blue hippo tang thinks its a clown fish?

[living_waters]

My baby blue hippo was introduced at the size of nickel and now the size of say of 2" give or take and its in my 36 for I say maybe another month till I finish my 75g build but when I added it the only fish in the tank were a false percula and a maroon clown that got along great I thought they were pairing but to avoid future aggression I sold the maroon well now to the question since the beginning my hippo paired of with The clowns and now won't leave the false perculas side. it won't eat veggies cause the clowns won't eat them and has lost its ability to swim like a tang she only really bobs up and down like a clown all day with my false perc only time she leaves the clown is to sleep in a crack in between live rock what can I do hold up a mirror to the glass and have a intervention lol

[Chevrefils]

Get a video!

[DolphinzFan]

That's not strange. I introduced my Blue tang around the same time as my B&W Ocellaris. At the time the clown was in the tank first. Now my clown is eating algae with the tang, but he does still eat when I feed him. They have been best bud's since together. Only time they are not together is when they sleep.

[BrianD]

I am not sure what you are feeding the hepatus, but they have a more meaty diet than other tangs. However, you should still provide nori for grazing.

I am afraid the 75 gallon tank isn't going to be a very good home for a hepatus tang. It is especially unsuited for a 36. The two species of clownfish in the same smallish tank (especially the maroon) would have been WWIII at some point in time, so it is a positive step to remove the maroon. I strongly suggest you seek more advice here as you contemplate other fish additions.

[christopherjudd]

My hippo is best buds with my foxface

[BlindZide]

I thinks it is cool that it mocks the clowns swimming habits. My yellow tank and Coral Beauty swim and graze together all day and my Clowns hover together. Its cool seeing fish pair up.

[BrianD]

While it is appealing to anthropomorphize our fish, the reality is that tank size and environment are more likely the cause of fish swimming together than any desire or need to be "buds".

[markis210]

I have about the same size hippo if not smaller and he never leaves the clowns side. They are the only two fish, the clowns eats seaweed, and they enjoy chasing around the rocks. Maybe there is a reason these two were buds in a certain movie.

[BrianD]

Is this in the 65g tank you have posted about?

[living_waters]

Thanks BrianD but I saw a whole thread with Paulb stating my blue hippo will never out grow a 75 and I feed a very wide diet to the hippo from pellets to flakes to live brine and gut loaded mysis also I offer live cabbage macro from my fuge and dried nori it eats it all except the veggies

[BrianD]

PaulB has his opinion. Mine differs. Live Aquaria recommends a 180 gallon tank, and they are in the business of selling these fish.

If the hepatus isn't eating the "veggies" you are offering, I would attempt others.

For the record, I had a hepatus in an 8' long tank, and he made it look small.

[BrianD]

Also, for the record, mine would rip the green algae sheets to pieces the second it hit the the water (I rubberbanded it to a pvc tube that was suspended by rope in the tank).

[living_waters]

Like what other veggies maybe doctergs I swear its the same stuff as nori

[Joe0813]

I'd have to agree with Brian on this one.... hippo tangs need bigger tanks

[living_waters]

Thanks for the idea I usually clip it to a suction cup and take it out when its done or getting soggy by fishing line connected to the clip I saw it on a video by mark Callahan aka mr salt water tv how long you think I can leave nori in the tank for

[Ssteve]

I find it odd that so many people preach about fish and tank size when so many of these fish would be left to go to uneducated kids with their nanos. I'm sure most reef enthusiasts in the community would provide a better habitat than the average shopper of lfs. Like paulb had said, we stress all fish to a point by putting them in a glass box. I'd like to think a well maintained 75g is going to stress them a whole lot less than a lot of the lesser maintained 120+ tanks I've seen.

[BrianD]

I never had to worry about taking it out ;)

Again, tangs do have preferences. When I had a Naso tang, it much preferred the red sheets. My hepatus and sailfin didn't go after the red sheets near as voraciously as they did the green sheets. Your experience may differ, but I would definitely try other types.

[BrianD]

I find it odd that so many people preach about fish and tank size when so many of these fish would be left to go to uneducated kids with their nanos. I'm sure most reef enthusiasts in the community would provide a better habitat than the average shopper of lfs. Like paulb had said, we stress all fish to a point by putting them in a glass box. I'd like to think a well maintained 75g is going to stress them a whole lot less than a lot of the lesser maintained 120+ tanks I've seen.

The quality of tank maintenance should be a given, so that is a strawman argument. I am truly unsure of what point you are trying to make. Is it that tank size isn't important? If so, we can disagree.

