This is the funny moment a hippo takes an underwater nap while enjoying a 'fish spa' treatment from his scaly tankmates.

The Nile hippopotamus, Timothy, is known for enjoying a cheeky snooze, and African cichlids he resides with can't resist going in for a nibble.

The fish can be seen eating away the dead skin on the six-year-old hippo's head before he wakes up and shakes them off.

They will even sometimes swim into Timothy's mouth to clean bits of food from his teeth, in their tank at San Antonio Zoo in Texas, USA.

Hippos can sleep for up to 16 hours a day and despite only being able to hold their breath for about five minutes, they have a reflex that will bob their head up for air without waking them.

Timothy is well-known for his nap advocacy - even running a 'presidential campaign' in 2020 with the slogan 'Naps For All'.

The video was taken on November 7 2021.