, and lots of live rock, also I had a damsel in the tank for awhile and a pair of clowns in the tank for awhile and all was fine. I now have my clowns in my other tank but just introduced the hippo today. She seemed excited at first in her new home, swam back and forth, started eating off of a rock that I have in the tank, but I noticed after awhile she was shying away from other areas of the tank. I put a smaller live rock near where she was and now she is laying on her side trying to hide under the rock? she was scrubbing for a bit in the beach sand that i have cycled in the tank, but seemed fine. Is this normal behavior for a baby hippo to lay on its side and try hiding under a small area of live rock? she is alive and has even eaten.. could it be that she is just not used to her new environment or could it be something worse that I am missing?

 

[The Farmer]

Hippo tangs hide in the rocks when frightened, as for scrubbing on the sand or rocks do you notice any white spots on her? Also did you quarantine her for ick? Hippo tangs are known to have ick

 

[Jeffcb]

They can be very shy and do hide. That is normal. Scrubbing in the san idk. Just let her try and settle in and keep a close eye. That's about all you can do for now.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

That behavior is normal and expected

But. Another thread you posted listed your tank as 20 gallons. This is WAAAAY too small for any tang let alone a hippo, which is one of the largest.

These fish require 180+ gallon tank. I wouldn't even quarantine a hippo in a 20 gallon tank.

I know everyone wants a Dory because they are absolutely beautiful fish, but I would not put any fish in that tank that is not meant for a "nano" tank.

 

[The Farmer]

She cycled a new larger tank. It was posted in the same thread that stated a 20 gallon tank.

That behavior is normal and expected

But. Another thread you posted listed your tank as 20 gallons. This is WAAAAY too small for any tang let alone a hippo, which is one of the largest.

These fish require 180+ gallon tank. I wouldn't even quarantine a hippo in a 20 gallon tank.

I know everyone wants a Dory because they are absolutely beautiful fish, but I would not put any fish in that tank that is not meant for a "nano" tank.

 

[Divemaster561]

Okay! I think the Tang was just acting weird ( like dory ) the fish literally made itself look like it was hiding under a piece of live rock that it could barely fit under No body said they were smart..
But she eventually came out and is hanging around the power head and swimming around in one area of the tank for now though?..
I believe my hippo tang is just adjusting to the new area and will soon be brave enough to explore the rest of the tank.
They are wild caught so the sand shouldn't be an issue..
My husband and I just cycled a 50 gallon new tank that we have the Baby Hippo Tang in now with some other corals that have all acclimated so much better then the tank they were in! It looks beautiful!
we are also already discussing on upgrading another much larger system as well and assembling a sump for the system.
Its an addictive hobby!
We also had someone steal a 150 gal tank from our yard!! :'( I cried for days.. still am..
but on the bright side my pink bubble tip anemone seems to be adapting very well to the new tank as well.
It has chosen a great spot and is more open then when I purchased it.

 

[Divemaster561]

Hippo tangs hide in the rocks when frightened, as for scrubbing on the sand or rocks do you notice any white spots on her? Also did you quarantine her for ick? Hippo tangs are known to have ick

No, I haven't noticed any signs of ick on her.
She was just purchased today, and is just a baby.
Very healthy and beautiful.
She was in a tank with no sand or anything to hide in either where we purchased her. We didn't want to agitate or frighten her anymore, but the way she was laying was comical actually.
Lying perfectly still under a piece of live rock that was maybe 2x smaller then she is. Almost as if she thought she was hiding, but was in clear view... So we decided to check on her and moved the piece of rock, UGH! and she was fine. just hiding. She's now swimming around in the same area and near the same rock and a powerhead. No signs of pests that are noticeable.
I was reading that hippo tangs can get fluke.. and are susceptible to other parasites..
But I'm not sure if she does.. she is to young and healthy. I don't think that is the problem.. I'm hoping its just new introductory to a new environment.

 

[The Farmer]

I’m glad to hear that she’s up and swimming around. Sorry to hear about your 150 gallon tank, when 1 bad door closes a better 1 opens up.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

She cycled a new larger tank. It was posted in the same thread that stated a 20 gallon tank.

I must have missed that. If it's a 50 gallon, that would work for a little while while she figures out a replacement for the 150 that got stolen.

 

[Devan Patel]

Okay! I think the Tang was just acting weird ( like dory ) the fish literally made itself look like it was hiding under a piece of live rock that it could barely fit under No body said they were smart..
But she eventually came out and is hanging around the power head and swimming around in one area of the tank for now though?..
I believe my hippo tang is just adjusting to the new area and will soon be brave enough to explore the rest of the tank.
They are wild caught so the sand shouldn't be an issue..
My husband and I just cycled a 50 gallon new tank that we have the Baby Hippo Tang in now with some other corals that have all acclimated so much better then the tank they were in! It looks beautiful!
we are also already discussing on upgrading another much larger system as well and assembling a sump for the system.
Its an addictive hobby!
We also had someone steal a 150 gal tank from our yard!! :'( I cried for days.. still am..
but on the bright side my pink bubble tip anemone seems to be adapting very well to the new tank as well.
It has chosen a great spot and is more open then when I purchased it.

I am fairly new to reefing and have just bought a hippo tang. He is tank raised and was done perfectly fine when I bought him yesterday. He’s been in the tank for about 14 hours or so at night. He’s belly is white aswell as his face a tiny bit. He sits in one corner and just swims around and hangs out with the clownfish that also loves just chilling in the corner. I just fed him for the first time and he was a bit confused but seems to be doing ok. My clownfish picks at him sometimes not sure if he is biting stuff off of him. When he swims he also twitch’s sometimes to when he swims. And my lavender tang flares his fins up at him when the tang comes to see how everyone is doing. Not sure if this is normal. I don’t have a QT tank just acclimated him and threw him right in. The lighting does make his belly seem a lot white than he is just by the way. Let me know if anyone needs better pictures of videos I can’t really get a good pic.
Thanks in advance