tang wont touch seaweed???

FF Rainwater · 06/04/2011, 02:14 PM

ive had my tangs for a bout a week and i cant get them interested in eating any seaweed i bought from the store...i got the omega one green colored seaweed from petsmart and put it on a vegi clip and they wont even go near it...they will eat pellets but i keep reading that they need veggies as well...any suggestions?

BurntOutReefer · 06/04/2011, 02:31 PM

get veggie pellets then......

lordofthereef · 06/04/2011, 02:41 PM

Soak it in some garlic juice. That usually gets the appetite going. You can also try soaking in some selcon. Tangs need to graze all day. There is no way you will keep up with their feeding needs feeding only pellets unless you are feeding small quantities many times a day.

sjwitt · 06/04/2011, 03:14 PM

Stop feeding the pellets. He'll get hungry and learn to eat the Seaweed. Once he tries it he'll be fine. Then introduce other foods back into the mix.

ScottCRRT · 06/04/2011, 03:49 PM

+1 for soaking it in garlic juice. Works every time.

aleonn · 06/04/2011, 04:10 PM

My tangs were scared of the seaweed clip for 10 days before they learned to eat from it. Garlic is a good idea, they love it!

Palting · 06/04/2011, 04:12 PM

How are you mounting the seaweed on the clip? I used to roll up the seaweed, like a joint or cigarette. But then, the tangs would fight over the two ends, or rip out a large chunk, take a small bite and let the large piece float away. Now, I cut the seaweed into strips, fan them out then put them in the veggie clip. They can then swallow the whole strip if they happen to pull one out.

What kind of veggie clip? I had one in the shape and color of Nemo, and they wouldn't come close to that one. I now use a plain white one, looks like a clothespin.

+1 to witholding the pellets for a day.

GL!

mike5051 · 06/04/2011, 04:16 PM

+1 on the nemo clip! My yellow tang wouldn't go near it. I just soak a piece of nori in some sw then release it in the DT. The tang loves it.

FF Rainwater · 06/04/2011, 06:52 PM

Where do you get garlic juice and also what us nori?

Gary Majchrzak · 06/04/2011, 06:55 PM

what kind of pellets are your Tangs eating, FF?

mike5051 · 06/04/2011, 07:21 PM

Sorry FF,

Nori is the dried/roasted seawead sheets. I use them when I make sushi, but the seawead I feed my tang is the green type from the pet store.

hollister · 06/04/2011, 07:52 PM

My tang would not eat the blue nori but loves the green nori.

davocean · 06/04/2011, 08:02 PM

Most take a bit to get used to dry nori, just soaking it will help.
Once they get used to it they will go crazy for it, wet or dry.

ccalabro · 06/04/2011, 09:18 PM

Just add some herbivore pellets to the mix and they'll be getting all they need nutritionally.

FF Rainwater · 06/04/2011, 09:22 PM

Ok thanks for the info I'm gonna try a few of the above suggestions

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/05/2011, 07:28 AM

What sort of tang are we talking about?

Is there visible algae in the tank it is eating?

Mrs. Gixxerman · 06/05/2011, 07:53 AM

For about a week my tang wouldn't eat from the clip. It acted like the clip was going to reach out and snatch her. She was eating flakes like crazy...but she wouldn't touch the seaweed. She would normally stay in a particular part of the rock work when she wasn't out grazing, so I took a small flat piece of leftover rock from the base rock I used for the tank and rubberbanded the seaweed to it, and placed it near her cave. Within minutes she was eating it.

sjwitt · 06/05/2011, 08:21 AM

^^+1 on the "attaching to a rock" approach.

Mine are all such pigs they eat from my hands so I don't mess with the clip at all. Everything that goes in the tank (clipped or hand feed) is consumed right away.

06/04/2011, 02:14 PM	#1
FF Rainwater Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 121	tang wont touch seaweed??? ive had my tangs for a bout a week and i cant get them interested in eating any seaweed i bought from the store...i got the omega one green colored seaweed from petsmart and put it on a vegi clip and they wont even go near it...they will eat pellets but i keep reading that they need veggies as well...any suggestions?

