Hippo tang

[orthoboy]

I currently have a 100g tank with 50 lbs. of liverock. Inhabitants include nasotang, purple tang, and 2 damsels. I also have a hippo tang. He seems to be doing well, but I always find him "laying" along the sides of the tank or on the gravel. When no one is watching, he will feed, but return to his position. Any suggestions about this behavior? The tank has been up for 11 months with all levels at appropriate values.

 

[bigbonedee]

Well atleast you are able to keep them successfully which is a good thing considering that they are even more subject to become more stressed than the yellow tangs.
I can tell you that by the actions you are describing that you dont have any coral set up so that the tang can perch itself on or it just isnt comfortable with the set up. Hippo tangs actually like to stop swimming at bed time and will lodged themselves in coral and rock jagged crevices so if you dont have that try arranging some hard corals or rock in the manner which I have described. Good luck.

 

[clarkiiboi]

Known for laying on their sides at times, is it doing this all the time just coming up for food? Maybe BigBoneDee is correct, I am not sure. Just wanted to let you know they do that, its not just yours.

 

[maryc137]

Back when I had a FO tank my hippo tang would go to bed perched in the limbs of a coral skeleton that looked kind of like a tree. As soon as the lights went out that's where he was and didn't come out til morning.

 

[sistrmary]

I have two hippo tangs and they're both complete freaks. One of them has decided that the volitans lionfish is a cleaner species and is constantly lodging itself between the volitans' pectoral fins. They're just weird fish the smaller one (They're in seperate tanks) will sometimes go almost chalk white right before the lights go out. It's got a set sleeping pattern. I've even seen it go to sleep before the lights go off! I think it wears itself out racing along the back of the glass (over the heater tube, under the protein skimmer, over the rock, through the eels' den, back over the heater tube...repeat all day long)
As long as it is breathing normally and eating well, it should be fine. Although I've heard that some people have a hard time keeping them...they're sensitive to water perameters (i.e. ammonia spikes) and sometimes they have a hard time adjusting after shipping. But if they make it through the first month or so, they're generally fine IME

 

[derrickt]

Is the hippo new?
Usually hippo's hide motionless between or underneath rocks when newly introduced. Mine did this for about a week as with most of the new hippos I saw at my LFS. I also don't think hippos need any kind of corals to be comfortable in, just as long as there are hiding places for it.
I also think that you have alot of tangs for that 100 gallons especially with the fast growing naso. This isn't to scare you in anyway but just keep out for the tangs since the naso will grow very big and needs alot of spaces.
I agree with most people here thta hippo's are the most nervous of the tangs. Mine is the first one to its hiding place when the lights turn off, but when the lights are back on, it swims around normally following my percs around and eating along the way.