Fish husbandry includes size of habitat and tank mates. A mixture of fish that "works" in an 8' tank may not work in a 3' tank. This is from personal experience.

[Ssteve]

I guess my point was more that I'm sure the op is aware of what he "should" do. He chose not to. To me I look at it like it's still better than what would most likely would have happened and that would be the fish would have ended up in some half wits tank with ich. It ruined the reading of the thread which started off genuinely entertaining. I guess I just struggle to see why people have the need to police others as much as they do, but in the end I guess I'm no better for even mentioning it. Good day.

[living_waters]

I'll have a 30g sump/fuge bubble magus 200g rated skimmer dsb display dsb fuge macro about 80lbs of fully cured rock weekly water changes and alot of attention as all my tanks get so don't worry about the husbandry part.....side note brianD you sent me an infraction a while back and I'd like to say I learned my lesson and I sent a apology message to reef central community and you mods please help me out I ordered something and idk how I can pay the guy if I can't contact him. any where I can contact you for my side of the story have mercyyyy��

[BrianD]

I guess my point was more that I'm sure the op is aware of what he "should" do. He chose not to. To me I look at it like it's still better than what would most likely would have happened and that would be the fish would have ended up in some half wits tank with ich. It ruined the reading of the thread which started off genuinely entertaining. I guess I just struggle to see why people have the need to police others as much as they do, but in the end I guess I'm no better for even mentioning it. Good day.

I am sorry to be the one who threw water on the "entertainment", but please remember that this forum is designed to help those who may just be starting out in the hobby. It is not uncommon, even after all these years, for "Finding Nemo" to be an influence on stocking decisions. While we may want to believe that our fish are "buddies", that is a human characteristic.

Now, that is not an issue or a problem in and of itself. However, as new aquarists browse these forums for advice and counsel, we have to consider how these threads may influence their stocking decisions.

So, again, sorry to be a wet blanket.

[BrianD]

I'll have a 30g sump/fuge bubble magus 200g rated skimmer dsb display dsb fuge macro about 80lbs of fully cured rock weekly water changes and alot of attention as all my tanks get so don't worry about the husbandry part.....side note brianD you sent me an infraction a while back and I'd like to say I learned my lesson and I sent a apology message to reef central community and you mods please help me out I ordered something and idk how I can pay the guy if I can't contact him. any where I can contact you for my side of the story have mercyyyy��

Again, maintenance isn't the issue. You can stick an elephant in the cleanest closet in the world, and you still have an elephant in a closet.

As for the other issue, the infraction has been reversed. Please, please continue to ask for advice before you add more livestock. This forum is full of threads of aquarists who have steady stream of new additions to replace the latest death.

[living_waters]

Thanks and I will!

[billsreef]

Thanks BrianD but I saw a whole thread with Paulb stating my blue hippo will never out grow a 75 and I feed a very wide diet to the hippo from pellets to flakes to live brine and gut loaded mysis also I offer live cabbage macro from my fuge and dried nori it eats it all except the veggies

What happens with fish that get large being placed in a tank that is too small to allow for that growth is their growth gets stunted. Along with stunted growth comes health issues and typically a shortened life span. Not exactly an ideal situation.

[Paul B]

What happens with fish that get large being placed in a tank that is too small to allow for that growth is their growth gets stunted. Along with stunted growth comes health issues and typically a shortened life span. Not exactly an ideal situation.

That is correct, (hello Bill). When this hobby started I kept a hippo tang in my 40 gallon tank for 5 years. A 40 gallon tank was considered big then and most people didn't know a hippo tang from a hippopotamus. He grew about 4". Then I moved him to my 100 gallon tank where he lived about 5 more years and grew to about 5" and stayed that size. In the sea they get fairly large at almost 10". I never said they should be in a smaller tank, I probably said they would not grow to their full size or maybe they would never win the lottery. But a larger size tank is almost always better for especially a long swimming fish such as a tang. But they definately can be kept in a smaller tank as I have done for years.
but I saw a whole thread with Paulb stating my blue hippo will never out grow a 75
That hippo tang will probably not outgrow that 75 gallon tank and he may live 15 years in there. A 300 gallon tank may be better but I would also like to live on 6 acres on the water, but like the hippo tang, I will just have to live within my means. ;)

[The_Blenny357]

Thanks BrianD but I saw a whole thread with Paulb stating my blue hippo will never out grow a 75 and I feed a very wide diet to the hippo from pellets to flakes to live brine and gut loaded mysis also I offer live cabbage macro from my fuge and dried nori it eats it all except the veggies

Its not that the tang will out grow the tank its the fact that tangs swim miles of ocean daily, and you are keeping on in a 4 foot tank. Is that ok? I will let you answer.