06/04/2011, 02:41 PM	#3
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	Soak it in some garlic juice. That usually gets the appetite going. You can also try soaking in some selcon. Tangs need to graze all day. There is no way you will keep up with their feeding needs feeding only pellets unless you are feeding small quantities many times a day. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

06/04/2011, 04:12 PM	#7
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	How are you mounting the seaweed on the clip? I used to roll up the seaweed, like a joint or cigarette. But then, the tangs would fight over the two ends, or rip out a large chunk, take a small bite and let the large piece float away. Now, I cut the seaweed into strips, fan them out then put them in the veggie clip. They can then swallow the whole strip if they happen to pull one out. What kind of veggie clip? I had one in the shape and color of Nemo, and they wouldn't come close to that one. I now use a plain white one, looks like a clothespin. +1 to witholding the pellets for a day. GL! __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

06/04/2011, 04:16 PM	#8
mike5051 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Orleans Posts: 162	+1 on the nemo clip! My yellow tang wouldn't go near it. I just soak a piece of nori in some sw then release it in the DT. The tang loves it. __________________ 75g Oceanic RR, 40 breeder sump/fuge. 130lbs LS, 50lbs base rock, 50lbs LR. Reef Octopus NWB 150 Skimmer, Mag 9.5 Return, 2 Koralia Evo 750s, 2 250w MH.

06/04/2011, 06:55 PM	#10
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	what kind of pellets are your Tangs eating, FF? __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

06/04/2011, 02:31 PM	#2
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	get veggie pellets then......

06/04/2011, 03:14 PM	#4
sjwitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA, East Coast Posts: 896	Stop feeding the pellets. He'll get hungry and learn to eat the Seaweed. Once he tries it he'll be fine. Then introduce other foods back into the mix.

06/04/2011, 03:49 PM	#5
ScottCRRT Moved On Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Posts: 33	+1 for soaking it in garlic juice. Works every time.

06/04/2011, 04:10 PM	#6
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	My tangs were scared of the seaweed clip for 10 days before they learned to eat from it. Garlic is a good idea, they love it!

06/04/2011, 06:52 PM	#9
FF Rainwater Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 121	Where do you get garlic juice and also what us nori?

06/04/2011, 07:21 PM	#11
mike5051 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Orleans Posts: 162	Sorry FF, Nori is the dried/roasted seawead sheets. I use them when I make sushi, but the seawead I feed my tang is the green type from the pet store. __________________ 75g Oceanic RR, 40 breeder sump/fuge. 130lbs LS, 50lbs base rock, 50lbs LR. Reef Octopus NWB 150 Skimmer, Mag 9.5 Return, 2 Koralia Evo 750s, 2 250w MH.

06/04/2011, 07:52 PM	#12
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	My tang would not eat the blue nori but loves the green nori.

06/04/2011, 08:02 PM	#13
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Most take a bit to get used to dry nori, just soaking it will help. Once they get used to it they will go crazy for it, wet or dry. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

06/04/2011, 09:18 PM	#14
ccalabro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 57	Just add some herbivore pellets to the mix and they'll be getting all they need nutritionally.

06/04/2011, 09:22 PM	#15
FF Rainwater Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 121	Ok thanks for the info I'm gonna try a few of the above suggestions

06/05/2011, 07:28 AM	#16
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	What sort of tang are we talking about? Is there visible algae in the tank it is eating? __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

06/05/2011, 07:53 AM	#17
Mrs. Gixxerman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Central Virginia Posts: 95	For about a week my tang wouldn't eat from the clip. It acted like the clip was going to reach out and snatch her. She was eating flakes like crazy...but she wouldn't touch the seaweed. She would normally stay in a particular part of the rock work when she wasn't out grazing, so I took a small flat piece of leftover rock from the base rock I used for the tank and rubberbanded the seaweed to it, and placed it near her cave. Within minutes she was eating it.

06/05/2011, 08:21 AM	#18
sjwitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA, East Coast Posts: 896	^^+1 on the "attaching to a rock" approach. Mine are all such pigs they eat from my hands so I don't mess with the clip at all. Everything that goes in the tank (clipped or hand feed) is consumed right away.

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