Blue Hippo Tang Always hiding

cymonous · Apr 24, 2016

Like the title says, my blue hippo Tang is always hiding lately. I first got her in April 2015. She was small, but not the tiny quarter size. I did quarantine her, then put her in my at the time 65g tank. She did great in there. Hardly ever hid and was zooming around for food. Even kinda became the boss of the tank. She grew very well. I moved in December and upgraded to a 100g 5ft tank. She loved the new space. Swimming around and eating. I would say she is about 5 inches now. All of a sudden about a month ago, she is hiding in one of two spots in the back behind some rocks. Even if she came out, it was for a few seconds and got easily startled from movement. When she started hiding, no new additions. Only change was moving my ato container to basement, but have since put it back inside stand just in case it was the clear tubing or check valve (all plastic) and was using the same container. I have since added a bag of carbon in sump.

Salinity is 1.0265
Alk 9.2
CA 300
Mg 1280
Temp 78

All other fish are out and about. One spot foxface, two orange clowns, yellow tail damsel, and diamond watchmen goby.

Anyone have any ideas? I hope it's not the tank size. When I do see her, no noticeable spots.

Edit: no noticeable aggression from other fish.

4FordFamily · Apr 24, 2016

They do this when they come down with ich and velvet, and when they're stressed or nervous. If you haven't seen fish aggression have you moved anything noisy or boisterous near the tank? Kids playing there that weren't before? DC in the water?

cymonous · Apr 24, 2016

I don't believe anything new that was noisy more than usual. Tank is in dining room and kids are not usually in there. DC? Like stray voltage? I don't feel anything when I put hands in tank.

cymonous · Apr 24, 2016

I just tested for DC voltage. Only registered .004 volts. Only electronics in tank are two jebao pumps. Everything else is in sump below.

cymonous · Apr 25, 2016

Anyone with other suggestions or ideas?

eatbreakfast · Apr 26, 2016

cymonous said:
I don't believe anything new that was noisy more than usual. Tank is in dining room and kids are not usually in there. DC? Like stray voltage? I don't feel anything when I put hands in tank.

These would have been my suggestions. Though aggression hasn't been noticed, have the clowns started laying eggs? Also, it can also be one stressful event that scared it, not something that is continually going on.

cymonous · Apr 26, 2016

I have not seen any eggs. The one male clown is half the size of the female though and they both swim around the tank, not guarding a certain spot of the tank. I can see it being the one event. Kinda sucks if that is the case. One friend suggested she could be nesting/preparing? She does go to one spot in the tank during the day, but goes to another spot when blues are on or lights out.

jsker · Apr 26, 2016

When I first come in to the room mine always hides, and she a had been in the tank for 15 months now.

eatbreakfast · Apr 26, 2016

cymonous said:
I have not seen any eggs. The one male clown is half the size of the female though and they both swim around the tank, not guarding a certain spot of the tank. I can see it being the one event. Kinda sucks if that is the case. One friend suggested she could be nesting/preparing? She does go to one spot in the tank during the day, but goes to another spot when blues are on or lights out.

Hippo's don't nest, they are poloagic spawners. I would lean toward it having gotten badly frightened.

Naiad · Apr 26, 2016

Definitely scared. Hard to tell you why though. Mine usually only hid for a few minutes after an event spooked it then was back out.

cymonous · Apr 26, 2016

Same here Naiad. That's what she use to do. A club friend suggested to setup a webcam to check/watch when not at home to see if she comes out at all.

mrtian97 · Apr 26, 2016

I agree that most likely she is getting sick like ick. I have similar experience with blue throat trigger

Neptune1707 · Apr 26, 2016

Mine is usually out and about swimming (but he is over 10 years old), if he gets spooked he will run for cover. Perhaps sickness could be the issue. How is the fish eating? Loss of appetite...if he is not being bullied could be a sign of sickness if he is not eating. Make sure you feed planting of greens like Nori in a clip to keep HLLE at bay...can't stress that enough. Lost to many tangs to not feeding them enough greens and they got HLLE. Soaking it in a little Selcon and Kent Garlic Extreme will entice the fish to eat if he is being picking on eating. I've had bi-color basselets that have hid for like 2 weeks before coming out and feeling confident. Just keep a close eye and first sign of ick or velvet get him out along with the other fish and quarantine. My guess, if it's a juvenile...prob just a bit shy....give him some time....walking up slowly to the tank, not sudden movements and gentle tank cleaning will help the fish gain confidence.

Justin D · Apr 26, 2016

cymonous said:
I just tested for DC voltage. Only registered .004 volts. Only electronics in tank are two jebao pumps. Everything else is in sump below.

Do you have a ground probe in the sump or the Aquarium

Peanut · Apr 26, 2016

cymonous said:
I just tested for DC voltage. Only registered .004 volts. Only electronics in tank are two jebao pumps. Everything else is in sump below.

how did you test?

Justin D · Apr 26, 2016

Call them tell them the symptoms that they ask you to send pictures then I'll tell you what it is

cymonous · Apr 27, 2016

Neptune1707 said:
Mine is usually out and about swimming (but he is over 10 years old), if he gets spooked he will run for cover. Perhaps sickness could be the issue. How is the fish eating? Loss of appetite...if he is not being bullied could be a sign of sickness if he is not eating. Make sure you feed planting of greens like Nori in a clip to keep HLLE at bay...can't stress that enough. Lost to many tangs to not feeding them enough greens and they got HLLE. Soaking it in a little Selcon and Kent Garlic Extreme will entice the fish to eat if he is being picking on eating. I've had bi-color basselets that have hid for like 2 weeks before coming out and feeling confident. Just keep a close eye and first sign of ick or velvet get him out along with the other fish and quarantine. My guess, if it's a juvenile...prob just a bit shy....give him some time....walking up slowly to the tank, not sudden movements and gentle tank cleaning will help the fish gain confidence.

Lately, she is only eating what floats by her in the back behind the rocks where she hides. I've tried three different types of greens like Nori on a clip. She doesn't come out to get it. It's difficult to diagnose any signs of disease as she is hiding behind the rocks at least when I am home. I'm not sure she would be considered a juvenile as she is at least a year old and at least 5 inches long. Ever since I put her in the 65 and the 100g tanks, she was always out till a month ago.