Fish
advancedBlue hippo tang (Dory)
Paracanthurus hepatus
Quick reference
Min tank size
180 US gal
180 gal / 72 inches. AAMP and industry consensus is 6-foot minimum. 96-inch (240 gal+) tanks are where they actually thrive long-term.
Min tank length
72 in
Length matters more than gallons for active swimmers.
Temperature
75–82 °F
Salinity
1.024–1.026 SG
pH
8.1–8.4
Feeding
Herbivore + carnivore. Nori daily, mysis 2× week, pellet. Picky in QT but voracious once settled.
Compatibility
Peaceful when established but can be skittish — flashes and gets injured against rocks. Don't mix with aggressive tankmates.
What kills it
Ich (P. hepatus is extremely susceptible — quarantine mandatory). HLLE. Stress in undersized tanks (extremely common cause of premature death).
Common mistakes
- •Buying as a juvenile thinking you'll 'upgrade later' — they grow to full size in 3 years.
- •Skipping quarantine — by far the most ich-prone reef fish.
- •Adding to a tank smaller than 6 feet — they spend their life flashing against the rocks.
Equipment & food for this species
Hippo tangs need quarantine first — by far the most ich-susceptible reef fish. Daily nori once established.
Nori sheets (Maruichi or Sushi-grade)
Herbivore staple. Daily for tangs.
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Selcon (American Marine)
HUFA + vitamin soak for frozen food. Critical for tang health.
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PE Mysis Shrimp — frozen
Whole-shrimp frozen food. Premium reef-tank standard.
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TDO Chroma Boost pellets
Best fish pellet for color enhancement. Multiple sizes.
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