Blue Hippo in trouble

Mark3 · Sep 4, 2019

Blue Hippo started to act funny yesterday, and today I see this spot appear on his side. I have had him for 4 or 5 years, so he is not new.

Anyone know what it might be?

Katrina71 · Sep 4, 2019

@HotRocks

HotRocks · Sep 4, 2019

Any new recent additions?

When you say act funny what is the fish doing? Is it still eating? Breathing normal?

These fish love to wedge themselves in the rocks so it could possibly just be an injury.

Mark3 · Sep 4, 2019

It backs into a corner and flips it tail like it is attacking the corner, and kind of jerking and flipping at the same time. Sorta like a seizure fit?

Yes eating and breathing normal.

Mark3 · Sep 4, 2019

It looks like it could be an injury? But...yes I just added 19 fish to the tank about 3 weeks ago.

Mark3 · Sep 4, 2019

Looks like a soft yellow spot...will it infect the whole tank?

Mark3 · Sep 4, 2019

Wondering if anyone knows what it is?

HotRocks · Sep 4, 2019

Is there any aggression with new fish? Any new tangs giving the hippo a hard time?

Did you QT the new additions?

It has to be either an injury or the start of a bacterial infection.

Mark3 · Sep 4, 2019

So then I take it as not recognized as infectious disease?

Any other ideas of what it is?

Punchanello · Sep 4, 2019

I've noticed all sorts of scratches, marks, lesions and even the beginnings of bacterial infections on my Hippo when I added new tank mates, especially other tangs. She (I assume it's a she) is a total battleship so she usually establishes dominance and heals up. She also gets scrapes and gouges from time to time from wedging in to tight spaces.

I'd bet she has been in a decent fight with one of your new additions. If she's not back to herself in a couple or the mark is getting worse it might be worth dealing with it as a bacterial infection. Don't rule out something infectious though if you added 19 fish and don't quarantine. It is a possibility.

Mark3 · Sep 5, 2019

The 19 fish were from a very well established, pristine tank that was being taken down, ...so basically they have been in quarantine for 3 years. they all had CP treatment when new to that tank. Also, I have eggcrate divider in the center of the tank, so they can see each other but not touch...other than a couple that can swim through the eggcrate...such as the blue cleaner wrass. The Hippo might of banged herself against the eggcrate, ...she and the powder brown that I have, don't like the new large powder blue tang ....the only sign of conflict is seen between the powder brown and powder blue (the brown being the aggressor towards the blue)...I hope they can learn to get along.

Some of the other new tank mates, beside the powder blue, are a nice pair of Bipartitus Leopard Wrasse, blue cleaner wrasse, 3 Lyretail Anthias and some others.