hippo tang eating zoas?

ptomoson · 03/20/2009, 09:10 AM

I got a 5" hippo from a friend last sunday and yesterday I saw him picking closed polyps of zoas off my frag rack. I have some frags that were given to me that never opened up and those are the ones he ate. I have not witnessed him eating a live zoa yet. Do these guys have an appetite for zoas? He's gone if that's the case.

chimmike · 03/20/2009, 09:30 AM

I've seen 'em do it before, at my LFS. Scared me, but my blue hippo hasn't developed a taste for them yet. But I think that's only because I feed heavily, haha.

qfrisco · 03/21/2009, 07:08 AM

It's possible it was just picking an algae alongside the zoas, but it's certainly possible that she's gotten a taste for zoas. My Powder Blue likes munching on my kenya tree and one frogspawn colony.

mfinn · 03/21/2009, 08:20 AM

I have had a couple hippo tangs eat zoanthids. They weren't just picking at them, they were eating whole colonies.
You have to decide which one you want more, zoanthids or the tang. It can no longer be trusted with zoanthids.

Henryreef · 03/21/2009, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mfinn
I have had a couple hippo tangs eat zoanthids. They weren't just picking at them, they were eating whole colonies.
You have to decide which one you want more, zoanthids or the tang. It can no longer be trusted with zoanthids.

yeah I have heard this a lot, I believe Melev had the same problem with his hippo "tucker" he trapped it and gave it away. Tough choice though

micstarz · 03/21/2009, 09:18 AM

Wouldn't zoas release palytoxins or whatever the toxin is called and kill the tang?

mfinn · 03/21/2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by micstarz
Wouldn't zoas release palytoxins or whatever the toxin is called and kill the tang?

No, they seem to be immune to it.

Amazon4 · 03/21/2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by qfrisco
It's possible it was just picking an algae alongside the zoas, but it's certainly possible that she's gotten a taste for zoas. My Powder Blue likes munching on my kenya tree and one frogspawn colony.

I wish any of mine would develop a taste for kenya tree.....

david00061 · 03/12/2012, 08:22 PM

I am losing whole colonies of zoas real fast. My hipos have just reached 4"

tebstan · 03/12/2012, 08:37 PM

I had a hippo eat a fortune in coral. I had to see it with my own eyes repeatedly before I would believe it. I thought, surely, he's just eating algae. After a few hundred dollars in losses, I trapped him. The remaining polyps recovered, but so many were lost I vowed to never try a hippo again.

When you're thinking of buying a fish, you google "X species reef safe" and you see all these examples of them living harmoniously around corals. Then, when you grow suspicious, you google "X species eat coral" and all these accounts of rogue fish appear! Why didn't these come up on the first search?! grrr

03/20/2009, 09:10 AM	#1
ptomoson Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 274	hippo tang eating zoas? I got a 5" hippo from a friend last sunday and yesterday I saw him picking closed polyps of zoas off my frag rack. I have some frags that were given to me that never opened up and those are the ones he ate. I have not witnessed him eating a live zoa yet. Do these guys have an appetite for zoas? He's gone if that's the case.

03/20/2009, 09:30 AM	#2
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	I've seen 'em do it before, at my LFS. Scared me, but my blue hippo hasn't developed a taste for them yet. But I think that's only because I feed heavily, haha. __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

03/21/2009, 08:20 AM	#4
mfinn Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Olympia. WA. Posts: 8,648	I have had a couple hippo tangs eat zoanthids. They weren't just picking at them, they were eating whole colonies. You have to decide which one you want more, zoanthids or the tang. It can no longer be trusted with zoanthids. __________________ 240 gallon soft coral tank 50 gallon lps tank

03/12/2012, 08:22 PM	#9
david00061 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: st joseph Missouri Posts: 2,341	I am losing whole colonies of zoas real fast. My hipos have just reached 4" __________________ Current tank A.G.E. 500 gallon Two frag tanks 48"x20"x12" 12 EcoTech Radion XR30w LED Lights 2 mp60's 4 mp40's, GEO 818 calcium reactor SRO XP 8000 external skimmer

03/12/2012, 08:37 PM	#10
tebstan Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 961	I had a hippo eat a fortune in coral. I had to see it with my own eyes repeatedly before I would believe it. I thought, surely, he's just eating algae. After a few hundred dollars in losses, I trapped him. The remaining polyps recovered, but so many were lost I vowed to never try a hippo again. When you're thinking of buying a fish, you google "X species reef safe" and you see all these examples of them living harmoniously around corals. Then, when you grow suspicious, you google "X species eat coral" and all these accounts of rogue fish appear! Why didn't these come up on the first search?! grrr __________________ Washington's Rule #110: Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

03/21/2009, 07:08 AM	#3
qfrisco Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Area Posts: 1,389	It's possible it was just picking an algae alongside the zoas, but it's certainly possible that she's gotten a taste for zoas. My Powder Blue likes munching on my kenya tree and one frogspawn colony.

03/21/2009, 09:18 AM	#6
micstarz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 727	Wouldn't zoas release palytoxins or whatever the toxin is called and kill the tang?