1 inch hippo tank in a community 55 gallon tank?

[kcobain111]

Can anyone tell me any reason i should not put a blue hippo tank in my 55 gallon...i know they get big after a while but right now he's only 1 inch long. I have a clown and a gramma in the tank right now with some crabs and shrimp and a few croal/anemones. there's 70 lbs of live rock as well.

 

[who dey]

IMO a blue hippo will probably be fine in there. according to SWF.com they recommend now less than 55gal. be careful they are ick magnets

 

[55galgill]

kcobain111

i have one in mine. had it there for a while. got her when she was the size of a quarter. now its like 5 inches long and she's getting her upgrade to a 180 soon.all i have to say is you shouldnt have the 55 pack full of fish when u get her and she must be the only tang in there. she will get somewhat aggresive. and last but not least WOW do they grow fast you would swear that as you fed her you saw her growing!
so in conclusion yes it can be done but you have to have future plan for your tang before you purchase it. just my 2 cents
~Gill~

 

[scubadoo]

You can put the small tang in your 55...but it will eventually die and never see adulthood if it remains in the 55.
Also, once a fish starts showing stress due to cramped quarters it could be too late for plan B...removal.
I am unaware of any magical formula which will calculate the exact time before a fish gets stressed due to tank size. Stress leads the list of the cause for disease should disease be present in the system. THe immune system will break down and the animal will get sick. Often this is misunderstood as folks think disease may have killed the fish but ignore what opened the door to the disease. Stress can also kill.
The one inch tang will do well for a short period...but be prepared to move it or lose it in the future since your tank will not house that animal comfortably through adulthood. It could live for a few years or months in your 55 as each animal is different...but it will not like being in the 55 at some point in the future.
Please know I am only trying to help and this is JMO.

 

[kcobain111]

i completely agree with you guys and i do plan on eventually getting amuch bigger tank when i move. mainly my question was will he fit in with eveything that's in the tank right now. and if i needed anything special in my tank to house a tang.

 

[55galgill]

i think he will fit in just fine and in about a month be the undisputed king of the tank

 

[ophiura]

IMO, if you are not planning on putting other fish in there and you have FIXED plans to get a new tank then it would be fine. Just don't cram a bunch more fish in there. I believe these small tangs are OK in these tanks for the short term, but that does not mean years. Within years, this fish should outgrow this tank. If anyone chimes in with "I've kept one in a 55g for years and it is fine," one needs to ask why it hasn't outgrown it. That would be abnormal.
If you do not get the new tank, be prepared and accept that you must find a new home for it. This is often the difficult part.

 

[loopy]

I have a tang in my 55, he's new...got him only because he was paper thin and I couldn't stand to watch it anymore when I went to the fish store. I am getting him to eat, and in that process, growing attatched to a fish...something I never really thought would happen...hmmm. Crazy? I dunno, ya'll be the judge. BUT...I know that in the future he will have to move and I have plans for that...a person with a huge tank will get him, unless by some unforseen miracle I get a bigger tank. But I have the plan, I just know it won't be fun to give him away later. Do what you feel is best for you and for the fish and do it so you can enjoy it....this is suppose to be fun!!!! (Tangs are just cool, hippo's are beautiful, I can see where your at!!! I'd love a hippo, I'd love a a bigger a tank....lol!!!
Good luck......enjoy