Hippo Tang nipping LPS

[tebstan]

I've had my hippo tang, Elvis, for 6 months. He's grown from a tiny baby to a 3 inch pig. I've had problems with my LPS lately... I've been trouble shooting different things but never suspected they were being eaten!

It's Elvis! That little brat is nipping them - a lot. I've read they're likely to do this in environments where food is scarce. I figured I was safe since I feed multiple times a day and put algae on a clip regularly. The angel hogs the algae clip, and I don't have anything growing in the tank for him to graze on.

So am I doomed? Has the hippo just developed a taste for it? Is this something any tang can be prone to if there isn't sufficient algae to graze on?

I hate having to choose between the tang or keeping LPS.

[hobogato]

the one in my tank did the same thing a few weeks ago - demolished my red welso before i could remove the tang and relocate it to my classroom.

[tebstan]

It was a hippo also?

My sailfin never did this... that I saw. I've read that the hippos are known to like more meaty foods than some other tangs. I didn't realize "meat" = "coral" in some circumstances.

[hobogato]

yep, blue hippy about 4" long

[justahobby]

Hippos are carnivores (factoid # 996 that I learned on maast!) so I would try focusing more on the meaty foods, but I don't have much hope. Could you temporarily remove them?

[Europhyllia]

Justahobby is always so smart. ;)

[justahobby]

Justahobby is always so smart. ;)

Lol, just reciting what I've heard on here. I did just reference it and they are primarily planktivores as juvies. As adult they are more omivorous.

[Regric25]

I never had that problem with mine and I raised it from when it was a baby too. It's crazy how the fish eating the corals is the tang and the one hogging all the algae is the angel LOL

[kkiel02]

I dont use an algae clip anymore. I just toss in the nori and the tangs rip it apart for everyone to get some. That might help get it some food?

[tebstan]

Part of his problem is he's such a wuss. Are hippos always so skittish even after being established in the tank for a while?

The automatic feeder goes off regularly, and the others hover near the top like pavlov's dogs. The little hippo waits in the back of the line like a timid puppy. When a new occupant is added to the tank, Elvis hides while everyone else investigates.

There's not much LPS left for him to destroy. I've removed the one he was terrorizing. What am I going to do with a submissive three inch coral eating tang? :(