New blue hippo tank

[Reefstark]

Just got it about an inch and a half long

[Reefstark]

Hi everyone I’m a new member just got a new blue hippo tang a baby about an inch and half long

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Reefstark

Hi everyone I’m a new member just got a new blue hippo tang a baby about an inch and half long

Welcome to the group.
Can I ask, What size is your tank? L xWxH?

[Reefstark]

Just a 55 for now I have a 180 I plan on getting going sometime

[Reefstark]

Standard 55 gallon

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Monitor the surgeon fish (tang) over the next few weeks. it has a couple of white dots on the edge of the dorsal fin and on the tail. They don't look like white spot but could be something bad so keep an eye on them.

There is red Cyanobacteria on the rocks and substrate. This is usually caused by dry food and rotting material in the substrate.
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do water changes?

If you feed a lot of dry food, reduce it and use frozen or live foods in addition to the dry foods.

Try to grow some macro algae like Caulerpa and Halimeda in the tank. The tank will probably eat it but it might encourage small crustaceans for the mandarin fish.

[Reefstark]

Thanks for your advice and I will definitely monitor it I noticed the withe dot on it yesterday I think it was bounced around during shipping any ideas on where too purchase some macro algae for a decent price? And I do vacuumed my gravel when I do my water changes I need stronger flow eventually as well

[Reefstark]

I will definitely start feeding more live food as well as frozen I’ll cut down on my dry foods I also need a bigger clean up crude

[Andy Sager]

There's an "old wife's tale" that you can keep large fish in smaller tanks when they are small. It's been around for many years. ( It was around in the 1970s when I started with marine fish.) As more gets known about these fish we keep, it turns out that big fish have big fish mentalities even when they are small. With this in mind, they can get stressed out more easily and, especially with tangs and surgeonfish, get ick more frequently. Small hippo tangs are usually found in large schools for safety so keeping a single small one can be very hard on the fish. Couple that with being in a tank with some Damsels which can get aggressive towards it, you have a few potentials brewing. I'd get that 180 going as soon as possible.

[Reefstark]

Thank u I am currently saving up too purchase 100lbs of live rock and the lighting and sump one step at a time I appreciate ur advice

[Reefstark]

Wat I find interesting is she be friended the blue damsels and plays with them all day I picked them up in the same order

[Reefstark]

Wow u are a pioneer of reef keeping if u been in the hobby since the 70s I read a lot about the old school techniques u all incorporated that’s cool I am open too any suggestions u may have thanks

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Reefstark

Wow u are a pioneer of reef keeping if u been in the hobby since the 70s I read a lot about the old school techniques u all incorporated that’s cool I am open too any suggestions u may have thanks

Yes, I'm that OLD!!!! LOL My first marine tank was a 7 1/2 gallon tank with a slate bottom and metal frame. Can you tell why it was not a long term success? LOL I lived by the coast so getting water and livestock was easy for me to replace everything. The water was much cleaner back then. "Reef" keeping is quite new ( compared to just fish) and the knowledge of doing it right is still growing. Many of the old ways are lacking the proper equipment necessary for reef keeping. I've seen a lot of changes in the lighting used for reefs, filtering systems, supplements necessary, tank sizes used, stock available....The list goes on. You need today's knowledge for sure.
As for the Hippo, he probably adopted the damsels because they too are blue and yellow which are the basic colors of the Hippo Tang. ( There is a yellow belly variety of Hippo Tangs.) Just be aware that they could always turn on him because they are a more aggressive fish specie. All small surgeonfish species will school when young for protection so that's what he's trying to do with the Damsels.

[Jacky12]

Dang! Those are awesome fish! Love them!

Reefstark, I would cross seven seas to get advice from Colin T. Never met a more skilled, intelligent, experienced dude in all my <2 years in the hobby.

[Reefstark]

I sure didn’t mean too make u feel old lol as far as the metal framed tanks I bet that was scary with the salt spray and corrosion not too mention electricity I’d love too live by the coast just too set up a cold water tidal pool tank you are right about the advantages of modern technology as far as reefing goes now I will definitely contact you if I have any questions about anything related too our hobby I couldn’t afford too get more then one hippo right now so I actually ordered the blue damsels unpurpose just for that I will order another one soon for it too have a freind as soon as I get the 180 cycled and ready they will be my center piece fish I read about how u all used under gravel filtration and coral deco from furniture stores back then sure have came a long way thank u again god bless

[Autumnsky]

https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquariu...nts-macroalgae

Great supporter of hobbyists and cares about the little critters. Bought lots of things from him. Things go in and out of stock and if you put your email for notification it will come to alert you, if there is something special you're looking. Like inverts and sometimes rock flower anemones.
Circa 2016 decommissioned tank, I loved that tank!!! -

[Reefstark]

Beautiful

[Reefstark]

Thank u again we try our best put our hearts into all our tanks I will definitely take that advice from u I appreciate all of ur comments and advice always room for learning and improvement

[Jacky12]

My strategy is to take all advice under consideration but confirm & verify from multiple sources. Comes from strong background in evidence based data.

[Autumnsky]

Scooping up as much info as possible and filtering it out, cross checking and being comfortable with your decisions make sense.