Need some advice on a sick Hippo Tang

[Stick]

I'm a newbie at this. Just got a 90 gal reef setup started about 6 weeks ago. Have about 110 lbs of live rock, 2 maroon clowns, 2 engineer gobies, 1 diamond goby, 1 flame angel and 1 hippo tang. Plus some snails and hermit crabs. Had the water checked and everything seems fine. PH is good, low nitrates, etc.

But have a sick Hippo Tang. She has a white/gray spotting on her lower body and is acting sluggish. Any ideas on the problem?

 

[justintime6199]

Try this

I had the same problem with my hippo. They seem to show signs of stress before any other fish will. Make sure that the temp of the water doesn't change more than a few degrees. They don't like the change in temp at all. Is the fish getting picked on at all? If both of those are ok then what worked very well for me and seemed to get rid of the white spots witin a few days was putting a drop of KENT'S GARLIC EXTREAM on the food. I feed formula one frozen foods it will absorb the garlic when it is unthawed. Try that and let me know how it worked.

 

[Stick]

Thanks, but I lost her Monday. I'll remember that advice though for the next one. I really like them and will want to replace her someday. Will the same advice apply in general about all Tangs, or is that more specific for Hippo's?

 

[wrightme43]

This is just for me. I have bought alot of hippo tangs for customers. I use quarenteen procedures. I have lost way too many of them. I have decided that I will not buy anymore of them no matter what. I also used to work weekends at the local fish store. I have seen so many of them die. I have seen a few live and do well, though, in my experince they are the rarity rather than the rule. The ones I have seen live were all larger than 3 inchs when they came in, all fat and well colored when they came in, and all ate soon after being in the tanks. It seems that they need a very very well established tank. And like alot of algae in thier diet. From my expecince it is about 1 of 5 that survives. Again this is only my opinion and experince. I am certain that others have just bought one and had it do wonderful for them. HTH Steve