Blue Hippo & Powder Blue - Interesting Behavior.

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

I searched the forums and couldn't really find anything like what I have seen today. I moved over my Powder Blue from quarantine today and noticed some interesting behavior between the two.

Little background - My Blue Hippo has been my fish from the beginning and has been getting huge over the years in girth. Long story short, I believe it is getting lonely as its trying to dance with a Filefish I had in my tank.

So today, I moved over the Powder Blue. They immediately started to dance and slowly "grind?" into each other. They are very friendly towards one another and are swimming in a small school.

Observations:

The Blue Hippo's top black lateral line turned to a very faint yellow and it will do this whenever they are close to one another.

As for the Powder Blue, it will get vertical lines throughout its body and slowly go back to its powder stage.

Overall, I am happy they are getting along - but the color-changing was something I never knew could happen.

Any thoughts or experiences like this?

Anyone please feel free to respond. Just tagging the people I know

@3FordFamily @twilliard

knukles55 · Nov 10, 2015

powder blue hippo coming right up lol that would look insane

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

knukles55 said:
powder blue hippo coming right up lol that would look insane

Maybe Powder Tiger Blue? lol.

twilliard · Nov 10, 2015

Oh my that is just strange!
I don't know a lot about fish but that is an interesting observation

MrDJeep123 · Nov 10, 2015

Color changes are a way of communication. If they are changing color that dramatically they are giving off warnings to each other. If they are coming up next to each other and "grind" as you so put it, they are tail swiping. Which means they are fighting. They may not chase each other, but that is how they fight over territory. The regal is more than likely saying to the powder that this is his turf. I can assure you that they are not prepping for mating, as they won't.

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

MrDJeep123 said:
Color changes are a way of communication. If they are changing color that dramatically they are giving off warnings to each other. If they are coming up next to each other and "grind" as you so put it, they are tail swiping. Which means they are fighting. They may not chase each other, but that is how they fight over territory. The regal is more than likely saying to the powder that this is his turf. I can assure you that they are not prepping for mating, as they won't.

Ah thanks for that. I definitely thought it was a territorial thing. I know the odds of tangs mating in captivity are near impossible so I never thought that.

They are now schooling around with no color changes. It was cool while it lasted to watch it happen. I just never knew tangs could change their color like that.

Oh as for the grinding, it was more of them sorta submitting to each other. One would stop swimming and let the other gently get up close to it. I am no fish expert but it is cool to see my tank has some sort of life lol. The clowns I have literally bob in the corners of the tank all day.

4FordFamily · Nov 10, 2015

MrDJeep123 said:
Color changes are a way of communication. If they are changing color that dramatically they are giving off warnings to each other. If they are coming up next to each other and "grind" as you so put it, they are tail swiping. Which means they are fighting. They may not chase each other, but that is how they fight over territory. The regal is more than likely saying to the powder that this is his turf. I can assure you that they are not prepping for mating, as they won't.

Yes to add to this, this can be the early stages of aggression and it can get far worse over the next few days. Hopefully the hippo comes out on top because powder blue tangs are just NASTY, particularly if they supplant the current tank boss.

Yes those lines are characteristic aggression or stress displays. Powder Browns, blues, goldrim, and others do this. Achilles tangs' fins turn deeper orange where they were once black and they lighten up in color, sometimes almost to a whitish gray color. The coolest part though is how all of the fins and outlines become more orange and boldened.

4FordFamily · Nov 10, 2015

ReefMadScientist said:
Ah thanks for that. I definitely thought it was a territorial thing. I know the odds of tangs mating in captivity are near impossible so I never thought that.

They are now schooling around with no color changes. It was cool while it lasted to watch it happen. I just never knew tangs could change their color like that.

Oh as for the grinding, it was more of them sorta submitting to each other. One would stop swimming and let the other gently get up close to it. I am no fish expert but it is cool to see my tank has some sort of life lol. The clowns I have literally bob in the corners of the tank all day.

The behavior you're describing is also an early stage of aggression. So too is following each other around. They're sizing each other up. The good news is that if things don't get worse in a week, you should be fine.

