What to do with hippo tang

[Han]

Let me start off this post by saying that I live with my parents and do not have a say in what gets put in our reef tank. (60 gallon innovative marine). Please do not try to tell me it is overstocked, I am well aware of this and as the person who takes care of this tank along with my fowlr I try to do the best I can given the situation.

Now that that’s out of the way, we have a hippo tang that is obviously becoming stressed due to the tank size/overcrowding. Tank mates are yellow tang, longnose hawk fish, midas blenny, 2 clowns, melanurus wrasse, royal gramma, mandarin dragonet, and cleaner shrimp. I don’t know what to do with the hippo, she is becoming aggressive and almost always has ich. The water parameters are fine, I think it’s just stress. My fowlr is a 73 gallon (reefer 350) housing a valentini puffer, plesiops betta, masked rabbitfish, dusky jawfish, and radiata lionfish. The lion will be getting its own tank soon, (around 70 gallons). What would the best course of action be regarding the hippo tang? Move it to the fowlr, or house it with the lionfish? I know both those tanks are still too small but it’s better than leaving her in the reef and unfortunately selling the fish isn’t an option. Sorry for the long post, but I’m just not sure what to do given the situation.

 

[SPR1968]

It’s a little bit of a difficult situation and I understand, but the minimum tank size is really around 125g for these fish. They are very active swimmers and grow fast and very big.

The best advice I could honestly give you is take it back to the LFS for a store credit, or try and rehome it somewhere.

Or buy a bigger tank

 

[Paul B]

I am sorry but the Hippo tang is most likely stressed and in that small of a tank with all those other fish, I can't find a solution for his problem. The fact that he is not covered in ich is great so he does have some immunity to it. I am not sure the other tank is much better but if it is less crowded, I would do that.

 

[Pugsct]

Let me start off this post by saying that I live with my parents and do not have a say in what gets put in our reef tank. (60 gallon innovative marine). Please do not try to tell me it is overstocked, I am well aware of this and as the person who takes care of this tank along with my fowlr I try to do the best I can given the situation.

Now that that’s out of the way, we have a hippo tang that is obviously becoming stressed due to the tank size/overcrowding. Tank mates are yellow tang, longnose hawk fish, midas blenny, 2 clowns, melanurus wrasse, royal gramma, mandarin dragonet, and cleaner shrimp. I don’t know what to do with the hippo, she is becoming aggressive and almost always has ich. The water parameters are fine, I think it’s just stress. My fowlr is a 73 gallon (reefer 350) housing a valentini puffer, plesiops betta, masked rabbitfish, dusky jawfish, and radiata lionfish. The lion will be getting its own tank soon, (around 70 gallons). What would the best course of action be regarding the hippo tang? Move it to the fowlr, or house it with the lionfish? I know both those tanks are still too small but it’s better than leaving her in the reef and unfortunately selling the fish isn’t an option. Sorry for the long post, but I’m just not sure what to do given the situation.

I am sorry but the Hippo tang is most likely stressed and in that small of a tank with all those other fish, I can't find a solution for his problem. The fact that he is not covered in ich is great so he does have some immunity to it. I am not sure the other tank is much better but if it is less crowded, I would do that.

 

[Pugsct]

Your tank looks great I always wanted a hippo but they are so difficult to keep, she does look to big for the tank, I would not say it’s over crowded but I would say she need more room to swim I think that’s why she getting aggressive

 

[Jay Z]

Sell it or give it away. Not sure how thats not a option. Is the lid glued shut? Do the proper thing and pull it out of the tank, take it to the store and ask them to re home it. If selling isn't a option, kill it and throw it out. Better than letting it suffer for your folks enjoyment..

Or just wait and watch it wither away and die.

Nothing like watching a animal suffer because it looks pretty.

What your asking for is our permission for your self satisfaction and the decline of that tangs health, which I won't give.

Same concept as watching someone pass while recording it instead of taking action.


Besides that, the tank looks really nice and I wouldn't call it over stocked.