There is also somthing called stunting growth. Every heard of it?

[syrinx]

While it is appealing to anthropomorphize our fish, the reality is that tank size and environment are more likely the cause of fish swimming together than any desire or need to be "buds".

Says the man with a superman costume on his dog....

[reeferstace]

Uh oh.

[living_waters]

"uh oh" lol.....

[The_Blenny357]

"uh oh" lol.....

Do you have any input on my post?

[syrinx]

Uh oh.

Brian is a member of our local club, and has a sense of humor!

[living_waters]

Do you have any input on my post?

idk what you mean were you expecting a respond? if so i guess my decision is it will thrive in my 75g.

[slgcmg]

Mine only hangs with my chromis. He ignores the other tangs in the tank

[tmz]

I would not put a hepatus in anything less than a six foot tank preferably 8 foot again. Not policing just providing information . Didn't see anyone policing. Critique is to be expected and should be welcomed.
When I started about 10 years ago,the family wanted a Dory and Nemo. A quarter sized hippo made it into the new 90 Gallon. I did read Scott W. Micahels "Marine Fishes" where he recommended a 100 gallon minimum as the minimal standard at that time . I chose to act on impulse and opinions from others keeping them in smaller tanks . I decided 90 was close enough. It wasn't the only mistake I would make in this hobby.. The aqua scape does provide swim around space even in the back of the rock peninsula where a 3 inch separation from the back glass helps provide some extra swimming room . The now ten year old 6.5 inch hippo swims around the tank and in and out of caves and front to back swim through caves in the rock work . It's healthy , fat , colorful and comfortable with it's tank mates. However, it could be happier and perhaps larger and ultimately more long lived with more room. I think relocation would do more harm than good after 10 years. Every day when I feed that tank ,I feel bad that I have not given that fish more room and wish I could watch it swim longer distances in a more natural space for it's size and needs. I hope , I haven't robbed it of a long life.

[The_Blenny357]

Its not that the tang will out grow the tank its the fact that tangs swim miles of ocean daily, and you are keeping on in a 4 foot tank. Is that ok? I will let you answer.

There is also somthing called stunting growth. Every heard of it?

This is the post OP. read it.

[Ssteve]

Really? You quoted yourself? Are you ignorant enough to believe he just passed over your post? That's the stuff I don't understand. Did he ask for your opinions on the size of his tank in the first place? No, then after leaving a snide comment, you quote the comment you never should have posted by giving direct orders to read it.

[The_Blenny357]

Really? You quoted yourself? Are you ignorant enough to believe he just passed over your post? That's the stuff I don't understand. Did he ask for your opinions on the size of his tank in the first place? No, then after leaving a snide comment, you quote the comment you never should have posted by giving direct orders to read it.

No, he didnt ask for opinions on his tank size, but it really doesnt matter. He shouldnt have bought it in the first place and this is a forum for HELPING isnt it? Thats exactly what i am doing, giving advice because OPs tank is much to small for this fish.

Thanks.

[tmz]

Really? You quoted yourself? Are you ignorant enough to believe he just passed over your post? That's the stuff I don't understand. Did he ask for your opinions on the size of his tank in the first place? No, then after leaving a snide comment, you quote the comment you never should have posted by giving direct orders to read it.

Snide comments are not useful including these:

I find it odd that so many people preach about fish and tank size ..

Are you ignorant...

Critique and advice on husbandry parctices are to be expected and should be based on information without snide commentary. If questionable practices or infroamtion are included in a post it will be critiqued and that critique should not be personal or unduly assumed to be so.

On the other hand ,there is no requirement that someone read another's post if they don't like it ,particularly one with an accusatory or aggressive tone and certainly no rules requiring or proscribing a response to anyone's question or comments..

[BrianD]

Can we discuss these issues without personal attacks? Please?

There have been some incredibly bad husbandry practices promoted in this forum. They can't be ignored, especially in a forum devoted to those just starting out in the hobby.

[BrianD]

Really? You quoted yourself? Are you ignorant enough to believe he just passed over your post? That's the stuff I don't understand. Did he ask for your opinions on the size of his tank in the first place? No, then after leaving a snide comment, you quote the comment you never should have posted by giving direct orders to read it.

I suggest you take a different point of view and try to understand that this is a forum for beginning hobbyists who should welcome advice, not shun it.

