Yellow belly hippo
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Help
Forum Name: General Help
Forum Description: The place to ask about pest, problems, hitchhikers, etc.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=60735
Printed Date: January 11 2026 at 6:01pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Yellow belly hippo
Posted By: Moosetang
Subject: Yellow belly hippo
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 12:56pm
| I have had a Yellow Belly hippo tang for just over a month. It swims out in the water column, no stress at all. But when I feed it hides and will not come out till the food is all gone. I've never seen it eat since I bought it from the LFS. I've tried a total variety of foods and garlic. I'm at a loss at this point and it is starting to loose its weight. Any ideas? |
Replies:
Posted By: phys
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 1:15pm
| put a slab of seaweed on a clip and watch from a distance to see if that works.. |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 1:20pm
| I'll give that a shot in a few minutes. I usually don't clip my nori because my naso is an animal and rips it to shreds. We'll see what happens. :) |
Posted By: DLindquist
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 1:42pm
|
I also use a veggie clip and our Naso and Yellow Flanked Fairy Wrasse do the same thing. It may be the Yellow Belly Hippo is scared of you. Have you tried dumping and running? Basically, drop in a good amount of food and move away from the tank. He may come out to eat. I make an effort to hand feed as often as possible. This allows the fish to feel very secure when I'm around or working in the tank. ------------- A government strong enough to give you everything you want, is powerful enough to take everything you have. |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 1:51pm
| I hand feed almost every time. For the same reason. I don't he is scared of me because I can watch him up close when he is out in the water column. Honestly it looks like he's scared of the food. It's really strange. |
Posted By: DLindquist
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 2:09pm
|
What a baby! LOL ------------- A government strong enough to give you everything you want, is powerful enough to take everything you have. |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 3:50pm
| Ugh. No kidding! LOL. |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 5:51pm
| Well, clip didn't work. Fed and backed away. That didn't work. Any other ideas? |
Posted By: DLindquist
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 5:59pm
|
I know my fish go crazy with anticipation when I approach the tank. Maybe it's the aggressive feeding frenzy that spooks him. How about dropping food in multiple spots of the tank to try and dispurse the heard. This may give him a chance to get in on the action without fearing for his life. I have no idea how large your tank is or how many fish are in it. Just throwing out ideas. ------------- A government strong enough to give you everything you want, is powerful enough to take everything you have. |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 6:03pm
| It's a 150g. I have a Naso, Emperor angel, Regal angel, Sailfin tang, two clowns and a Copperband. |
Posted By: builderofdreams
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 6:50pm
|
Try Romain Lettuce. Do you have a 150 Reef? with the Angels. Also Don't ever buy a fish that you don't see Physically eat. If you do than Roll the Dice.
 ------------- It's Not a Hobby It's an Obsession 150&210 Gallons of Madness and. Sanity! 801-850-4915 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=65135&title=builderofdreams-feedback-post |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 6:52pm
| I'll give the romain a try tomorrow. Yea, it is a reef. |
Posted By: phys
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 7:43pm
| try turning the lights down or off? |
Posted By: Akira
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 10:18pm
| also always feed from the same spot . I went to get water to defrost food today a wrasse swam into the cup . so with that being said they do get comfy where they are fed. feeding at a different spot if you always feed from the same spot is not an issue. Also my last hippo (a blue) became a bit shy when I was around and feeding, but as I over fed he got better and I was able to get him to eat without to much extra food in the water column |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 08 2012 at 10:28pm
| It's just strange. My yellow belly immediately hides as if it was bedtime. |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 09 2012 at 7:24pm
| Well I've tried all I could. I think it's going to perish soon. :( |
Posted By: Molli
Date Posted: December 10 2012 at 8:33am
| If you can catch him, maybe try putting him in an acclimation box for several days and feed him that way? Maybe he will get used to eating that way? |
Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: December 10 2012 at 6:11pm
It is a Yellow Belly you know?!?  I wonder is he is more afraid of the frenzy the other fish go into when you feed than he is of the food. I would think after a month he would get over it, especially if he is getting hungry. It's possible that enough food is making to where he is hiding that he is at least getting something. Many fish become quite aggressive when you feed the tank. I wonder if some of your other fish have picked on him when he has tried to eat in the past and now he's anticipating the same response every time. All of the fish on your list except the Copperband can be aggressive. At any rate, this really is odd behavior since most Hippo Tangs are huge pigs. |
Posted By: Moosetang
Date Posted: December 10 2012 at 9:29pm
| Well I've tried everything you guys have suggested, still nothing. I have no choice but hopefully ride this out. I use to have a regular hippo but I I like odd ball types so I got yellow belly in place of it. As far as my other fish, when I feed I obsereve very closely and they go for the food not each other. The last few days, I've been feeding a little more than usual to get a better spread hoping that helps. As far as I see, he's not eating. I guess sometimes in this beautiful hobby, their are unexplainable downfalls. |