collettk August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 So I have a 180 gallon tank and had two tangs, Blue Powder and Sailfin. My Live rock was one large formation that peaked in the middle of the tank (lot of caves and such). I added a hippo tang yesterday and the Blue powder tang kept attacking him (nothing volient or bloody but definitely kept trying to pick a fight slamming his body into him and blocking him from any openings in the rockface). The Hippo tang couldnt find a place to hide because the BPT kept acting like the whole rock formation was his. The Hippo won't eat and doesnt even try to hide anymore, just swims aimlessly and up and down the glass. So I took out the rock (all 180 lbs) and got the BPT out of there and put him in my refugium. Then I rearrange the rock making two seperate formations on each side of the tank (my hope was that the BPT wouldnt lay claim to two seperate rock piles). I haven't re-introduced the BPT back into the tank yet. I notice the sailfin doesnt attack the hippo but does keep swimming close to it which I think is increasing the Hippo's nervousness. I can't get the hippo to eat or just relax somewhere. I'm also not sure what to do with the BPT. Will he be fine in the refugium? If so, for how long? He did eat in there so he can't be that stressed. My plan was to add the BPT back into the tank once the hippo tang starts eating. Also, should I be concerned about the sailfin bothering the hippo? Again, he hasn't been violent with the hippo but seems to want it to know he's there. I want it to relax and eat. Is there anything I can do to help it? Should I take out the sailfin too until the hippo gets acclimated? If so, with both tangs be ok in the refugium together? This kind of sucks so far because I was told at the aquarium store that in a 180g tank the BPT and Hippo should do fine together since there is plenty of real estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surf&turf August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 By making the rock scape different, you should be fine once the PB in reintroduced. Is the PB alot bigger than the Hippo? I wouldn't worry about the Sailfin as long as its not bothering the hippo. How big is your fuge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 I think you did the right thing. When the PBT comes back he will have to re-establish his territory and favorite hiding spot. The aggression normally goes away after a couple of days and unless it is severe fighting I just let them work out who's boss. What sizes were each of the fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 12, 2013 Author Share August 12, 2013 They are all about 4 inches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 12, 2013 Author Share August 12, 2013 I think you did the right thing. When the PBT comes back he will have to re-establish his territory and favorite hiding spot. The aggression normally goes away after a couple of days and unless it is severe fighting I just let them work out who's boss. What sizes were each of the fish? Should I add the PB back tonight or wait until I see the Hippo eat? I'm worried I might end up stressing the PB. Last night I needed to run my A.T.O. which doses Kalk. I had to move the PB into a small container for an hour and then back into the sump. I'm worried that all these changes might negatively affect the PB and then I have two problem fish on my hands. FYI, when I woke up this morning the hippo was hiding somewhere (didn't see it swimming around all erratic ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 I would let the hippo settle in some and eat first before adding the PBT. A week or two would be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 12, 2013 Author Share August 12, 2013 No sign of that hippo tang now...looked everywhere we could without moving the rocks....I hope it's ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 dump the hippo, go back to the way you had it and realize that those 3 tangs just dont get along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy August 13, 2013 Share August 13, 2013 I've got a hippo, a unicorn, a yellow tang, a purple tang and a sailfin tang in a 220. When I added the hippo the other tangs showed him a little aggression for a few days but it passed. When I first got into my reef I had tried a hippo then that wouldn't eat and stayed hid till it died. I think a lot of it has to do with the fish itself. I know other people who tried a couple of times before they got a hippo that would thrive in their tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 13, 2013 Author Share August 13, 2013 When I first got into my reef I had tried a hippo then that wouldn't eat and stayed hid till it died. I think a lot of it has to do with the fish itself. I know other people who tried a couple of times before they got a hippo that would thrive in their tank Wow...that's disheartening. Now I'm not sure what to do...I don't want him to die wedged in some rock in my tank. Should I move my rock around and fish him out or leave him be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k August 13, 2013 Share August 13, 2013 hippo tang is a 90% bombproof fish. leave things alone and let the fish settle in to their surroundings. you are every bit as stressful to it as the other fish and new surroundings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 13, 2013 Author Share August 13, 2013 Found where the hippo tang is hiding (under a rock in the back of the tank). I haven't disturbed him or anything but this is day three...I wonder if it would be a good idea to slide a seaweed strip over where he is. I'm not even sure if he is alive...I'll I could see was the tip of its tail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy August 14, 2013 Share August 14, 2013 I'm not sure what to tell you to do but I don't think their bombproof from my experience. Did you see this fish eat before you bought it? maybe put it in a tank by itself and get it eating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 14, 2013 Share August 14, 2013 (edited) When i added a hippo it definitly was shy for the first few days, granted I didn't have any fish picking on it. It still is skittish, but has come out during feeding times, and is getting more familiar with my feeding baster, I had to make sure I was feeding close by it to slowly coax it out. Like Rob suggested, moving things about and trying to find it seems more detremental than helpful. Just my opinion! Edited August 14, 2013 by YHSublime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 15, 2013 Author Share August 15, 2013 LoL...added the PB back into the tank, now the sailfin is the aggressor...still no sign of the hippo...put another piece of seaweed by the rock he's under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 16, 2013 Author Share August 16, 2013 Update: Hippo tang is my 1st casualty. Decided to fish him out...Looks like he has been dead for days...cleanup crew was feasting on him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 16, 2013 Share August 16, 2013 I'm sorry to hear that it wasn't "bombproof". It sounds like the stress of the initial entrance into your tank might have been to much. If you are going to add another one, make sure it is eating and healthy, QT if you need to, re-arrange the rocks to break up established dens, try to get the new fish larger than the other fish, and turn the lights out for first day until it settles down a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 16, 2013 Author Share August 16, 2013 I'm not going to get one again for a while...they seem too fragile and both the sailfin and PB are gonna beat the snot out of any new fish i add. i am curious though...when I got the hippo out the tank I couldn't get my rock arranged the same way (it was brutal)...I finally had to rearrange it...giving fish good places to hide and making some spaces to place coral. i was told by a friend of mine that I need to glue thr rocks in place or a risk a rock slide when the fish get bigger. Is it best practice to glue your rocks or leave them as is so you can rearrange them when necessary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 16, 2013 Share August 16, 2013 Sorry for the loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 16, 2013 Share August 16, 2013 I have never glued my rocks in place, just set them in so they were stacked securely into each other. I have never had a rock slide that killed a fish but I guess it could happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k August 17, 2013 Share August 17, 2013 you typically put the rocks down first, then the sand. whatever is above the sand is ok to move around. sorry mr. hippo tang for your untimely death, maybe it wasn't all for naught... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collettk August 19, 2013 Author Share August 19, 2013 (edited) Sorry to keep this thread alive...my sailfin has been getting increasingly more aggressive with the PB (and pretty much everything else...I tried to seperate them temporarily (long enough for the PB to establish territory *see pic*.... Is this a bad idea ( I uses the eggcrate that I normally have on top) Edited August 19, 2013 by collettk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfish01 August 19, 2013 Share August 19, 2013 Sounds like sailfin might need to go if being that nasty .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 19, 2013 Share August 19, 2013 I've seen Copps use this technique when introducing a new occupant to his tank. It gives them a chance to establish territory and a chance to eyeball each other through the egg crate. Maybe it will work, or maybe it won't, but it won't hurt to give it a try. Good luck with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 19, 2013 Share August 19, 2013 I've heard of this technique being used as well. If it doesn't work, I would probably get rid of the sailfin, sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth. Would like to get some more pics of that tank though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now