Hippo tang question

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Marine Fean

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Need opinions before I try this,

healthy hippo 4.5-5 inches long, I want to try to put 3 small schooling of baby hippos in there with him 1 inch.

Do you think he is going to pick on them or be a father/mother?
 
you may have trouble down the line when they are older but it takes many years you also have a pretty big tank just keep an eye on them and have a plan to remove them if it becomes a problem. Introduce the two new ones together
 
lisafoster said:
you may have trouble down the line when they are older but it takes many years you also have a pretty big tank just keep an eye on them and have a plan to remove them if it becomes a problem. Introduce the two new ones together
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Actually, it is a SMALL tank, not a pretty big one. Remember these fish can reach 12 inches. It is very likely to be a problem, even one in that sized tank is problematical.
 
I am not sure of the footprint of a 270 gallon tank, but I will offer this personal observation. I added three baby hippo tangs to a 125 when I first started in the hobby about 11 years ago. Within a year I had upgraded to a 180, and it wasn't long after that before I removed 2 of the hippo tangs (I still have the other one). Although they were "cool", they by no means "schooled" except from necessity due to the small confines of my tank (with only a few cubic feet of space, there wasn't many options other than to swim close together).

They grow very quickly that first year, and 3 hepatus tangs in the same tank really limited anything else I could do with the tank as far as stocking. You didnt' list your current tank inhabitants, and that would have to be considered as well. Personally, I wouldn't do it in anything except the largest tanks (10' or so). I have an 8' tank, and my one hepatus is master of that tank, and I seriously doubt if the other 2 had been left in the tank that he would have allowed them to survive. Fish, like people. tend to get cranky as they age :)
 
my hippo is mean. i think the larger one would chase the smaller ones until they stress out & die. if it dosent kill them first 270 seems like it would be big enough for now
 
Hello all,

Thanks for the opinions and experiences. I have done it and it is working perfectly (for now). when I put the three baby hippos (about as big a a quarter) they immediately flocked to the existing juvenile. The four of them are definitely "schooling" now. The three babies do not separate and the big one swims with them from time to time and is acting slightly protective when i walk up to the tank. As for the tank size I think it will be close to three years before they grow out of this tank at the rate this spices grows.

What do you guys define as schooling?

Cheers
 
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sorry to sound negative but why did you bother asking ? everybody advised against it and you did it anyway. why waste everyones time ?
 
brookers said:
sorry to sound negative but why did you bother asking ? everybody advised against it and you did it anyway. why waste everyones time ?
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Because he wanted to do what he wanted to do. I'm not wasting further time.
 
BrianD said:
Obviously people see what they want to see.
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Right. Of course, even in the wild, tangs do not school; under some circumstances, some tangs will shoal, but that is more of a feeding issue than a socialization or protection issue. Why waste time when the action is already taken and the consequences set to unfold?
 
brookers said:
sorry to sound negative but why did you bother asking ? everybody advised against it and you did it anyway. why waste everyones time ?
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because I bought them after the first person responded, anyway I just wanted your opinion (which is appreciated), didn't say I was going to take it.

longstory short it is working great and it will be a long time before I have to sell one :fun4:

Thanks
 
And Brian D, you are supposed to be a moderator, not an argument instigator

Your opinion was politely considered and this is the response you offer? lets not shoot folks down before the whole story is offered, do you agree?
 
Marine Fean said:
because I bought them after the first person responded, anyway I just wanted your opinion (which is appreciated), didn't say I was going to take it.

longstory short it is working great and it will be a long time before I have to sell one :fun4:

Thanks
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:rolleyes:
 
Marine Fean said:
And Brian D, you are supposed to be a moderator, not an argument instigator

Your opinion was politely considered and this is the response you offer? lets not shoot folks down before the whole story is offered, do you agree?
Click to expand...

No, I don't. You wasted everyone's time. Thread closed.
 
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