Adapt/Calm a Hippo Tang while in QT?

[RokleM]

I purchased a Blue Tang from a reputable source locally about a week ago. It's a little over an inch. It's accepted brine, cylopheeze, mysis, flakes, and loves a veggie clip with Ocean Nutrition Green seaweed. All the food is dosed in garlic, selcon, vitachem, etc.

It looks to still be in really good condition. The problem is, it's WAAAAY too skittish. I see it out swimming a bit if I'm not in the room. If I come anywhere near the tank, it dives for cover, almost to the point of I'm fearful of self inflected wounds from trying to dive for cover. I moved the tank to a moderate traffic area of our house (computer room) to attempt to adapt it to "social interaction".

Is there anything I can do to calm/adapt the fish per say? It's got a number of hiding places right now. There is no way I want to put it in my main system (which it will love, tons of hiding places in a 180) until I know it's stress/disease free. The last thing I need is for an ich outbreak because mr tang decided to freak out

Suggestions?

 

[ledford1]

Are you doing hypo, or just QT for acclimation purposes?

BT's are funny fish. Many are skittish when first introduced to a tank, and it can take awhile before it feels confident enough to explore more.

I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[bureau13]

Mine acted the same way, eventually he got used to me. I don't think its due to the QT, he would probaby behave the same in your display tank.

jds

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

I have had mine for 10 months now....he still hides if I walk up to the tank, unless I have food

 

[RokleM]

He's just in QT, with marginally lower salinity .022-.023.

Yeah, my concern was with it hiding, I can't really tell how well it's doing. As well, if it's incredibly stressed, then ICH is always a high probability. I don't want to just assume all is well after a month. I have 20ish fish in 4 systems (about 325ish gallons), and the last thing I want is an ICH outbreak.

 

[cristhiam]

It should be fine, when I had my sailfin in QT did the same thing, it even play dead every time I get close. I kept thinking is not going to make it, but it pulled through and now it's a happy fish in my tank . I do use hypo for 4 weeks, all new fish goes in, I had a bad experience before

 

[jmaneyapanda]

This is a natural, normal behavior. If it weren't hiding, then I'd be more concerned!