Anyone have luck with "taming" an aggressive fish? Hippo Tang

[daverf]

All,

Anyone really have luck with getting an aggressive fish to play nice?

I introduced all of the fish in the tank last week, at about the same time, to keep the aggression down...from quarantined systems etc... Everything seemed to be going great and EXACTLY the way I wanted, except for the 4" Hippo Tang that is beating the crap out of everything.

That includes a 6" porcupine puffer, a 7" harlequin tusk, a 4" maroon clown, a 4" blue chin trigger, a 4" bluehead wrasse. Stressed out fish, torn fins, this guy is nuts. I was afraid the puffer wouldn't be around much longer if I couldn't get the hippo isolated. Thankfully I caught him while he was sleeping by lifting his home out of the water and letting him fall into a net (after he locked himself in the hole for a good minute in the air).

I've seen lots of advice all over the place on how to deal with this... keep the fish in a colander for awhile, rearrange the rockwork, take it out and put it back in, etc.

The only option that is worth considering for me, at this point, is keeping it in the eggcrate basket I built and just caught/put him in. See the pic.

So I'm either getting rid of this guy ASAP (maybe trade for a big dwarf angel) or will try to keep him in there for a few weeks, then re-release him. Anyone ever try this kind of thing and have success?

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[CRW Reef]

I think your choice is a good one personally. That way no acclamation in and out of qt. Also so that the other fish are aware that it is there, yet they can establish territories and dominance, before its reintroduced. Tank looks great btw!!!!

 

[daverf]

Thanks Chad. Guess I have nothing to lose to keep in the penalty box for a few weeks instead of rush him to LFS for a credit. I'm worried he won't change when I take him out, but we'll see how everyone else does for awhile. Thanks for the complement too.

 

[cdrewferd]

I would agree with Chad. Let the others establish their areas and then put him back in. Weird that the Tusk is getting picked on. Hopefully that'll help.


Drew

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[daverf]

OK...2 votes is all I need...I'll keep him around for a second chance in a few weeks. Except that since the hippo has been caged for 20 hours, everyone is starting to come out and I see more of the carnage, so I'm a little more worried about this guy.

I don't think he nipped the tusk, at least from what I could tell, but the hippo would give him some pretty aggressive flybys if he swam out in the open, so he mostly stayed hidden until last night.

Thanks again guys...

 

[daverf]

Looks like the new bad boy is taking over. The Blue Chin keeps the main zone clear now and is claiming the roost. I can't believe the big tusk and puffer are such wimps. Even the small bluehead chases the tusk (twice it's size).

I have no idea how I'm going to catch the trigger without clearing the rock out...maybe I'll try another trap for him...

Should I try to move the rockwork around? Maybe try to split out the main pile of rock? Here's another picture that shows everyone out around feeding time. When that happens, the trigger goes ballistic against the right glass and back corner, zips up/down against it.

I'm starting to rethink the stocking plan, wondering if I should pull out the tang/trigger/wrasse and put in a school of bigger anthias.

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