New Blue Hippo Tang Wont Eat

mjm889

Member
So i placed my new blue hippo tang into my 135 gallon tank with 3 green chormis two perc clowns and one yellow tang. the blue hippo is 5 inches and the yellow tang is 4 inches. The yellow tang leaves him alone but the blue hippo with follow him around but show no signs of fighting. my water is good i tested everyday this week to see if that was the problem. i placed algae sheets in there everyday i tried to feed mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, formula 2, and even tried to put garlic with the food. the other fish are happy because there mowing down all this food. i am worried that if this continues my new blue hippo will be six feet deep. any advice would help, thanks in advance
salinty 1.021
amm 0
nitrate 20
nitrites 0
ph 8.4
 

flower

Well-Known Member

How long has it been in the tank? With a Hippo you should have quarantined it, they are ich magnets. Allot of fish won't eat the first or second day. If it's swimming around and not hiding it should be fine.
 

btldreef

Moderator
Hippos can take a while (I've seen up to 3-4 weeks) to adjust to their new environment. Do you at least see it picking from the live rock at all?
As for the algae sheets, how are you introducing them in the tank (clip, tied to rock, etc)?
 

burrito

Member
might take a while for the fish to get in the new ank i have one and i can take a picture of one here it is it doing fine but it seem to have 1 VERY little white spot on him but no biggy ima just leave it alone lol

[hr]
Thx You Bai :3
 

mjm889

Member
a little bit of good news. i took some algae sheets and soak them in garlic. placed one underneath a rock the other on a clip. he is finally eating the algae sheets but nothing else at this time. when i come up to the tank he hides behind the rocks. but when i sit down away from the tank he is out and swimming. hopefully he will eat some frozen foods soon.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjm889 http:///forum/thread/381575/new-blue-hippo-tang-wont-eat#post_3324567
a little bit of good news. i took some algae sheets and soak them in garlic. placed one underneath a rock the other on a clip. he is finally eating the algae sheets but nothing else at this time. when i come up to the tank he hides behind the rocks. but when i sit down away from the tank he is out and swimming. hopefully he will eat some frozen foods soon.

I have had my Hippo tang going on 5 years and he still hides every time I come near the tank. So sit on a sofa or something and enjoy him at a distance.
 

mjm889

Member
stupid question, will my blue hippo be fine eating algae for now until he starts to eat the other food i have mysis, brine and formula 2. i have been soaking the sheets in vitamins
 

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjm889 http:///forum/thread/381575/new-blue-hippo-tang-wont-eat#post_3324787
stupid question, will my blue hippo be fine eating algae for now until he starts to eat the other food i have mysis, brine and formula 2. i have been soaking the sheets in vitamins
Yes, as it gets more comfortable it should start to accept meaty foods, but in the mean time, algae will be fine. It needs the algae to keep its immune system intact, so that is more important anyways.
 

burrito

Member
hmmmmm i dont feed mines that sheet thing i put live rocks in and it seem to eat that lol

[hr]
Thx You Bai :3
 

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjm889 http:///forum/thread/381575/new-blue-hippo-tang-wont-eat#post_3325156
my blue hippo is eating like a pig when it comes to the algae sheets, still no meaty foods yet
Keep offering. If after another two weeks it's still not eating, then you'll have to try some other methods to get it to eat meaty food. Like I said earlier though, the algae is more important. My sailfin tang did not eat meaty foods for almost 6 months and was fat and healthy the whole time, so don't stress. It's not the end of the world if he never eats meaty foods, but the meaty foods do provide nutrition for them, just not as much as the algae.
 

burrito

Member
i has a teh salfin tang too!!!!!!! :D it 5 inches or i think 4 lol but it big and shiny but it become bigger when i scare it o-o
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
IMO any fish that will not eat for 4 weeks is a dead fish as was stated he may be grazing on your live rock
 
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