Can you relate to my Blue Tang frustration!?

[thud]

I don't know if it's just me but any Blue Hippo tang that I've seen looks so clumsy, stressed and about to die. I've seen them like this in fish store tanks, friends tanks, and my tank.
They swim vertically, sideways or diagonally. It really makes you nervous about your tank as a whole.
Whats your opinions?

 

[nicetry]

My two cents; They are common, plentiful and relatively inexpensive. They are also colorful and a very attractive fish to have. That said, in 10 years of sw fish keeping, I have seen only a few really healthy specimens, that is to say no HLLE, fading, parasites, etc.. IMO it is not a good captive fish for most systems. Many are sold as tiny juveniles and most of these succumb to illness. I think they are one of the most over-rated fish in the hobby, along with Yellow tangs, and should only be kept by very experienced hobbyists with large enough systems to care for them. This is only my personal POV, however my sense is the mortaility rate among this species is very high.

 

[mr. green]

Just throwing this out there, but as much negative I read about Tangs, I think I am going to steer clear. Beside, I only have a 90 gallon and will not have a lot of room to swim. Go to any LFS that has saltwater, and the Tangs are right up front. I think the colors are what attracts a lot of people to this fish. But, the issues that I read that members have, and the room they need makes me want to steer clear.

 

[laredo300c]

IMO i think tangs ,,,ok and clownfish are the real non-swf people into the hobby....every single site online that you go to says most tangs are easy or beginner.......most say that the hippo tang is beginner which it is definately not.....the yellow tang is hardy but the right tank and space must be provided and that decision will most likely not

be made by a beginner....

 

[nolatrav]

I can relate to your fustration but for different reasons.
My guy has never excerted any unuasl swimming behavior with the exception of the fact that he will not hesitate to dart into a crevice when any sudden movements happen around the tank. But I have also read these fish are very shy.
My fustration comes from his fading color which seemed to happen over a couple days. It has not gotten any worse nor any better. Diet has remained the same. Water quality is pretty much up to par. I have already started a thread in "disease and treatment" for help.
Thread Here

 

[mace]

I think that the Hippo has grown into a must have for most people for the simple fact that it was the movie that has made them popular as well with the clowns. JMO
But with all fish if you have the right system and now how they should be easy.

 

[mr. limpid]

I have kept an Hippo tang in all my 20 odd years of fish keeping. From my first tank 30gal., b4 all the technology we have to day(which lived for 4 years). To resently first for 1 1/2 years in a 20gal. reef and then in a 135gal. fish only tank for 1 year. IMO the quality of fish (from the lfs) in a hole has declined from 20 years ago. From my experience this fish needs alot of fresh grazing, alge and greens in there diet.

 

[thud]

So you insinuate the cause of this with uneducated aquarists.
Ill agree that they're probably not good in captivity and leave it at that.

 

[mr. limpid]

"So you insinuate the cause of this with uneducated aquarists." No its is the LFS they are getting them in and selling them as fast as the can. I have seen many stores selling fish from large chains to the local Ma Pa's. They come thin, sickly and with ich,only a hand full are in good shape. So basicly if you start out bad it is hard to keep them living. IMO look for a good LFS and stick with them. And read as much as you can and buy the best you can afford in the way of equipment and living quarters. Sorry if it sounds like I'm venting. But my favorite LFS store just closed. My advise is give plenty of grazing of nature alge that grows in your tank and supplement it with other green foods. good luck this fish is my favorite and will always keep one in my tank.