Three's a Crowd (Clownfish, anemone, and hippo tang drama)

[CDS1967]

Hello all

I recently brought home a Blue hippo Tang from work (I work at LFS). He is teeny tiny, the size of a nickel. I have him in my least aggresive tank, which is only 30 gal, but I'll move him when he can look after imself.

My question is, the Hippo Tang seems VERY interested in the clownfish and her anemone. I am afraid he will get stung if he keeps it up. I can't really move him to another tank, because I'm afraid he will get attacked...I already had to move my royal gramma in with my red saddlebacks...he attacked the tang as soon as he hit the water...he is just soooo small!

Should I worry about this, or do you think the hippo tang will figure it out without getting stung? Any comments would be welcome...but remember I only have the Tang in the 30 gal as he is so SMALL. Once he gets some size to him I'll move him Toot Sweet ;) So don't yell at me for keeping a Tang in a 30 gal. I couldn't believe this guy when he came in, so small yet he eats like a camp and has a great little personality:D . I couldn't resist him. I know technically no tang should be in a tank smaller than 75 gals, and my biggest tank is 40 gal. I figure I have a bit of time to pick up a larger tank considering his size!]

Thanks ahead of time for any help/comments.

[stykthyn]

being so small the anemone eating him is definitely an issue. there is an easy way to fix this, but you wont like it. take him back to the store. Fish that small do not do well in the aquarium. conditions change too fast for them to adapt to and they dont have the energy stores that a larger more mature fish would have. When you get the money set up an appropriate size tank and buy a healthy larger size fish.

[CDS1967]

I know what your saying, but I brought him home for that very reason. I thought he'd have a better chance in one of my tanks than in the store tanks. We do our best to keep water quality up, but it is deffinatly not of the quality of a home aquarium. I work there so it isn't as though I paid a ton of money for him.

I know it is not generally reccomended to buy a tang under 3 inches I think it is. I just really didn't see him surviving in the store.

[stykthyn]

I wish you the best with him

[Amphiprion]

I had a small blue tang myself that was eaten by my anemone. It can always be a potential issue.