Just getting ahead of Nemo movie release: note: Dory grows a foot long.

[Sk8r]

So's you know, oh, an 800 gallon tank would be nice.

Nemo is a nice fit for a 30-50 gallon, but not Dory, Max, Bubbles, or any of that merry crew. The tank in the original movie was intended as The Worst Tank in the World, being too small for any, let alone all, and badly maintained, with a horrid child in the mix. Unfortunately, children didn't get the joke, and many adults didn't.

If you're beseiged by your child to recreate that tank, maybe some nice Nemo bedding and wallpaper. But not the tank, please!

 

[GimpyFin]

All you really need is the Aquascum 2003 tank scanning filter.

 

[lifeoffaith]

I'm with you. The worry about Dory is warranted, but that tiny little tank in the original movie was a horrific mess if you ask me. No wonder those poor fish wanted out so bad. :lolspin:

 

[Elo500]

Marine depot sent out an email today on Dory requirements.

 

[Sk8r]

Yay for Marine Depot: responsible, sensible, thorough, and especially stressing the '12" long and lives for 20 years' bit. This is a commitment, and the fish, as well as liking space to swim, enjoys the hiding spots in a coral reef. Let's hear it for a company telling it right!

 

[C.Eymann]

I worked in a LFS in highschool when the first Nemo movie came out, couldn't tell you how many mothers I had to let down when I told them that clownfish can not be kept in a fishbowl. Then after pricing out a setup suitable for clownfish as well as maintenance, their response was usually "where are your betta fish?".

 

[snorvich]

Yay for Marine Depot: responsible, sensible, thorough, and especially stressing the '12" long and lives for 20 years' bit. This is a commitment, and the fish, as well as liking space to swim, enjoys the hiding spots in a coral reef. Let's hear it for a company telling it right!

However they recommend a minimum 48" tank.

 

[lifeoffaith]

However they recommend a minimum 48" tank.

LOLOLOLOLOL :rollface:

 

[izza1125]

Few months ago a guy from a local store was trying to convince me to purchase a baby Dory for my then 29 gallon. I was tempted and went online to check about blue tang's compatability. Needless to say that Dory wasn't going home with me that day. Maybe when I add a 125 gallon. Thank Neptune for the internet

 

[Sk8r]

I agree a 96" tank (twice the recommendation of MD) would be a lot better. But it sure beats a 30 gallon! I figure if you want the big tangs to thrive for 20 years (on par with raising a kid through college) you get the biggest, baddest tank possible---though now where you put the sofa is another matter.

 

[roostertech]

How fast does hippo tang grow? Start out with a 2-3" baby, how long would it take to out grow 5', 110g tank?

 

[Sk8r]

If it survives, if it's healthy, and that's a problem in a small tank (not enough exercise, not enough oxygenation, etc, which may lead to over-fattiness and fatty livers, shortening life) but it can be about 4" a year. Fish in general grow fast when healthy. Not every one will get to the whole 12", but 10" is a reasonable expectation for this species. Also some bad 'confinement' behaviors can start in as a fish starts to max out, freakiness, panic, and aggression, among the more nervous species of fish, and little Dory has a tail spike. I don't know this species by having had one, but if you already have one in a smaller tank and you note spooky behaviors, it may be time to get another tank or find Dory a home at the lfs. The problem is---the store can't re-home a 10" fish, and certainly can't do it for everybody they sell a baby tang to. The math of it all is really sad for these fish.

 

[Volcmreefer]

I'm a piranha! I'm from the amazon!

 

[mjstech]

I want a SEA TURTLE!! Just like Crush!!
I am guilty of keeping a blue hippo in what was probably too small. I used to work for a national FS about 10 years ago. It came in about Quarter to Silver Dollar size. It was charged back to vendor as too small. I got it for really cheap and knew how to keep them alive. It started in a 10g basic QT tank with a few other fish. After 2 weeks other fish were placed into their DT. The hippo spent another week and a half in, just for good measure. Was eating great in QT and then moved to 15G Tall display tank with a few clown gobys. No issues, moved to my 29G with clownfish... then 40 breeder with clownfish. Then into my with 80G reef with sump. I had it for about 2 years total. Yes, it was named Dory. No issues with her, was active, ick free. Ended up going with the tank as I sold as whole lot. Asked the buyer about 6 months after selling everything how fish were doing, he said all were still good. Then fell off Reefcentral, as that was my last tank to sell. I just got a 29G up and running about a week ago. No plans for any tangs.

 

[Sk8r]

I've done a few rescues in my time, and understand. Glad 'Dory' had a better outcome than fate had dealt her at the outset.

Nemo himself makes a pretty good start for a kid with the typical 30 gallon tank. No reason a kid as young as 8 can't learn to run water tests (back in the day I had a chemistry set with things that caught fire and exploded, let alone weren't good to eat)---and keep a log book and learn all the ins and outs of a proper marine tank, with parental help. It could be a great start to a lifelong hobby, and it does mean you've got something depending on you. Keeping a nem is definitely parental assistance, but those should come along after the novice really has the tank chemistry down pat. Meanwhile they'll nest in all sorts of things. And who knows, you might bring up a budding marine scientist or chemist.

 

[Pigpen17]

How fast does hippo tang grow? Start out with a 2-3" baby, how long would it take to out grow 5', 110g tank?

I had one in a 65g tank, and within a year I could tell the tank was getting too small.

 

[CHSUB]

MD recommands 48" 55g, RC recommands 96" 240g; huge difference, not even comparable. who is right? MD says they are "responsible aquarist", i guess they're right, sorry RC!

 

[Sk8r]

96 is vastly better than 48 with that species. Who says? People who keep them successfully for years. The RC list was composed by people who do keep the species.

 

[CHSUB]

96 is vastly better than 48 with that species. Who says? People who keep them successfully for years. The RC list was composed by people who do keep the species.

maybe the people at MD are "People who keep them successfully for years" too. idk, but it seems like an opinion? they went through the expense and time to produce a video, maybe they have more credibility than the people at RC?

 

[Sk8r]

Marine Depot are lovely people, whose business is selling equipment, not fish. They'd like to sell you a 96" tank, but their models generally are under that. They'll still happily sell you very good gear for the larger tanks, but many if not most larger tanks are custom-made because people have to fit these big tanks into living rooms along extant walls, and you just don't find a huge selection of those ready-made. What they're trying to tell their customers is get the largest you can find, which as I say several posts above this, is (at 48") a lot nicer than many situations for these fish. You're better off going with the RC recommendation if at all possible and getting a 'long' tank with as much water as possible.