Normal for a BHT tp play dead after acclimation?

[spinman]

All,

My hypo is done, the YT and Clowns are back in the main. It's been a loooong 2 months.

I just picked up a Hippo and after a 3 hour drip, put him in the cycled QT. He swimmed around for a few minutes then wedged himself on the bottom near some PVC pipe.

He's been there for about 5 hours. Is this typical for a Hippo?

Thx

Spin

 

[cmor1701d]

Is it still breathing? Seriouly, 5 hours is too long for a fish to not move at all. Is it moving at all?

 

[spinman]

He's still breathing. He's just hagning out wedged under the PVC pipe. This morning I saw him still there and moved the pipe a bit to shake him up a little.. He swam out from under and hovered inside the PVC pipe for maybe 30 mins. then wedged himself back under the pipe.

It's been 24 hrs. now. I'm thinking of doing a 50% PWC tomorrow in the hopes it may bring him around.

I checked the ammonia and nitrate and both were zero.

Spin

 

[Brenden]

This is very normal behavior for a BHT. Nothing to worry about. Just make sure you keep a eye on your water parameters. Have you tried to feed it yet? How large is the fish? How is its color? It will likely behave this way for a while, weeks maybe longer. No need to stress it by running in out from under the PVC.

 

[spinman]

Boy I hope you're right that this is normal behavior.!

Seeing him like this reminded me of some of my other fish that exibited this beahvior before they died.

He's about 2.5 to 3 ". He did eat some flake this morning. And he looked very active and healthy in the LFS tank that I got him from. He was in a group tank with a Niger triigger and a few others. He apperaed very active.

I'm just amazed that these fish seem so healthy in the LFS and the minute you get them home they start acting crazy.

Let's hope he snaps ut of it.

Thanks for the reassurnace.

Spin

 

[Brenden]

After it gets use to the new surroundings it will become active again. Just keep a close eye on it. As I am sure you know they are prone to ich, lateral line disease, fin rot, etc..

 

[spinman]

I plan on doing preventative hypo on him while in the QT, but worry about starting it immediately or waiting for him to come around.

The LFS had him at a SG of 1.018 and I've got him around 1.016 right now. I did a 40% PWC this morning.

He's still hunkering under the PVC....

Spin

 

[Brenden]

Has it ate anything? Any NH3 or NO2 in the water?

 

[StripesTheEel]

Blue tangs show this before even when they have been in the tank for months/years. Mine does it all the time, no need to worry IMO.

 

[spinman]

It's been 3 days and he's still under the PVC., I 've been lowering the SG slowly a little bit each day. When I lift up the PVC, he darts out from under and goes under aner PVC pipe. A few minutes later he shoots back under his original PVC pipe. Very unnerving to me.

I guess as long as he's still moving for the duration of the hypo/QT, no need to worry.

I'm am ried that he doesn't seem to be eating though.



Spin

 

[Brenden]

Laying under the PVC is not a issue. Not eating is another subject. What have you tried to feed?

 

[spinman]

I've tried to feed him spirulina and kelp flakes and Kent reef carnivore and herbivore pellets.



Spin

 

[Brenden]

Have any garlic? Cyclopeeze usually entices them too. Also noticed you have been lowering the salinity. Make sure you monitor the PH and buffer accordingly so it does not lead into other problems.

 

[spinman]

I add Kent garlic extreme to the pellets and add 1/4 tsp of kent super buffer to 5 gals. of RO water that I use to drop the SG each day til I get to 1.0009.

I can't see that it's a Am/Ni/Na issue given i swap out 5 gals. of water each day.

Spin

 

[spinman]

Well,

I'll be a son of a gun - the Hippo is still here a week later. He still hides but _is_ eating the nori I put out every day. The SG is now at hypo strength (1.009).

There he'll stay for another 7 weeks.

So far so good..

Spin

 

[AMANIQU77]

Any Updates?

 

[Brenden]

There he'll stay for another 7 weeks.

Just for information. You can slow start raising the salinity 4 weeks after the last signs of ich. I would wait 5 to be safe.

 

[spinman]

Well, he's sill here. Hiding all the time but still here.

He'll eat the Nori I clip on the tank glass each day.

Spin

 

[spinman]

Brenden,

This fish never showed any signs of ich. I'm doing the hypo as a preventaitive measure.

From what I've read doing the hypo will assure the fish never comes down with ich in the future, provided the tank you put him in is ich free as well.

Spin

 

[Brenden]

From what I've read doing the hypo will assure the fish never comes down with ich in the future, provided the tank you put him in is ich free as well.

Correct. Sounds like it is doing well. Good Luck