Skinny Hippo

Hi Guys,

I am thinking that my hippo is looking skinny but wanted to be sure. From some angles, you can see its ribs. I have seen much worse in fish stores but don't want to starve it. I feed them about every other day. I feed a half cube of mysis, marine cuisine, formula 1 and 2, and I just got some Rod's fish food. I also feed them sheets of nori. I don't know that I can feed much more without causing an algae outbreak. Thanks in advance!!!

Regards,
Ivy

P.S. The pictures show the worst angles. Took about 50 to get these 2.

 

I have a fat hippo tang a fat purple tang and a fat clown tang in the same 75 gallon tank. They are constant grazers and need frequent feeding and a lot of protein skimming helps. I feed my guys all you regular stuff but what really helped them was a regular supply of cualerpa macro alge and cheato morpha beilve it or not that fish will eat it and its a part of their natural diet. I makes all the difference in the world and if they are well fed they are less likely to be aggressive

 

Wow, you have seen worse than that? That has to be the skinniest hippo I have ever seen (no offense meant). I would be very worried at this point as to it even surviving.
Just keep feeding it good quality food. Not much else you can do. I would also start considering soaking your food in vitamins and selcon.

 

Thanks guys. I have seen several hippos with the stomach dented in. I can't say anything for their survival but they looked skinny. Mine is acting normal and is pretty happy. No aggressive behavior. I have been soaking all of my food in selcon and garlic. I will try and up its feeding a little. Maybe a little every day. Do you guys drain Rod's fish food? It says that it is not necessary but there is a lot of food that doesn't get eaten by the fish and it seems like a nutrient factory waiting to happen. Thanks!

 

Have you tried hanging a sheet of dried nori on the side of your tank to let him graze during the day? It works better than feeding large meals - tangs like small, frequent meals rather than infrequent feasts. A little nori grazing might fatten him up a bit. Oh, and I'd soak the nori in selcon for a few minutes before hanging it.

 

Keep feeding and as advised add vitamins to the diet. Also may want to think of possibly reading up on internal parasites that might be in the fishes stomach... Try to watch it go to the bathroom and see how it comes out, stringy, chunky ... etc and read up to see if it might match a parasite inside the fish...

Best of wishes for the little guy!

 

When you feed it every other day ... does it eat like a normal fish?
How long has it been in your tank and looked skinny?
If it's been like that for a while and not fattening up it could be some sort of internal parasite. Sounds like you're feeding plenty.
I've seen some yellow tangs in stores that look like auschwitz victims.

 

One further suggestion if you are at all worried about an internal parasite. Seachem makes a product called Focus. It is a powder that can be added to your frozen foods prior to feeding, and it helps kill off any internal parasites, especially when combined with metronidazole (which they also sell as a powder). Might be worth the 10-20 bucks that the stuff costs just to try.

 

I would be concerned about parasites at this point. I had the same thing happen to my hippo. Looked just like hat and he died. I overfed my tank too. He will eventually get too weak to swim. I'd look into parasites and medicate accordingly

 

I would probably be less concerned with an algae out break at this point and only worry about the tang getting enough nutrients. You can always take care of the algae later. That's just me tho....I'd rather worry about keeping my fish alive than a little excess algae.