Troublesome Hippo Tang

[Joe Batt]

I have been restarting the reef after a crash last year. I added some zoa's to the tank a few days back and they disappeared overnight totally. I suspect the hippo tang (the other inhabitants are a sail fin tang, yellow tang, dottyback, 2 x clowns, an old damsel from when I first started).

It is well fed 3 pellet feedings, a cube of mysis, and a sheet of nori a day. Is there a way to stop the behaviour or do I need to get rid? I don't want to waste cash putting in zoa just to have them eaten!

 

[SPR1968]

I have been restarting the reef after a crash last year. I added some zoa's to the tank a few days back and they disappeared overnight totally. I suspect the hippo tang (the other inhabitants are a sail fin tang, yellow tang, dottyback, 2 x clowns, an old damsel from when I first started).

It is well fed 3 pellet feedings, a cube of mysis, and a sheet of nori a day. Is there a way to stop the behaviour or do I need to get rid? I don't want to waste cash putting in zoa just to have them eaten!

Mine does/did (because I have few left!) exactly the same Joe. Went Zoa feasting one day out of the blue and developed a taste for them and he’s very well fed.

I’ve had him since very young so I couldn’t part with him now (or catch him anyway!) so I just sat back and tried not to fret to much about my prized zoa colonies being devoured!

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

Personally I have never had this happen but I have heard from many hobbyist before that blue hippo tang ate their zoa.

 

[Joe Batt]

I guess I have a choice of no zoa's then or no Dory! I guess I could make an acan garden instead ........ Dory was supposed to be nice in the movie

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

Trade it for a different one in local store.

 

[Jim Fox]

Mine took out a softball size colony of Purple People Eater zoas. I started the colony with a quarter size frag and it took her about 3 days to take them out. Like others have said, she's very well fed, so no idea why she did that. So frustrating!

 

[ca1ore]

Hard to stop this kind of behavior once it gest established. Hippo is 'unique' in the tang world in that it is a planktivore rather than herbivore - though it will certainly eat nori if offered. You could try to increase the meaty foods you offer and see if that makes a difference.

 

[cracker]

Thats interesting Colore I didn' know this about Hippo's

 

[ZoWhat]

Curious what you are feeding the Hippo exactly....

Mine I feed strictly meaty stuff, chopped mussels mainly. Mine's addicted to mussels and goes nuts for it. Other flake food thats more veggie based its less excited.

 

[Joe Batt]

He eats anything thats put in the tank, pellets, mysis, nori, you name it.....Annoying

 

[Halal Hotdog]

From what I ready, once they get a taste for it they never stop. Sadly blue hippos are prone to it. This is the only reason I never purchased a hippo, beautiful fish with great personalities.