I assume this is normal Hippo Behaviour?

[Hugh Mann]

Introduced my Hippo Tang to the display, fresh out of TTM.

Immediately jammed itself into a crevice for a few minutes, followed by a bit of swimming. Checked on it after lights out, and it's stuck to the filter intake. Had to double check it wasn't dead.

Still breathing, just sleeping.

 

[fishguy242]

hi,good news ,i was wondering if he had survived,yes is normal to wedge in tight spaces,stuck to filter?? is he eating,how is he doing overall?

 

[Hugh Mann]

Not stuck to the filter, I just checked again, and it was chilling in the eels I guess former cave. I knew it would find a hole to hide in, I was curious about the against the filter intake thing.

Was eating in QT, about a sheet of nori every day or two. Refused frozen foods.
Only been in the Display for 5ish hours, haven't seen it eat anything.

 

[fishguy242]

new home shy,he will eat may take a day or two

 

[Hugh Mann]

Overall, the colour is good, during the day it's the deep blue, and a nice black stripe. Only fades at night. Eats well, but at least in QT would spend most of its time (or at least 9/10 times I saw it) under or in pvc pipes.

Shortly after I introduced it, it was swimming in the current. More than I had seen it swim since I bought it.

Yup, they're all a little new home shy, having redone the entire aquascape. Well, except the mollies. They are right at home.

 

[DeniableArc]

Just to add, my blue hippo sleeps wedged under a rock on the bare bottom glass. One side of it is in full contact of glass and the other tightly under a rock until lights come on

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Yay!!!!! I’m soooooo happy to see your little one pulled through!!!!! I’ve never kept one, but from all those I’ve seen I have noticed strange sleeping patterns are kinda a staple of this species.

 

[Letterkenny]

Seems right. My blue out of QT would (and still does) really wedge itself under a rock as its hiding and sleeping place. However, before this and for about a week, it would sleep stuck up against the overflow box. Did the same crap in QT but as soon as food came around, everything was fine. Mine doesn’t eat nori off of a clip though but will eat scraps floating around from my purple but does love frozen And pellets.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Good news!
This Hippo is already out, rocketing around the tank, blues and even during the day with the whites.

Eating nori and Omega One flake so far.

 

[Letterkenny]

Good news!
This Hippo is already out, rocketing around the tank, blues and even during the day with the whites.

Eating nori and Omega One flake so far.

Yea I was worried at first as well. Weird little fish but that’s why it’s one of my favorites!

 

[Hugh Mann]

Agreed. I am very much loving this fish already, and am glad I got it. 100% worth it.

Also eats selcon+brine shrimp.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Good news!
This Hippo is already out, rocketing around the tank, blues and even during the day with the whites.

Eating nori and Omega One flake so far.

This really warms my heart!!!! Good catch and save! Little trooper!!! I hope you get MANY years of enjoyment from him!!! Or her... hahaha

 

[vetteguy53081]

They jam themselves, play dead and even scratch against objects raising their owners blood pressure for nothing

 

[Hugh Mann]

They jam themselves, play dead and even scratch against objects raising their owners blood pressure for nothing

Good to know about the scratching. Just this evening I saw it do that against the old coral skeleton it sleeps under. I died a little thinking the TTM failed, or worse.

It's definitely a little trooper, that's for sure. I am definitely looking forward to this one, 12" long, swimming in my 265.

 

[mynameisnick4]

Good to know about the scratching. Just this evening I saw it do that against the old coral skeleton it sleeps under. I died a little thinking the TTM failed, or worse.

It's definitely a little trooper, that's for sure. I am definitely looking forward to this one, 12" long, swimming in my 265.

I got my hippo tang from a reputable online seller that does the QT process for you and have had him for over 7 months now, I catch him doing the occasional scratching against the rock. At first I thought for sure an ich breakout was coming but he and every other fish I have put into the tank (doing the QT process myself) has been fine.

 

[kriskk]

It looks good in the pictures, and sounds like it’s behaving normal. I’ve had mine for years and it still behaves the same. Like everyone else has said, mine “scratches” on the rock, swims into the current from the power head, gets stuck to the suction side of the power head (it releases itself), and it will constantly pick up then drop the empty snail & crab shells almost like it is playing a game. Big time food beggar, too.

 

[Hugh Mann]

I thought I had done some thorough reading on this species preparing to buy it. I knew they had some quirky behaviors, like laying on their side, faking death, but never did I expect them to be this strange. Makes me like it even more. Wish I could have two.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Hopefully this video works for y'all.

Filmed the Hippo for the first time on my lunch break. I had never seen it really swim before, and it always hid when it saw me. Not anymore. Went right up to the glass and it, dare I say it, just kept swimming.

Don't mind the coffee grinder sound. I need a new pump for the skimmer.

 

[fishguy242]

i cannot see videobut still here

 

[Hugh Mann]

This fish is like nothing else I have had before. Everything always started off shy then became bold, or started bold and stayed that way.

This Hippo for the first few days would be out swimming, eating and generally being a Hippo Tang. Just the last couple days it started hiding again. But only from me.
I ninja my way into the basement and peek at the tank, and there it is, doing fish things. Then it sees me and engages maximum warp for cover.

Maybe I don't spend enough time around my tank these days.