[BrianD]

Says the man with a superman costume on his dog....

I knew I should have put glasses on him to hide his secret identity.

[living_waters]

Where can I buy one of those for a big dog lol?

[BrianD]

This is a hepatus in an 8' tank. It had plenty of tankmates (several species that were mentioned in this thread). It didn't swim with any of them. Swim the same direction? Certainly. Flash at other fish for getting in its path? No doubt. I had it for over 10 years before donating it and the large sailfin to Inland Aquatics.

VHdX0Y-PloE

I don't believe my 8' tank was remotely large enough for it.

[Paul B]

There will always be debates on what size tank to keep certain fish in. Of course with almost any fish a larger size tank is better but almost all the fish we tend to keep in a tank will be stunted and not achieve the full size they attain in the sea.
I have been diving for decades and even common clownfish reach enormous proportions in the sea and I have never seen them anywhere near that size in a tank. Hippo tangs get around 10" as do yellow tangs. Long nose butterflies also get about 8" long.
After saying that I will say that although I have kept quite a few specimins of all those fish, none of them ever attained those sizes even though they all lived ten years or longer. In my tank now are a pair of fireclowns, the male is 20 years old and still spawning. A fish is the healthiest it can be if it is spawning even though he is only about 2 1/2" which is probably a third as large as that fish gets in the sea. Is he "happy"? I don't know.
We as aquarists are not kind to fish no matter what size tank we put them in. We kid nap them, put them in artificial water, feed them food that they are unacostomed to eating, alter their day and night cycles, force them to live in water a couple of feet deep (and yes, they realize they are in shallow water) and house them with animals they were never supposed to meet in the sea. You will never find a fully grown hippo tang or any tang in 3' of water like we subject them to in a tank.
If our fish are spawning, and almost all of mine are, then they are healthy, no matter what size tank they are in. If they are not spawning or making spawning jestures, they are not healthy no matter how large their tank is.
We as kidnappers are not helping the fish no matter what we think.
But, fish are not like dogs or dolphins, we don't eat dogs or dolphins, fish for the most part are food. We want to keep them alive for our enjoyment, but a fish is an animal that was never designed to die of old age and they almost never do. To me, to keep a fish in a tank that "some" people say is to small is silly being that we confine them at all.
So, to me again, if someone wants to keep a hippo tang in a 75 gallon or a five gallon tank is really none of my business as this is a free country and if that person didn't buy that fish, it would still be swimming in the sea or maybe lunch for some larger fish as is what happens to virtually all fish.
I try to keep my fish as healthy as I possably can. That means they get live food every day just as they do in the sea. My tank also has a portion of real seawater in it and it would be all seawater if it were not so heavy, almost like the sea. My fish are spawning, just like they do in the sea. But they live in a 100 gallon tank just like I live in a Cape house. If I could afford a larger house I would live in one, just like my fish may prefer to live in a swimming pool, but they just can't afford it so they will have to get over it.
If we want to "advise" someone, or if someone asks a question as to what size tank we "think" would be good for a particular animal, that is fine. But we should not, under any circumstances belittle, degrade, scold or force anyone to keep an animal in something that we "think" is best for that animal.
References:

Me:beer:

Bora Bora.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/LongNose.jpg (http://s258.photobucket.com/user/urchsearch/media/LongNose.jpg.html)

[Ssteve]

If we want to "advise" someone, or if someone asks a question as to what size tank we "think" would be good for a particular animal, that is fine. But we should not, under any circumstances belittle, degrade, scold or force anyone to keep an animal in something that we "think" is best for that animal.

THIS is the post.

[syrinx]

THIS is the post.

100% agree.

[faithenfire]

we should not, under any circumstances belittle, degrade, scold or force anyone to keep an animal in something that we "think" is best for that animal.


+1

there are ways to suggest things without be negative.

[Microcosmos]

I think it's cute that the baby hippo and the clown are getting along! That's why most of us get into the hobby, to watch fish up close. It's important to consider tank size, bioload, compatibility, etc. etc. etc. But sometimes it's nice to sit back and watch! I agree that people should go into this with their eyes wide open to what is needed to keep aquatic life happy. But it's also important to keep a sense of wonder too.

[Paul B]

But it's also important to keep a sense of wonder too.

And a sense of humor as this is a hobby, not a job. A hobby by definition is supposed to be fun. If it becomes a source of stress or it gets to expensive, or causes arguments, just go outside on garbage day and put the entire thing by the curb. After you give away the inhabitants of course, you can send them to me.