Blue Hippo Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)

The Blue Hippo Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus), also known as the Regal Tang or Palette Surgeonfish, is one of the most recognizable fish on any reef. Its electric blue body is marked with a bold black palette shape, and a bright yellow tail finishes the look. It is reef safe, peaceful with most fish, and full of personality, but it is also a fish that grows large and needs a tank planned around its adult size. This listing covers wild-collected juveniles, so the fish you take home starts small and has plenty of growing to do. Browse the rest of our saltwater livestock and supplies and our full fish selection while you plan.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 125 gallons minimum, and 180 gallons or larger is better for an adult. Blue Hippo Tangs reach around 10 to 12 inches and need long open swimming room. A juvenile can start in a smaller established tank only if the upgrade is already planned.
• Mature system: add it to a stable tank with established live rock, low nitrate, and excellent oxygenation. Tangs are one of the last fish to add, not the first.
• Water parameters: 72 to 78°F, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 1.020 to 1.026, alkalinity 8 to 12 dKH.
• Feeding: omnivore with a strong need for greens. Offer dried seaweed on a clip every day, plus marine pellets and meaty frozen foods like PE Mysis. Feed small amounts two to three times daily. A varied, vitamin-rich diet helps prevent head and lateral line erosion.
• Quarantine at home: Blue Hippo Tangs are well known for being prone to marine ich. We strongly recommend quarantining any new fish in a separate tank at home before it joins your display, and tangs especially.
• Hiding spots: juveniles like to wedge themselves into rock crevices when startled. Build the rockwork with a few caves and gaps it can dive into.

Specifications

Compatibility

Reef safe. Blue Hippo Tangs leave corals, clams, and invertebrates alone and happily pick at film algae on the rock.

With other fish it is easygoing. Great tank mates include the Ocellaris Clownfish, Blue Green Chromis, Royal Gramma, Flame Angelfish, and Yellow Foxface. Other tangs are the main concern. In a large system, a differently shaped tang like the Scopas Tang can work if both go in at the same time. Avoid adding a second Blue Hippo Tang unless the tank is very large, and skip aggressive predators and fin nippers.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• BRS Nori Seaweed Sheets, daily greens for tang health
• Two Little Fishies VeggieMag Seaweed Clip for serving seaweed
• Rod's Food Three Weed Blend for variety in the greens
• Vitalis Marine Grazing Pellets, an algae-forward staple
• Piscine Energetics PE Mysis for the meaty part of the diet
• Selcon Vitamin Booster to soak foods and support long-term health

FAQ

Is this Blue Hippo Tang tank raised?
No. This listing is for wild-collected fish. Tank-raised Blue Hippo Tangs do exist, but they are produced in small numbers and are rarely available. A healthy wild juvenile that is eating well does great in a mature, stable aquarium.

Why did my tang lie on its side?
Blue Hippo Tangs sometimes play dead when frightened, lying flat or wedging into rock. It can look alarming, but it is normal behavior, especially right after a move. Keep the lights low and give it time.

Can I put it in a 55 or 75 gallon tank?
Not long term. It grows to around a foot long and needs a lot of swimming room. Plan on 125 gallons at minimum for an adult.

Is it really prone to ich?
Yes, it is one of the most ich-prone fish in the hobby. Quarantine at home, keep the tank stable, and feed a varied diet with plenty of greens to give it the best start.

Can I keep it with other tangs?
Only in large systems, with different body shapes, and ideally with both added at the same time. Other tangs are the most common source of trouble for a tang.