New Hippo Tang Hiding behind heater

afm32607 · 04/22/2019, 08:45 AM

Bought Hippo friday and put in QT (40 gal breeder). It has not come out of hiding. Don't know if it is my presence in the room that chases it there.

Doesn't seem interested in Nori or Mysis or Brine. I know its a short wait, and the handling is stressful for a new fish (and this one is on the smaller side at only 2").

Any thoughts?

jmm · 04/22/2019, 08:59 AM

Small ones hide a lot.

afm32607 · 04/22/2019, 12:01 PM

Is there anyway to see if hes hiding cause hes afraid or because hes sick? Other than waiting to see if he dies? There's plenty of hair algae in the tank for him to eat.

There is no medicine in the water currently.

afm32607 · 04/22/2019, 12:02 PM

Tried mysis, nori, brine, and no interest (which is unsurprising for a new fish).

Did see some hair algae poop though.

Uncle99 · 04/22/2019, 12:21 PM

Normal

MondoBongo · 04/22/2019, 01:05 PM

when they're new, they can be hiders. have you included anything else in QT, like PVC elbows or plastic plants, to allow him more things to hide in/behind? a couple pieces of large PVC elbow might go a long way to helping him feel secure.

as far as the feeding, i've had fish takes weeks to eat with me even in the room. sometimes the best thing to do is rubber band that nori to a small weight and just leave it in there for a few hours. same with some myses. let them float around for a bit with you out of the room, and see if he picks at all. then come back a few hours later and clean up any uneaten pieces.

i was tank sitting for a friend a few years back, and he had a new bristletooth tang in QT that he was really worried about. it never came out or ate when he was around. long story short, he set up a NEST came to watch it remotely, and the little guy was quite hungry and gregarious when no one was around. but as soon as you opened the basement door *poof* he vanished.

might also be worth pulling some algae rocks (if you have any) from your main tank, to give him something to pick at.

afm32607 · 04/23/2019, 12:35 PM

I have Live rock in my QT, it comes out and goes into bucks if the tank needs to be medicated, there is also a large 4" pvc section in there as well.

afm32607 · 04/23/2019, 12:35 PM

I guess I have to wait and see, i've had lots of fish that didnt like to eat before and took some work, just surprised to have a Tang acting like this.

MondoBongo · 04/24/2019, 08:41 AM

this is, of course, totally anecdotal, but sometimes the blue tangs seem to be more shy than others. good luck!

if all else fails, might be worth trying some live food.

afm32607 · 05/07/2019, 01:36 PM

For closure, the tang is eating nori now off the front glass, still hides if I approach, but I can see it from across the room.

PurpleCarpet · 05/18/2019, 06:59 PM

Get yourself some New Life Spectrum Algaemax along with NLS Thera A, both are pellets and IMO is the best food on the market.

afm32607 · 07/12/2019, 09:16 AM

Just for closure, two months into QT fish was still alive but eating timidly. Moved to main 340, was immediately and permanently out in the open.

lionfish300 · 07/18/2019, 09:34 PM

cool I hope he like his new home. I bought one 8-9 years ago from Liveaquaria this tiny fish is no bigger than my thump nail. Now she easily 8-9 inches second biggest to my Emperor Angel in my 375 DT

04/22/2019, 08:45 AM	#1
afm32607 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 279	New Hippo Tang Hiding behind heater Bought Hippo friday and put in QT (40 gal breeder). It has not come out of hiding. Don't know if it is my presence in the room that chases it there. Doesn't seem interested in Nori or Mysis or Brine. I know its a short wait, and the handling is stressful for a new fish (and this one is on the smaller side at only 2"). Any thoughts?

04/22/2019, 01:05 PM	#6
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	when they're new, they can be hiders. have you included anything else in QT, like PVC elbows or plastic plants, to allow him more things to hide in/behind? a couple pieces of large PVC elbow might go a long way to helping him feel secure. as far as the feeding, i've had fish takes weeks to eat with me even in the room. sometimes the best thing to do is rubber band that nori to a small weight and just leave it in there for a few hours. same with some myses. let them float around for a bit with you out of the room, and see if he picks at all. then come back a few hours later and clean up any uneaten pieces. i was tank sitting for a friend a few years back, and he had a new bristletooth tang in QT that he was really worried about. it never came out or ate when he was around. long story short, he set up a NEST came to watch it remotely, and the little guy was quite hungry and gregarious when no one was around. but as soon as you opened the basement door poof he vanished. might also be worth pulling some algae rocks (if you have any) from your main tank, to give him something to pick at. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

04/24/2019, 08:41 AM	#9
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	this is, of course, totally anecdotal, but sometimes the blue tangs seem to be more shy than others. good luck! if all else fails, might be worth trying some live food. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

04/22/2019, 08:59 AM	#2
jmm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 569	Small ones hide a lot.

04/22/2019, 12:01 PM	#3
afm32607 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 279	Is there anyway to see if hes hiding cause hes afraid or because hes sick? Other than waiting to see if he dies? There's plenty of hair algae in the tank for him to eat. There is no medicine in the water currently.

04/22/2019, 12:02 PM	#4
afm32607 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 279	Tried mysis, nori, brine, and no interest (which is unsurprising for a new fish). Did see some hair algae poop though.

04/23/2019, 12:35 PM	#7
afm32607 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 279	I have Live rock in my QT, it comes out and goes into bucks if the tank needs to be medicated, there is also a large 4" pvc section in there as well.

05/07/2019, 01:36 PM	#10
afm32607 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 279	For closure, the tang is eating nori now off the front glass, still hides if I approach, but I can see it from across the room.

05/18/2019, 06:59 PM	#11
PurpleCarpet Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 60	Get yourself some New Life Spectrum Algaemax along with NLS Thera A, both are pellets and IMO is the best food on the market.

07/12/2019, 09:16 AM	#12
afm32607 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 279	Just for closure, two months into QT fish was still alive but eating timidly. Moved to main 340, was immediately and permanently out in the open.

07/18/2019, 09:34 PM	#13
lionfish300 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico Posts: 795	cool I hope he like his new home. I bought one 8-9 years ago from Liveaquaria this tiny fish is no bigger than my thump nail. Now she easily 8-9 inches second biggest to my Emperor Angel in my 375 DT