New Fish Help

zigrat88 · 01/12/2007, 09:39 AM

So, went to the LFS last night and picked up a baby blue hippo (3/4 of an inch) did the whole acclimation thing with the lights off and went to bed. Got up this morning so I could be here when the lights came on to see how things would go.

Well baby's first steps didn't go without the pink skunk and pygmy flame angel harassing the poor thing. She went back to her hiding spot by the overflow box and is praying no one see's her.

Just curious if a little harassing is normal for a newcomer or if this means there is going to be a pattern?

there is also a mystery wrasse in the tank but he hasn't felt the need to show his face yet.

Also these guys have been by themselves for about a year now, this is the first new fish in the tank since I've had them.

tranman · 01/12/2007, 09:44 AM

I heard feeding the inhabitants in the tank BEFORE placing the new critter(s) in will help.
It will make them less grouchy i think.

But I'm new here too. So I don't know.

AllenFord_SC · 01/12/2007, 09:47 AM

Rearrange your rock work and it will subside. Is this fish in your 36?

Also, you may want to consider a QT tank since tangs are notorious for ich. You'd rather have one infected fish than three.

papagimp · 01/12/2007, 09:53 AM

Despite weather it's in the 36 or the 75, it'll be too small of a tank to make the tang happy, hippos can reach over 9 inches. I'd also recommend a cleaner shrimp or two with a hippo in there. They are fairly prone to ich.

zigrat88 · 01/12/2007, 09:59 AM

I re-arranged the rock, now the angel is fighting with the wrasse over who gets what side.

And I'm actually ditching the 75. I couldn't pass up a deal on a 54 corner tank which is about a week away from running. And planning a 150 which the tang will be in by this time next year.

zigrat88 · 01/12/2007, 10:17 AM

also about the QT, I know slap on my wrist, for for all intensive purposes my tank is currently a FOWLR, so worst case I wouldn't lose any corals. and the 36 will probably be my QT tank in a week.

About the shirmp to help w/ the tang, I was looking at the packages available on live aquaria, any suggestions?

kfowler · 01/12/2007, 11:02 AM

I've talked to people who put a mirror against the tank when they add the new addition. This keeps the bullies occupied with their own reflection rather than the new fish. Never tried it but sounds interesting.

zigrat88 · 01/12/2007, 12:05 PM

Hmmmm....... Mirror, may need to come to that. I've re-arranged all the LR (about 2 hours ago) and my new friend is still plastered against the overflow box seemingly afraid for his life.

I'm thinking about getting a radio and playing "why can't we be friends" to help the bonding process, not sure what else to do.

AllenFord_SC · 01/12/2007, 01:27 PM

Turn off the lights and leave the tank alone. Seriously. They will be fine by tomorrow. The flame may bully him for awhile but it will subside.

Honestly I don't think you understand how fast this Tang will grow but you say that new tank will be here this time next year.

This is taken from an article about hippo tangs:

What is known from keeping these fish in aquariums smaller than several hundred gallons is that the end result is a fish with stunted growth. The extent of the growth stunt is directly proportionate to the aquarium size. Following Choat and Axe (1996) and the understanding that Acanthurids obtain 80% of their growth in their first 15% of life, you can get an idea of how fast they should be growing in your aquarium. Combine this with an expected 35 years of age per Acanthurid (Chaot and Axe, 1996), we come up with 80% growth obtained in 5.25 years. Let's take this a step further and plug in the expected maximum size for Paracanthurus hepatus, roughly 12". After doing the math you should get the answer of Paracanthurus hepatus obtaining 9.6 inches at 5.25 years of age. Following the same reference, which states the first 80% growth is fairly consistent, you can take it yet one step farther to learn that your Paracanthurus hepatus should be 1.8 inches after the first year, and continue to grow nearly two inches every year from then until five years of age, where their growth will slow and nearly stop, at which time it should be nearly ten inches. You could also use this same formula when trying to obtain an age of a newly imported specimen.

and here is the article:http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/hcs3/index.php

I would return this fish if I were you and wait until you have the proper home for it.

My .02 cents.

zigrat88 · 01/12/2007, 02:00 PM

Thanks Allen, really appreciate the info! I'll turn the lights off again and wait till tomorrow morning to see how he's doing.

And I was no aware of how fast they grow, I figured it would take awhile. Last thing I want to do is stunt his growth.

Good news is now I have a reason to expidite the 150G since I'm dumb and have nothing better to do with my money. Plus (this is a huge plus) my gf is the one who wanted the fish. Now this will give me a perfect reason to buy bigger!!!!

I think this fish stuff is a sickness...

AllenFord_SC · 01/12/2007, 02:02 PM

Always a good reason to upgrade, keeping the G/F happy.

