9" Hippo Tang rescue! need help!

[ErrolP]

Hello Guys,

Today i went to buy a used skimmer from a man i found off craigslist, he asked me to come in and look at his tanks, in one 55G tank he had (2) 11'' Lookdown fish, (2) LG butterflies, and one badly scarred and weak looking 9" Hippo tang. Im not one to criticize tank sizes but i told him the tang would certainly die for bullying from the lookdowns, and the other fish didn't look to healthy either. I offered to buy him for a small sum and took him home to my 125G FOWLR. I'm not too experienced with larger hippo tangs, and need some advice on how to bring him back to 100%. I started him on mysis and seaweed strips, and medicated Spectrum Thera-A pellets. Is there anything i can soak his food in? or medication for healing of the scars? I did a 30% water change as well. The 7" clown trigger in the tank has not been bothering him so far, im continuing to monitor them for the next 24 hours. Please feel free to give me some advice.

 

[David S]

i hear soaking in garlic is good for them.

 

[jtrasap]

As long as it's eating well and not being picked on it should be ok. Hepatus are very prone to Ich but the Thera+A pellets seem to do a good job of keeping it in check in my experience. A 125g is still a fairly small tank for a 9" Hippo Tang but definitely a step up from a 55g. Maybe someone could step up to the plate and save those Lookdowns. Full grown they get about as tall as a 55g tank is.

 

[melosu58]

My suggestion if he is scarred up that he has or is suffering from HLLE. Read this article on the disease. I would make sure to feed plenty of vegetable matter food as some have said vitamin C will help out.

Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion: A Description of the Syndrome and a Review of its Speculated Causes by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

 

[FTMMWS]

I had success using vita-chem with my angel who i got from an LFS a couple years ago..Just has a small scar in between his eyes now

 

[ErrolP]

As long as it's eating well and not being picked on it should be ok. Hepatus are very prone to Ich but the Thera+A pellets seem to do a good job of keeping it in check in my experience. A 125g is still a fairly small tank for a 9" Hippo Tang but definitely a step up from a 55g. Maybe someone could step up to the plate and save those Lookdowns. Full grown they get about as tall as a 55g tank is.

I agree those lookdowns had only about 3 feet of grazing room, i don't have the space and honestly think that lookdowns bring a type of " game fish " look to a display tank. I believe the Hippo will be fine the rest of his life in my tank, he's eating and grazing picking off rocks and is looking better and better.

 

[ErrolP]

Well is looking better already, i got garlic and started soaking his food this evening. Does anyone know how long it will take for the scarring to go away??

 

[ilostnemo]

calerupa will help for sure. if you can get him some!

 

[ErrolP]

I had success using vita-chem with my angel who i got from an LFS a couple years ago..Just has a small scar in between his eyes now

Just ordered some vita-Chem, how long before you saw results?

 

[FTMMWS]

Hard to really remember ,,it was over 2 years ago,,i want to say about a month...Your water quality needs to be pristine also

good luck