Common Names: Blue Hippo Tang, Regal Tang, Regal Blue Tang, Yellow Tail, Blue Tang, Hepatus Tang
Scientific Name: Paracanthurus hepatus
Family: Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 12 inches
Life expectancy: 20 years
Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 – 78 °F
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.4
SG: 1.020 – 1.025
Water hardness: 8 – 12
Temperament: Peaceful
Origin: Fiji, Indian Ocean, Indo-Pacific, Solomon Islands

Aquarium Setup:
The Blue Hippo Tang loves places to hide, provide them with plenty of caves and crevices. They also love to swim and are fast fish, wide open areas are needed.

Diet:
Tang’s need a variety of live and frozen foods. They love zooplankton and should be fed a diet that includes brine shrimp, grindal worms, mysis, as well as flake and pellet foods. Several feedings daily is better for Tang’s than one larger feeding.

Supplements such as broccoli, peas and leafy greens are great additions to their diets. However, large amounts that aren’t consumed could change the quality of the water.

Tank Mates/Community:
May be kept with other peaceful fish about the same size. They may not get along with other male Tang’s in the tank unless the tank is very large.

Behavior:
Blue Hippo’s are very timid and will sometimes wedge themselves into crevices or caves when threatened. They will also lay over on their sides and play dead!

Color:
The Blue Hippo Tang is a beautiful, vibrantly colored fish. It’s bright royal blue body is accented with a black design on the upper section  that starts at it’s eyes and extends along the dorsal fin. It curves around to go just above the pectoral fin and splits to cover the edges of it’s tail fin.

Their dorsal and anal fins continue all the way back to it’s yellow tail and they’re trimmed in a black edging. They have thin bodies and are generally oval shaped.

Breeding:
Blue Hippo Tang’s are egg scatterers and their breeding season is usually February and March. However, successful breeding in captivity is very difficult.

Interesting Notes:
These are very playful fish and have been known to chase bubbles in the tank. Some have been seen playing with gravels, snails or other small tank items.

Written by Connie Corder for The Home Aquarium, Copyright 2008


Don’t forget to visit our Aquarium Store. Also you can buy this fish today below:

 

Paracanthus hepatus “Hippo Tang” – Small The Blue Hippo Tang, or Regal Tang is one of the most popular and recognizable saltwater fish. Known by many different common names in different regions, the Hippo Tang is bright blue with a black hook-shaped marking on its sides. Its tail is yellow with black edges, and its pectoral fins have yellow edges. Like other tangs, these fish are omnivores. They need plenty of algae and other greens in their diet to keep them healthy, but will also eat small bits of meaty foods. Algae can be provided in the form of Spirulina, formula foods, dried marine algae on clips as a frequent treat, or through live algae grown in the tank or in a refugium. Tangs are generally community fish and get along with most other tankmates. They do not bother corals and can actually help keep nuisance algae trimmed and under control. Tangs may get territorial and aggressive towards similar tangs, so always use caution when keeping these fish together. This is a Restricted item and is not covered by our Arrive Alive 5 Day Guarantee. 217274