01/12/2007, 09:39 AM	#1
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	New Fish Help So, went to the LFS last night and picked up a baby blue hippo (3/4 of an inch) did the whole acclimation thing with the lights off and went to bed. Got up this morning so I could be here when the lights came on to see how things would go. Well baby's first steps didn't go without the pink skunk and pygmy flame angel harassing the poor thing. She went back to her hiding spot by the overflow box and is praying no one see's her. Just curious if a little harassing is normal for a newcomer or if this means there is going to be a pattern? there is also a mystery wrasse in the tank but he hasn't felt the need to show his face yet. Also these guys have been by themselves for about a year now, this is the first new fish in the tank since I've had them.

01/12/2007, 09:47 AM	#3
AllenFord_SC Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ridgeland, SC Posts: 703	Rearrange your rock work and it will subside. Is this fish in your 36? Also, you may want to consider a QT tank since tangs are notorious for ich. You'd rather have one infected fish than three. __________________ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl..... Roger Waters, Pink Floyd Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Mixed, 55 Gallon sump, 35 gallon fuge

01/12/2007, 09:53 AM	#4
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	Despite weather it's in the 36 or the 75, it'll be too small of a tank to make the tang happy, hippos can reach over 9 inches. I'd also recommend a cleaner shrimp or two with a hippo in there. They are fairly prone to ich. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

01/12/2007, 11:02 AM	#7
kfowler Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,095	I've talked to people who put a mirror against the tank when they add the new addition. This keeps the bullies occupied with their own reflection rather than the new fish. Never tried it but sounds interesting. __________________ Kevin "You cannot achieve what you are not willing to pursue." Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef

01/12/2007, 01:27 PM	#9
AllenFord_SC Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ridgeland, SC Posts: 703	Turn off the lights and leave the tank alone. Seriously. They will be fine by tomorrow. The flame may bully him for awhile but it will subside. Honestly I don't think you understand how fast this Tang will grow but you say that new tank will be here this time next year. This is taken from an article about hippo tangs: What is known from keeping these fish in aquariums smaller than several hundred gallons is that the end result is a fish with stunted growth. The extent of the growth stunt is directly proportionate to the aquarium size. Following Choat and Axe (1996) and the understanding that Acanthurids obtain 80% of their growth in their first 15% of life, you can get an idea of how fast they should be growing in your aquarium. Combine this with an expected 35 years of age per Acanthurid (Chaot and Axe, 1996), we come up with 80% growth obtained in 5.25 years. Let's take this a step further and plug in the expected maximum size for Paracanthurus hepatus, roughly 12". After doing the math you should get the answer of Paracanthurus hepatus obtaining 9.6 inches at 5.25 years of age. Following the same reference, which states the first 80% growth is fairly consistent, you can take it yet one step farther to learn that your Paracanthurus hepatus should be 1.8 inches after the first year, and continue to grow nearly two inches every year from then until five years of age, where their growth will slow and nearly stop, at which time it should be nearly ten inches. You could also use this same formula when trying to obtain an age of a newly imported specimen. and here is the article:http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/hcs3/index.php I would return this fish if I were you and wait until you have the proper home for it. My .02 cents. __________________ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl..... Roger Waters, Pink Floyd Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Mixed, 55 Gallon sump, 35 gallon fuge

01/12/2007, 09:44 AM	#2
tranman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 23	I heard feeding the inhabitants in the tank BEFORE placing the new critter(s) in will help. It will make them less grouchy i think. But I'm new here too. So I don't know.

01/12/2007, 09:59 AM	#5
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	I re-arranged the rock, now the angel is fighting with the wrasse over who gets what side. And I'm actually ditching the 75. I couldn't pass up a deal on a 54 corner tank which is about a week away from running. And planning a 150 which the tang will be in by this time next year.

01/12/2007, 10:17 AM	#6
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	also about the QT, I know slap on my wrist, for for all intensive purposes my tank is currently a FOWLR, so worst case I wouldn't lose any corals. and the 36 will probably be my QT tank in a week. About the shirmp to help w/ the tang, I was looking at the packages available on live aquaria, any suggestions?

01/12/2007, 12:05 PM	#8
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	Hmmmm....... Mirror, may need to come to that. I've re-arranged all the LR (about 2 hours ago) and my new friend is still plastered against the overflow box seemingly afraid for his life. I'm thinking about getting a radio and playing "why can't we be friends" to help the bonding process, not sure what else to do.

01/12/2007, 02:00 PM	#10
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	Thanks Allen, really appreciate the info! I'll turn the lights off again and wait till tomorrow morning to see how he's doing. And I was no aware of how fast they grow, I figured it would take awhile. Last thing I want to do is stunt his growth. Good news is now I have a reason to expidite the 150G since I'm dumb and have nothing better to do with my money. Plus (this is a huge plus) my gf is the one who wanted the fish. Now this will give me a perfect reason to buy bigger!!!! I think this fish stuff is a sickness...

01/12/2007, 02:02 PM	#11
AllenFord_SC Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ridgeland, SC Posts: 703	Always a good reason to upgrade, keeping the G/F happy. __________________ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl..... Roger Waters, Pink Floyd Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Mixed, 55 Gallon sump, 35 gallon fuge