V lionfish and Hippo Tang

[Angler02]

I recently purchased a small Volitan lion and put him in my 120 gal with a 3 inch hippo tang and a 1 1/2" koran angel. I have noticed small spots showing up on the hippos side (not ick) and when I got home from work today I saw the hippo swimming next to the lion, he wasn't tail whipping but just swimming. I assume that he is getting poked. I have had numerous lions before and never had any problems like this. Does anyone have any input? The hippo swims and eats as if everything were normal.

 

[svb57]

The spines on a Lions fish back are defensive only. I would look for another reason for the marks.

Jim Mc

 

[The_Taz_Devil]

I would say that he is getting stung m8 and since he is swimming with the lion I would also say stress is definitely apparent - thats not normal behaviour for a regal tang.

 

[EdKruzel]

He definitely wasn't stung or would have been killed. A thin bodied fish of that size would have to swim into the barbs while the lion is in a defensive posture (such as upside down in the corner of the glass) and that will usually deliver more than one barb from the lion and be lethal to smaller species like your tang. Small white bumps on Hippos (not ich) are quite common. Swimming along predatory fish is a very common behavioral trait. It enables the more maneuverable fish a chance to keep its eyes on the predator while catching scraps from the messy eaters. Remember Hippos are planktivores and eat the majority of their food from the water column.

The angel and the tang will need a larger tank when mature, but the lion even at 15-18''s will be fine in a 120.