power boat jim
Well-known member
Is it better to have one hippo tang or several of them? Under which circumstance would they do better.
hippo tangs
- Thread starter power boat jim
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power boat jim
Well-known member
I have a 180 Im just wondering if they do best as a single or several.
DopeCantWin
Active member
The recommended minimum tank for a single one is a 240 8 footer.
cloak
New member
I think you'll be ok with the 180. I don't think people realize that the number of blue tangs on the market & the amount of hobbyists out there that can house these fish properly are two completely different stories. There's got to be some sort of leeway. If a 180 gallon tank is too small, then my god these fish are doomed. JMO, GL.
Lucky Lefty
New member
Agreed.
Considering every lfs I've been too has several hippos at all times, I would think a 180 is a much better life than dying in the lfs or living in the average 55 or 75 gallon aquarium.
Do they deserve 8 foot tanks? Actually all of these fish deserve the ocean. A glass box is a glass box (within reason of course).
To answer op's question, I would say a single hippo is best, unless we are talking a Bill Wann size tank, you could possibly get away with 3 of em.
I saw a youtube video of someone snorkeling off a beach of a resort in egypt, was really cool to see a school of Desjardinis.. didn't really think of them doing that considering the aggression towards one another we always hear about within the hobby. Pretty cool the behavior changes they have with a few square miles of water around them.
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power boat jim
Well-known member
I feel much the same, there were 10 of these fish in the store. I figured I rescued one. He is now living in a mature reef tank that has a ton of sps colonies as well as 12'' tall cats paw coral for him to hang out in. The tank is fed daily and has only 5 other fish. It already eats like pig and swims about the tank unbothered by the other fish. I dont know how much better captive life could be.
SoloChromis
New member
A hippo would be fine in a 180g. I've seen multiple kept in tanks without issue, but each fish is an individual, and I've seen some hellishly behaved hippos, but the majority have been rather peaceful, sometimes skittish even. That being said, I wouldn't put more than one in a 180g. Good luck!
MeghanisradxD
New member
Skittish hippos...we have one we just took out of a client tank that we've been servicing for 2 years and had NO idea they even had a hippo tang. We now have him in one of the coral tanks and anytime somebody walks by, the hippo dives for the giant hammer colony. :lmao::lmao:
But, relating to the original post...tangs need a lot of swimming room. I think the length of the tank is just as important as the volume. That being said, I agree with the others, I think one hippo in a 6' 180 is about right. I wouldn't do any other hippos. Maybe a kole tang or a yellow tang if you wanted to get another.
ThRoewer
New member
Just wait until "Finding Dory" hits the screens next summer. You will find lots of baby hippos in 20 to 40 gallon tanks, likely with some "Nemos" too.
One LFS here told me that hippos have already gone up in price and become harder to get. They expect the price to double and small ones to be in short supply.
That is Reef Central's recommendation. Hippos get mean when near adult size and will make a six foot tank look small.
power boat jim
Well-known member
ThRoewer:
According to your tanks listed and the fish you have, The Angel fish are in about a 55 gallon tank. That is about 1/2 the recommended size for that fish. Why would you say a tang needs a thousand gallon tank? Just curious.
According to your tanks listed and the fish you have, The Angel fish are in about a 55 gallon tank. That is about 1/2 the recommended size for that fish. Why would you say a tang needs a thousand gallon tank? Just curious.
I am guessing since I am not ThRoewer. . . since all algae grazing tangs are incredibly inefficient eaters, they must eat constantly to maintain proper health and body weight. Smaller tanks, or tanks with multiple tangs, present insufficient natural food for algae grazers.
jason2459
Well-known member
I'm experiencing this now in my 180 6'x2'x2'. Family bought "me" (i.e. it's theirs) a hippo and was smaller then a quarter when I got it a couple years ago. It's now over 6" and ****ed off. I have a fairly open landscape and feed a lot. 4x per day a good amount of pellets are dropped, 2-3x or more per day some kind of meaty food is given, and at least 1 sheet of nori per day is place in.
So far the hippo tang has killed my red velvet fairy wrasse, put a nice gash in the side of my clown fish, and chases quite often my other fish. I guess dori forgot she was supposed to be nice and lovable and friends with nemo.
I will also hate to see what it looks like once it approaches 12" and is half the size of the depth of my tank. It will look very much out of place IMO. I really don't think most people really understand or know what a 1+ foot fish actually looks like. Especially in an enclosed aquarium. All cold blooded animals should reach near or potentially exceed listed "Max" sizes. If they don't they are stressed, underfed, or some other influence is keeping their growth stunted. Most animals if stressed will either withdrawal and perish or become more aggressive and kill.
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