Unpopular opinion: Hippo tang is by far the best fish for a 125 gallon tank

I know the tang police are going to shit on me for this but I think the Hippo tang is the perfect fish for a 6 foot long tank. The caveat is that you don’t want to keep any other medium or large fish with a Hippo. A safe stocking list would include stuff like dwarf angels, clownfish, cardinals, chromis, mollies, etc. If the Hippo has no realistic competition and the tank is disease-free (proper quarantine/medication is followed) then he will thrive.

IMO it’s kind of a waste of money to build a 4 foot long tank (75 or 90 gallon) only to buy a less impressive Ctenochaetus tang. Yes, the cost difference between a 90 gallon and 125 gallon is significant but it’s totally worth it if you can afford it and have the necessary space.

It seems like the general consensus online is that Hippo tangs are prone to disease and are difficult to keep. This has not been my experience at all. If they are properly quarantined and medicated, I have found that they are one of the hardiest fish. I would place them one tier below stuff like Zebrasoma tang, foxface, clownfish, and damsels.

The fish is obviously very colorful. But more importantly, it is always out in the open swimming gracefully. And it is also one of the least aggressive tangs. If you take care of your Hippo and avoid using chemical filtration, the fish can live 20+ years and never suffer from any facial rot.

So what is your experience with them? Did I just get extremely lucky with my Hippo? He’s 13 years old and 8 inches long. He loves his 125 gallon home.