Good luck adding other fish, especially tangs, and even other angels and foxface to that tank now though lol.

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

3FordFamily said:
The behavior you're describing is also an early stage of aggression. So too is following each other around. They're sizing each other up. The good news is that if things don't get worse in a week, you should be fine.

Good luck adding other fish, especially tangs, and even other angels and foxface to that tank now though lol.

I know the Blue Hippo is a huge puppy dog. I will definitely keep an eye on them though just in case.

I think I done adding fish as I maintain 5ppm's of NO3 with no dosing, just skimming. As for Angels, I've always wanted a Regal, Emperor, etc. but was always too worried about them pecking at my SPS

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

Oh and my current tank inhabitants consist of:

Blue Hippo
Powder Blue
2, lazy corner bobbing, clowns.
Goofy looking Flame Hawkfish
Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse
Diamond Goby

4FordFamily · Nov 10, 2015

ReefMadScientist said:
Oh and my current tank inhabitants consist of:

Blue Hippo
Powder Blue
2, lazy corner bobbing, clowns.
Goofy looking Flame Hawkfish
Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse
Diamond Goby

Pretty moderately stocked. I can see your PBT being a hellion tank boss for sure! I hope you have the 1/5 or so that is only slightly to moderately aggressive.

Regal angel would struggle and with so few targets and distractions your PBT would probably kill it or stress it so that it doesn't eat. Emperor would be fine.

Speaking of which today i replaced my Emperor that died of cancer last month and the clowns at NYAquatics sent me a 7"+ emperor when I ordered a 4-5"! Lol not complaining though he's gorgeous!

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

3FordFamily said:
Pretty moderately stocked. I can see your PBT being a hellion tank boss for sure! I hope you have the 1/5 or so that is only slightly to moderately aggressive.

Regal angel would struggle and with so few targets and distractions your PBT would probably kill it or stress it so that it doesn't eat. Emperor would be fine.

Speaking of which today i replaced my Emperor that died of cancer last month and the clowns at NYAquatics sent me a 7"+ emperor when I ordered a 4-5"! Lol not complaining though he's gorgeous!

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it! I too hope I got a decent PBT. He is fairly timid and skittish but we will see with time, fingers crossed!

Wow very neat! Post up a picture if you can. Love Emperors.

4FordFamily · Nov 10, 2015

ReefMadScientist said:
Thanks for the information. I appreciate it! I too hope I got a decent PBT. He is fairly timid and skittish but we will see with time, fingers crossed!

Wow very neat! Post up a picture if you can. Love Emperors.

All I have is horrible photos through dirty glass my wife took after acclimation. Also my new true Red Sea regal in the same qt.

Terrible photos due to cloudy water (water change) and dirty glass. Pictures do this guy zero justice. The regal is more beautiful as well. For scale the regal is 4". The emperor may be more like 7.5"

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

3FordFamily said:
All I have is horrible photos through dirty glass my wife took after acclimation. Also my new true Red Sea regal in the same qt.

Terrible photos due to cloudy water (water change) and dirty glass. Pictures do this guy zero justice. The regal is more beautiful as well. For scale the regal is 4". The emperor may be more like 7.5"

You definitely got the best Regal. The Red Sea Regal is so beautiful and expensive!

After watching my tangs for a bit, they are definitely still sizing each other up every now and then. The PBT is about a third smaller than the Hippo.

4FordFamily · Nov 10, 2015

Nyaquatics has them for 209-260 regularly!

ReefMadScientist · Nov 10, 2015

3FordFamily said:
Nyaquatics has them for 209-260 regularly!

Wow that is a great price!

4FordFamily · Nov 11, 2015

ReefMadScientist said:
Wow that is a great price!

Yeah and they come in fat as whales and huge. His 3" is like 5". My regal "Goliath" was bought as 4-5" and came in 8". Michael over there does not know how to use a tape measure... Anyway he only sells them once they start stuffing their face and get fat and show no health issues. I've gotten three healthy fat regals that ate And survived from him. I killed two in tank transfer method though

. One died day one the other the FINAL day but I overfed and ammonia got him. I was so upset. Expensive and sad lessons. Regals need to be in large bins by themselves for TTM