Hippo tang not eating. Help

cane · Dec 17, 2017

I’ve tried everything. Nori, romaine lettuce, pellets soaked in garlic, black worms, live misis shrimp, frozen misis and brine shrimp. Nothing it will not eat anything. Was in QT and did not eat. Looks great minus the sunk in stomach. No spots etc. Treated with prozipro prior to hitting DT. Water is perfect. Please help as I feel he will not last much longer.

jsker · Dec 17, 2017

@4FordFamily a little help please

Jeff Hall · Dec 17, 2017

Was/Is it being treated with copper?

MSB123 · Dec 17, 2017

@4FordFamily
Correct me if im wrong, but mabye do a FW dip and check for flukes- i still had some on my Hippo after a prazi treatment- you can also try dehydrated romaine soaked in garlicguard- that always works for my tangs!

cane · Dec 17, 2017

Jeff Hall said:
Was/Is it being treated with copper?

Nope

cane · Dec 17, 2017

MSB123 said:
@4FordFamily
Correct me if im wrong, but mabye do a FW dip and check for flukes- i still had some on my Hippo after a prazi treatment- you can also try dehydrated romaine soaked in garlicguard- that always works for my tangs!

Thanks, I will try this

4FordFamily · Dec 17, 2017

cane said:
I’ve tried everything. Nori, romaine lettuce, pellets soaked in garlic, black worms, live misis shrimp, frozen misis and brine shrimp. Nothing it will not eat anything. Was in QT and did not eat. Looks great minus the sunk in stomach. No spots etc. Treated with prozipro prior to hitting DT. Water is perfect. Please help as I feel he will not last much longer.

Did you try live brine? Red nori? It is more appealing than green. If tangs reject that that’s it. Sometimes tangs don’t eat when they have internal parasites, any white stringy poo?

Any stressful tankmates?

cane · Dec 17, 2017

Yes to live Brine but red nori I have not tried. I think he just isn’t adapting to aquarium life. Poo is fine.

4FordFamily · Dec 17, 2017

cane said:
Yes to live Brine but red nori I have not tried. I think he just isn’t adapting to aquarium life. Poo is fine.

If they don’t eat for two weeks that’s usually all she wrote, unfortunately.

Try rubber banding red nori to a piece of rock or pvc if in QT

cane · Dec 17, 2017

4FordFamily said:
If they don’t eat for two weeks that’s usually all she wrote, unfortunately.

Try rubber banding red nori to a piece of rock or pvc if in QT

Tried that but yes I think you are right. Tomorrow I will fresh water dip him and put him back in QT for a month. And in the end that is all I can do

bellasdad0911 · Dec 17, 2017

Does it stay in a corner at the top at all? You can get a syring and force feed it a mix that way. I have done that quite a few times with excellent results every time.

cane · Dec 17, 2017

bellasdad0911 said:
Does it stay in a corner at the top at all? You can get a syring and force feed it a mix that way. I have done that quite a few times with excellent results every time.

No, he’s all over the tank but I may try that

Ashish Patel · Dec 17, 2017

How long have you had the fish and how long has it not been eating ?

Major sign of stress or disease!!!

cane · Dec 17, 2017

Ashish Patel said:
How long have you had the fish and how long has it not been eating ?

Major sign of stress or disease!!!

Purchased it a Little over two weeks ago and has never eaten

4FordFamily · Dec 17, 2017

bellasdad0911 said:
Does it stay in a corner at the top at all? You can get a syring and force feed it a mix that way. I have done that quite a few times with excellent results every time.

This is a great way to choke a fish to death..

Ashish Patel · Dec 18, 2017

If you purchased it 2 weeks ago and its not eating most likely it probably has not eaten from the time it shipped in. Fish that are brought in from the wild go through hell and if not carefully acclimated by each supply chain than it just becomes difficult for us hobbyist to get the fish to eat. I got 3 skinny yellow tangs 8 months ago and they started eating immediately. I only purchase fish from 1 source that I trust that QT. a Healthy hippo tang will eat any chance it gets and will become stressed without sufficient hiding space and space. If its not disease Perhaps get it in a bigger tank or at least a temporary stock container!

Ashish Patel · Dec 18, 2017

Another thing I've started feeding my tank is LRS Reef Frenzy. If the hippo or any fish does not eat this stuff then you have serious problem.. This stuff is like crack for fish!!!