Hippo Tang Owners

[Hungriee]

Today at my LFS I was looking at a Hippo Blue Tang. It's relatively small and just came in from a shipment just about 2 days ago according to the LFS owner. The fish looks great - very royal blue, healthy swimming and has great color.

Only thing I noticed once in awhile it'll go hide in the rocks then rub itself against the edges of the rock of a cave or on the sand as in digging a hole.

Then it'll come out and swim normally again.

Is this always normal behavior of these blue tangs? I didn't see any ich so it couldn't be scratching itself - I thought it was odd since two of these fish did the same thing but at different times. They must be real itchy.:lol:

 

[Lenny718]

From my experience its normal, I have 3 very healthy hippos in my personal tank and they scratch on the live rock all the time.

 

[Hungriee]

its strange i wonder if it hurts them - bc theres no apparent cuts but i was thinking maybe over time they will have minor cuts since it kept rubbing itself. Its amazing how it was able to fit in the smallest cracks in the tanks rockscape and still come out. It like played dead then came out.

 

[Lenny718]

Yea mine don't scratch very hard they just kinda brush up against the rock work in my tank so I don't think it hurts them very much. Not sure why they do it though.

 

[Hungriee]

its a strange behavior. its like they swim smoothly then stop and scratch then come out of a cave and do it again.

sucha beautiful fish wiht strange behaviors.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

They really should not be doing that.I had mine for over a year,it had ich for the first few days and it goes away but some are not strong enough to combat the ich especially the little ones.

 

[muntai]

ich exist in many phases. its not always visible to the human eye.
btw: hippos r known to b ich magnets.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

ICH and NOT HEALTHY.... the tangs i had only scratched itself when it had ich. stay away from them fish and do not give that store any of your money

 

[ed4]

I agree w/ muntal. Julian Sprung titled Hippo Tangs as the king of ich.

 

[Hungriee]

I agree w/ muntal. Julian Sprung titled Hippo Tangs as the king of ich.

HAHA. "King of Ich"

Guess they are a difficult fish to own.

 

[marki24]

IMO, that is not a normal behavior. I had two hippo tangs, and they would hide (sort of shy fish) but not rub itself against the rocks. I would not risk buying it. Unless its a good price and you have another hospital tank to cure it but then again your risking it.

 

[Aquatic Life Direct]

definitly an ich issue.

 

[Hungriee]

IMO, that is not a normal behavior. I had two hippo tangs, and they would hide (sort of shy fish) but not rub itself against the rocks. I would not risk buying it. Unless its a good price and you have another hospital tank to cure it but then again your risking it.

Yea it was a good price for a tang - looked great too but I won't risk buying a sick or fish thats stressed.

 

[h20 freak]

Good move, scratching is a bad behavior almost always.

 

[marki24]

Good move, scratching is a bad behavior almost always.

depends what your scratching :lol2: