Hate when this happens

[MadReefer]

Left the house at 6pm to go to the gym and a few stores. Get back at 8pm and my 6" hippo tang is stuck to the side of my Koriala 3. The same one that took out my flame angel last year. It is still alive and swam behind a big rock. I hope it survives and it is the dominant fish in the tank. Why are they drawn to these pumps!

 

[shipwrecked]

Mark Wondering if the hippo made it and is ok?Not sure about yr hippo but I know the 2 we have are very curious and also at times kinda "skittish" But what Im wondering if yr hippo was not in good health and maybe weak to not be able to pull away from the pump(?)

 

[MadReefer]

The hippo was doing great. I am happy it has survived for so long considering how easy they get ich, etc. I am guessing it was trying to eat some algae off the pump and got suck in.
This morning it was alive but wouldn't come out. When I fed the tank it swam out twice but didn't eat and went back in the rocks. I couldn't see any damage but was hard to see as I only got a glimpse. The lights are out now so will have to wait and see in the morning.

 

[NikkiT]

My fingers are crossed for good news tomorrow!

 

[MadReefer]

Sadly, the Hippo is on its side behind the rock.
Really upset since it was my prized fish.
Should I leave it be or do the humane thing???

 

[Nickjr000]

Leave him b and let nature decide. Imo It was def sick or something wrong with it. No way could a k3 suck in a healthy hippo, especially one at 6" . Whenever a fish is stuck on a pump like that its usually a good indicator they're not healthy, and prob not gonna make it

 

[Hawkeye]

Leave him b and let nature decide. Imo It was def sick or something wrong with it. No way could a k3 suck in a healthy hippo, especially one at 6" . Whenever a fish is stuck on a pump like that its usually a good indicator they're not healthy, and prob not gonna make it

+1.

Sorry to hear mark. I'm not sure hippos really do well in small tanks (55, 75, 90). Maybe for a few years - but you said yours is 6". That's pretty big for a 4 foot long tank.

 

[MadReefer]

Well the Hippo didn't survive. I doubt this guy was sick as it was always swimming around grazing and eating just like the first day I put in the tank. Even when my other tang got ich this guy was fine. What ever happened was within those two hours. As other members have told me its possible it got stung by a coral and caused issues and it couldn't swim well. Or since I moved rock to clean up the hair algae maybe there is another critter that did something to it.

Phil, I planned to have a bigger tank by now but things don't always work out the way you want.