How related are they?
Same family, Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes and tangs): close cousins
They split at the genus level: the Blue Hippo Tang belongs to Paracanthurus (Palette tangs), the Powder Blue Tang to Acanthurus (Acanthurus surgeonfishes).
Find the Blue Hippo Tang on the tree · Find the Powder Blue Tang on the tree
Family lines, side by side
Highlighted rows are groups both animals belong to. The marked row is where their lines go separate ways.
| Rank | Blue Hippo Tang | Powder Blue Tang |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia Animals | |
| Phylum | Chordata Chordates | |
| Subphylum | Vertebrata Vertebrates | |
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata jawed vertebrates | |
| Parvphylum | Osteichthyes bony fishes | |
| Gigaclass | Actinopterygii ray-finned fishes | |
| Superclass | Actinopteri | |
| Class | Teleostei Teleost fishes | |
| Order | Acanthuriformes Surgeonfishes, angelfishes and kin | |
| Family | Acanthuridae Surgeonfishes and tangs | |
| Genus split | Paracanthurus Palette tangs | Acanthurus Acanthurus surgeonfishes |
| Species | Paracanthurus hepatus Blue Hippo Tang | Acanthurus leucosternon Powder Blue Tang |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Blue Hippo Tang | Powder Blue Tang |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Fish · Tang | Fish · Tang |
| Care level | Moderate | Expert |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Semi-aggressive |
| Diet | Omnivore | Herbivore |
| Favorite foods | Frozen mysis shrimp and other plankton-type frozen foods, Dried marine seaweed sheets (nori, red and green algae) on a clip, Spirulina and algae-based pellets and flakes | Dried marine algae sheets (nori, red and green seaweed) on a clip, Frozen herbivore formulas, Spirulina and algae-based flakes and pellets |
| Max size | 12 in (31 cm) | 9 in (23 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 180 gal | 180 gal |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 72–78 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.020–1.025 | 1.020–1.025 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | 0–30 ppm | 0–30 ppm |
| Lifespan | More than 30 years in the wild. In aquariums usually 8-20 years, with an average of about 12-14 years according to Animal Diversity Web; disease shortens many captive lives. | Poorly documented. Many wild-caught fish die within weeks of import from disease and shipping stress; fish that settle in commonly live about 7-10 years or more according to hobby care guides. No published age study for this species was found. |
| Breeding | Very hard | Not achieved |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Least Concern | Least Concern |