Hippo Tang

Hello all

Well my 1 year old that we set up our 55 gallon tank for (well more or less) has started staring into the tank asking where dory is. Everytime we go to a fish store she runs to all the tanks pointing out dory in each tank then when we get home she goes to our tank and looks and then asks where dory went. SO we knew when we started this that the 55 was just a starter tank and since we can't put a hippo in this tank at all I was wondering what is the minimum but also the best sized tank for the Hippo Tang to live out its life in? Would love to get one now but of course know that the hippo tang can't live in the 55 at all and when we get the new tank that will be the first fish added.

Thanks for the help guys ;D

 

Hippo tangs generally need at least 75 gallons of water at their full adult size. You could always buy a dwarf hippo and let it grow in that tank and by the time your ready to upgrade, it will have outgrown the tank.

 

Thought about that but we picked up a little tomini tang a few weeks ago and if we get a hippo for this tank then "Mickey" will have to go. I'd like to keep him and get a hippo as well. So a 90 is what we were thinking about upgrading to first part of next year, some sites say 55 for the hippo some say 120 : that's why I was kinda checking. Thank you for the info Cira!

 

JMO, I wouldn't go any less than a 6' tank for 2 tangs. your looking for a good footprint, not total gallons.

~Will.

 

I just put a hippo in my 72. Its the only tang I have and it will be moving to my 125 when it outgrows the 72.

 

+1, IMO straightline swimming space is most important. They don't use vertical space as much so going from a 55 to a 90 will give you a little more depth and maybe make it easier for them to swim around the back of the rock but you're still stuck with a 4' tank.
I think a Tomini is a great tang for a 4' tank though, I personally wouldn't put anything besides the smaller bristletooth tangs in.

 

This little tomini is great. Fun to watch and in my opion a beautiful fish, very underated. Now when we introduced our newest fish he was a bit of a butthead even with the lights out he decided he was going to show the new guy who was boss...the new guy wasn't impressed and after about 5 mins the tomini went into his cave to pout. Now they get on fine ;D

Anyway, so it sounds like really in order for the Tomini and the Hippo to live in the same tank we should look into a 120, well thats the size we were considering anyway so that makes it easy enough.

I can't thank you guys enough for your help, I've been to other boards that either ignore the questions asked or when I do get a response its to bash for having the Tomini in the tank, nevermind what the question was thats the typical answer so I appreciate all you guys input and opinons on everything!

 

Good luck on the tank upgrade!

 

IMO

A hippo will be just fine in the 90 so i would say have no fear.

 

nothing less than say a 150 for a hippo. They need the swimming room.