How big does a blue hippo tang get?

[theyammieguy]

I've only ever seen 1"-4" blue hippo's at my LFS's and just wondering how big they get.

I will be getting a 40 breeder. Yes I know it's to small, I've already crossed it off my fish list. Just wondering how big they get. Never seen a big one.

 

[Blownsvt]

i saw a massive one at one of the LFS here. probably a solid 12-13" Biggest one i have ever seen.

 

[bozler]

I had one that was 8" and a solid 2" thick at its widest point.

 

[nikon187]

10-12" seems to be the norm for large hippo's.

 

[theyammieguy]

Thanks for the replies. I didn't realize they got so big.

 

[olemiss reb]

Mine was around 8 inches, went a little stir crazy in my 150. LFS reluctantly accepted it as a trade

 

[theyammieguy]

So even as a baby, a 36" tank would be to small?

 

[reef2]

i bought my hippo tangs the size of quarters in six months they r pushing 3 inchs.

 

[theyammieguy]

Ok, that's fast growth.

 

[Crazy One]

I have a hippo that is around 8" or so eats like a pig and is still growing!!!

 

[oliverbrisbo]

i saw on the that must of been 14inches at an aquarium

 

[nikon187]

a 36" tank would be OK for a small one for about 6-8mths. After the fish was about 4-5" it would need a much bigger place to swim

 

[Kemah]

Theyammieguy,

I see you are from houston and I think I recognize your name from marsh. Have you ever been to Moody Gardens, the Rain Forrest cafe in Galveston or either of the aquarium restraunts (Kemah, Downtown). All of these places have Hippos that are pretty much full grown if you want to see one in person. I was recently at moody gardens aquarium and in their big tank they have a lot of big tangs. It is a good learning tool to see how big they really get. Especially the Unicorns that they have in there.

 

[snorvich]

10-12" seems to be the norm for large hippo's.

Yes, I have seen many around 10 inches, in the wild, they seem to be very thick.

 

[theyammieguy]

Yup, I'm on marsh a little bit. I've been to moody gardens a few times.

I'll just hold off on the tang till I buy another house and have room for a bigger tank.

 

[Salt Stain]

They are amazing fish, and I would probably get one if I wasn't so damn scared of it getting ick. Every single one of my firends who had a hippo at one point or another developed ick.... I dont even want to deal with that regardless of how beautiful they are, which sucks:mad2:

 

[jmccown]

IME this fish is much more prone to getting HLLE than any other fish. My LFS has a 10-12" one in a 144g half circle. Ironically, he serves sushi as a double business and supplements their diet with fresh seafood. He says that is how they got so big.

 

[tcmfish]

They are amazing fish, and I would probably get one if I wasn't so damn scared of it getting ick. Every single one of my firends who had a hippo at one point or another developed ick.... I dont even want to deal with that regardless of how beautiful they are, which sucks:mad2:

That is what a quarantine tank is for....

IME this fish is much more prone to getting HLLE than any other fish. My LFS has a 10-12" one in a 144g half circle. Ironically, he serves sushi as a double business and supplements their diet with fresh seafood. He says that is how they got so big.

Maybe if it wasn't being fed meat and instead was eating a herbivore's diet it wouldn't have developed HLLE, that is of course if that tang has HLLE and also if it is being fed meat.

But yeah they are a big fish that get in the 10-12" range.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

That is what a quarantine tank is for....



Maybe if it wasn't being fed meat and instead was eating a herbivore's diet it wouldn't have developed HLLE, that is of course if that tang has HLLE and also if it is being fed meat.

But yeah they are a big fish that get in the 10-12" range.

Tim, I see you're in melbourne as well. My past 2 years of experience w/ 13 tangs has been more of an omnivore diet. Mine eat a combo of seaweed, live, frozen and flake/pellet and they all look very healthy.

 

[tcmfish]

They eat anything, but need the algae. Each fish prefers a different algae, but I don't think you need to be that specific for their aquarium diets. There was an article in a fish mag way back when about the algae found in the guts of lots of different tangs and it was pretty interesting, I don't think I have it with me, I think its back home in Chicago, but I think it was an Aquarium Fish article about herbivores in the reef aquarium and pictured a dwarf angel on the cover if I'm not mistaken. But all in all it is good to have a varied diet.