Hippo Tang Skydive

[Mandalorian]

So my new hippo tang took a skydive from my reef 4ft onto the floor. Found him barely breathing. Put him back in cleaned him off and put him facing the return to get water moving across his gills. I rested him in my palm and swam him around the tank to help. When i let go he kinda swam but seemed very disorientated. So I found a vegtable egg crate that floats put him in it with some garlic nori. He's getting good flow. I doubt the other tankmates are the culprits. Two small fiji chromis and a mate pair of percs who reside on the other side of the tank. Anyways sucks he's only two weeks old, he was eating but always shy. Would come out then hide. Sad, sucks. He's the yellow belly kind, so very cool fish. He was going to be my last edition to my reef fish wise. I figured 5 fish in a 75g is enough. Its a shallow cube, no top. I just ordered BRS clear mesh and trying to find 3/4 inch rimless clips. Hope it works. I'll update.

 

[maugustine]

Did he survive?

 

[Tired]

Hope he makes it. You're going to need to upgrade to keep him, though: hippo tangs get big, so they're best kept in a 180 or larger, preferably larger. They definitely shouldn't be kept in a cube, since it's short, instead of being long for dashing end-to-end.

 

[ajjw0828]

Hope he pulls through!

 

[Woodneers]

Hope he makes it. You're going to need to upgrade to keep him, though: hippo tangs get big, so they're best kept in a 180 or larger, preferably larger. They definitely shouldn't be kept in a cube, since it's short, instead of being long for dashing end-to-end.

Definitely a beautiful fish, hope he makes it. This is definitely true! I just upgraded to a 225 from a 75 and my clown tang now swims around like a crack head from end to end. He seems to be thoroughly enjoying the new space!

 

[Mandalorian]

Hope he makes it. You're going to need to upgrade to keep him, though: hippo tangs get big, so they're best kept in a 180 or larger, preferably larger. They definitely shouldn't be kept in a cube, since it's short, instead of being long for dashing end-to-end.

Thanks man. Well, its 36x36X18 its not ideal, but currently he's under 3 inches, and upgrading the tank is coming. Im planning on a large room divider at 250g. Thats in the works in the next year or two. New house. Anyways, any advice on things to help support him. Was thinking maybe selcon or similar.

 

[Sailfin11]

I had a similar experience with my red coris wrasse a while back. He jumped behind my stand and I couldn't grab him for a good 30 seconds. He was resting on his side like yours for a while so I was worried he broke his back, but he bounced back quickly afterword! Fish are very resilient, best of luck to your tang

 

[Mandalorian]

I had a similar experience with my red coris wrasse a while back. He jumped behind my stand and I couldn't grab him for a good 30 seconds. He was resting on his side like yours for a while so I was worried he broke his back, but he bounced back quickly afterword! Fish are very resilient, best of luck to your tang

Thanks man, that's inspiring. I have no clue how long he was out for. I was working upstairs came down to feed tank and realized he wasnt hiding in a crevice but missing. He looked dead, but when I picked him up he gasped. So I put him back. I keep checking on him every 20 min

 

[Mandalorian]

Just checked he's coming along. Not great but I reached in and touched him and he swam around for a minute.

 

[Mandalorian]

Did he survive?

Still dont know yet, hes breathing and if I reach him he'll swim around. I have him isolated in an egg crate floating with good flow. I put garlic nori in with him to see if he will eventually eat. I'm checking every 15-20 minutes. I'll update as it progresses.

 

[CMMorgan]

Just be happy that you don't have a dog or cat that likes sushi.
Welcome to the fishy family!!! Good karma going out to your little hippo.

 

[Mandalorian]

Just be happy that you don't have a dog or cat that likes sushi.
Welcome to the fishy family!!! Good karma going out to your little hippo.

LOL and thanks! My black lab is oblivious to the fishes.

 

[Mandalorian]

Little update:

 

[Mandalorian]

Unfortunately he was swimming last night but he's refusing to eat and found him on the sandbed barely breathing. I put him back in my makeshift quarantine tank and clipped it in direct flow of return to help.

 

[Mandalorian]

Sad news boys, he passed today around 12pm est. He put up the good fight. I feel sad he didnt make it especially when it seemed he took the corner and was swimming. I supposed the 4ft fall really injured him and his internals never fully healed. Shame, gorgeous yellow bellied Hippo is gone. A little post analysis. Does anybody think my two chromis could have chased him and scared him into jumping. I know the percs wont leave their corner of the tank ever. Im wondering if two lone chromis, since loosing their group during the move to new house caused his demise. Im wondering if they have become too aggressive and need to be removed before I even think of adding anything new. Thought's?

 

[Crustaceon]

Lesson learned: Never have a tank without a lid or a least a canopy design to prevent carpet surfing. All of those super-clean looking tanks you see online without covers are examples of bad husbandry because if it has fins, it can escape. I bang my head against the wall everytime I see uncovered rimless tanks full of clownfish. They DO jump.

 

[Mandalorian]

Lesson learned: Never have a tank without a lid or a least a canopy design to prevent carpet surfing. All of those super-clean looking tanks you see online without covers are examples of bad husbandry because if it has fins, it can escape. I bang my head against the wall everytime I see uncovered rimless tanks full of clownfish. They DO jump.

Entirely disagree, its true fish do jump, but had this tank for over 10 years in various stages and differing reefs, and only had one other fish jump.

 

[Mandalorian]

Entirely disagree, its true fish do jump, but had this tank for over 10 years in various stages and differing reefs, and only had one other fish jump.

I'm going to summarize it was the cause of two very aggressive blue green chromis. I haven't kept these fish before and by all accounts they are not aggressive but I think without their group they have gone rogue. Time to extradite to sump.

 

[Adamantium]

Entirely disagree, its true fish do jump, but had this tank for over 10 years in various stages and differing reefs, and only had one other fish jump.

Gotta say, that’s just sheer luck. Lids are best practice.

 

[Mandalorian]

Gotta say, that’s just sheer luck. Lids are best practice.

That's surely possible, but I suspect if I add any other fish with these chromis they will get bullied as well. I didn't see it occur, but the culprits seem more and more obvious to me now. I think having a lid wouldn't have prevented the Hippo's death from bullying. Jumping was just the first result. Perhaps you both missed reading my post: " I just ordered BRS clear mesh and trying to find 3/4 inch rimless clips. Hope it works. I'll update." I have decided to got with a mesh top for extra security going forward but I believe the cause are the chromis.