 

[Han]

Sell it or give it away. Not sure how thats not a option. Is the lid glued shut? Do the proper thing and pull it out of the tank, take it to the store and ask them to re home it. If selling isn't a option, kill it and throw it out. Better than letting it suffer for your folks enjoyment..

Or just wait and watch it wither away and die.

Nothing like watching a animal suffer because it looks pretty.

What your asking for is our permission for your self satisfaction and the decline of that tangs health, which I won't give.

Same concept as watching someone pass while recording it instead of taking action.


Besides that, the tank looks really nice and I wouldn't call it over stocked.

Sell it or give it away. Not sure how thats not a option. Is the lid glued shut? Do the proper thing and pull it out of the tank, take it to the store and ask them to re home it. If selling isn't a option, kill it and throw it out. Better than letting it suffer for your folks enjoyment..

Or just wait and watch it wither away and die.

Nothing like watching a animal suffer because it looks pretty.

What your asking for is our permission for your self satisfaction and the decline of that tangs health, which I won't give.

Same concept as watching someone pass while recording it instead of taking action.


Besides that, the tank looks really nice and I wouldn't call it over stocked.

I understand your point. I’ll keep trying to sell it, but it is not my fish and I have been trying to get rid of it for about 6 months now.

 

[Han]

Sell it or give it away. Not sure how thats not a option. Is the lid glued shut? Do the proper thing and pull it out of the tank, take it to the store and ask them to re home it. If selling isn't a option, kill it and throw it out. Better than letting it suffer for your folks enjoyment..

Or just wait and watch it wither away and die.

Nothing like watching a animal suffer because it looks pretty.

What your asking for is our permission for your self satisfaction and the decline of that tangs health, which I won't give.

Same concept as watching someone pass while recording it instead of taking action.


Besides that, the tank looks really nice and I wouldn't call it over stocked.

 

[Han]

Sorry for the weird reply/quote things, still learning how to use the forums........

 

[Jay Z]

Sorry for the weird reply/quote things, still learning how to use the forums........

No worries. It happens to all of us!

 

[Jay Z]

Heck. When I wanted my clam out of my 6 but it wouldn’t fit out the top without hurting him I smashed the top out of the tank and went and got a bigger one.

 

[Han]

Heck. When I wanted my clam out of my 6 but it wouldn’t fit out the top without hurting him I smashed the top out of the tank and went and got a bigger one.

Well that’s one way to do it

 

[hllb]

Sell it or give it away. Not sure how thats not a option. Is the lid glued shut? Do the proper thing and pull it out of the tank, take it to the store and ask them to re home it. If selling isn't a option, kill it and throw it out. Better than letting it suffer for your folks enjoyment..

Or just wait and watch it wither away and die.

Nothing like watching a animal suffer because it looks pretty.

What your asking for is our permission for your self satisfaction and the decline of that tangs health, which I won't give.

Same concept as watching someone pass while recording it instead of taking action.


Besides that, the tank looks really nice and I wouldn't call it over stocked.

Because it’s not his fish and his parents won’t allow it.

 

[Jay Z]

Because it’s not his fish and his parents won’t allow it.

Then you sir have answered the million dollar question.

Wither and die it is.

 

[TheReaperOfMars]

Wither and die it is.

I think that is a bit harsh. Every fish is different. The tank is a bit small, but if that is the only option, then he needs to make the best of it. Euthanasia is not the answer here. Circumstances can change, maybe a bigger tank is in the future, or maybe his parents decide he can rehome it. Killing the fish eliminates those options.

 

[Han]

I think that is a bit harsh. Every fish is different. The tank is a bit small, but if that is the only option, then he needs to make the best of it. Euthanasia is not the answer here. Circumstances can change, maybe a bigger tank is in the future, or maybe his parents decide he can rehome it. Killing the fish eliminates those options.

I’m definitely not leaving the fish where it is, so it’s looking like it will be going with my lion in a 73 once it is set up. I have been trying and will keep trying to rehome it, but some people don’t want to hear it. Overall it’s pretty healthy other than a couple spots of ich here and there and the obvious stress from overcrowding/small tank.

 

[hllb]

Then you sir have answered the million dollar question.

Wither and die it is.

That would be Ms. to you lol