Hippo tang

[Jschier]

Any inside tips and tricks for care of a hippo tang? Interested in opinions from those that have expirience with them.

 

[duromega]

what's your tank size ?

 

[Tkey3425]

Any inside tips and tricks for care of a hippo tang? Interested in opinions from those that have expirience with them.

Have a very large tank and keep it fat and happy. They get ich and hlle fairly easily. Also they swim a lot during the day and at night both of mine I have had will perch in a rock to sleep. I feed it brine, mysis, squid, nori, romaine lettuce, and everything gets a garlic soak prior to feeding. Also soak in selcon every other feed.

 

[TheTodd]

6' - 8' tank...plenty of greens to eat...add other Tangs at the same time...don't buy the tiny quarter-sized ones you sometimes see at the LFS, because while they are "cute", they also tend to have a much higher mortality rate...QT prior to adding to your DT, as they are notorious for getting Ich and once that is in your DT, you get to deal with the hassle of treating them in QT anyways.

 

[Ingy]

I have my first and only tang in my 110 gal tank (same size as yours) and man, do they book. They guy is always moving around the entire tank. He probably covers the entire tank a couple times a minute. And I have a tomini tang (same requirements as a kole).
Please reconsider the hippo tang. Those guys need a considerably larger tank, undoubtedly because they swim even more than the Tomini does. I couldn't imagine one of those beasts flying around my wee tank.

 

[Tkey3425]

If your tank is a 110 definitely please please reconsider. The hippo gets from 9"-12" in captivity and swims a lot. My 210 doesn't have a single spot that my hippo doesn't go through. I can sit and watch the hippo go from one end to the other. You be much better suited for a tomini, kole, or a yellow possibly but all tangs need to be kept fat and happy. They are notorious for ich

 

[Gregcoyote]

My 300 gallon is a bit too small for my Hippo tang IMO. He has doubled in size in a year. I keep my tangs calm by keeping them very well fed and providing lots of hiding room.

 

[Jschier]

Great so far, I know from a vast amount of research about tank size and a propensity for ich. My 110 is just my tank at the moment (of 4 others), just deciding on another custom (300+). I look forward to seeing her grow and flourish. I'm hoping for more "care" tips.....

 

[Tkey3425]

Care tips I can give are IME hippos sleep in the rock work so it will need a cave large enough for it to fit but also low flow enough to stay put. Feed them nori sheets at the minimum 3-5 times a week. I feed them nori every morning. Soak your food in garlic. Don't put a fish in there that will bully the tang or that the tang will bully.

 

[Contrerasvic]

Blue tangs are far my fav type of tang there friendly and go well in a community tank like they say soak food into garlic I feed mine about 5 times a day I feed mine brine shrimp omega flakes misis shrimp and pellets also feed seadweed once a day ago keep it happy try to stay off the romaine lettuce I know alot of stores use that but it's not the best thing for them use romaine lettuce for ur salad not for your fish ..I made mine his cave and he chills and has stayed in that cave ever since I got em if you keep him happy and fat u shouldn't have to worry about ich. It's when there stress is we're you should worry

 

[Gregcoyote]

Why not lettuce? I have feed my tangs for years with a combination of nori and romaine lettuce. They are super fat and happy.

 

[Contrerasvic]

Research and see what kind of nutrients romaine lettuce provided for fish I kno alot stores use it but even they recomended not to use its cheap for them

 

[Phranque]

Research and see what kind of nutrients romaine lettuce provided for fish I kno alot stores use it but even they recomended not to use its cheap for them

I believe you may be thinking of iceberg lettuce, which has very little nutritional value..... Romaine lettuce is packed with nutrients.

Here's some "research" for you:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=61

http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/nutrition/10-surprising-nutrition-facts-about-romaine-lettuce/

 

[Gregcoyote]

I feed romaine lettuce and spinach to my tangs and they love it better than nori.

 

[Crama1]

My tangs love romaine lettuce