I need help getting a Gold Rim Tang to eat

FourWindsDealer · 05/10/2009, 07:10 PM

I thought it was a Powder Brown when I bought it..... It's a 6" Gold Rim Tang,(nigricans) and it's beautiful........ BUT........ I can't get it to eat. After researching this fish online, I see this is not unusual, and the fish is considered difficult to keep past 3 months. I've had it since Wednesday, and aside from seeing it pick at rocks occasionally, it hasn't accepted any food offerings. It's passed on nori, frozen mysis, "emerald cuisine", and brine shrimp. I'm starting to worry a bit about the fish not eating. It seems comfortable in my 120 (only a couple small fairy wrasses in it now), and swims constantly. It still looks healthy, full and plump, but I wonder for how long if I cannot get it to eat. I've heard of garlic and other things being used to stimulate a fish's appetite, but have no idea how to use it (them). A little help ?

edgex · 05/10/2009, 08:06 PM

Soak food for 10 minutes before feeding.I bought fresh garlic and pressed it into small bottle of really hot water.After it sits overnight I put 5 drops of the liquid garlic in the food that has defrosted.I also soak the seaweed in garlic before feeding.Tangs really eat greens and pick at rocks all day in the wild you need to simulate their natral food source,garlic is the human twist that seems to work.Also food soaked in selcon is good too

oxymoron · 05/10/2009, 08:43 PM

Pick up a bottle of the extract at your lfs and use as directed.
Will more than likely tell you to add a couple drops to your food and soak.
Maybe try bloodworms if you havn't yet. Also I have heard of some having success wrapping a sheet of algae around a rock and droping it in the tank. If hes picking at rocks this might trick him into eating the algae until you can get him on something else.
Hope this helps. Good luck

Toddrtrex · 05/10/2009, 10:14 PM

I had one for about 3 years, sold it when I moved because it was getting too big for my 75, and didn't feel right about keeping it in there.

Anyways, mine started to eat the 2nd day I had it. I can't remember all the foods that I gave it, but I do recall it loving LifeLine's Herbivore mix, and pretty much anything else I put in the tank.

If you can get it, true some Rod's food, all of my fish love it --- even picky eaters.

the_rider · 05/10/2009, 11:01 PM

Ya, mine didn't ate much the first day, second day a little bit more and etc. I have him since Tuesday, he eat mysis soaked in Garlic like crazy but not has much flakes but he seems to eat a little bit more each day.

When I take my frozen mysis out, i put maybe 1/8 of a cap on the mysis and let it thaw at room temp. Then I use a plastic spoon to serve only mysis, not the water and the garlic.

crooks · 05/10/2009, 11:10 PM

I have a powder brown that was picky for the first 3-4 days. I put some nori with garlic on a small rock and wrapped it with a rubber band seemed to work good and I still feed like this so I dont have to look at those nori clips in my tank.

RandalB · 05/11/2009, 03:37 AM

Chopped up clams or mussels. Several people I know have had luck with Majestic angels and Achilles tangs using them...

HTH,
RandalB

njdevilsfan · 05/11/2009, 05:08 AM

try roamine rip it up in tiny pieces and drop them in
dried bllod worms and try some danchii baby sized sinking pellets
good luck keep up us to date on this please

Anemonebuff · 05/11/2009, 09:15 AM

My Kole tang only ate seaweed sheets at first, now he eats mysis, brine shrimp, and blood worms. It seems he learned to eat it from watching the other fish.

hottuna · 05/11/2009, 11:35 AM

try cyclopeeze...I have a picky tang that got started on that after a while...

05/10/2009, 07:10 PM	#1
FourWindsDealer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Michiana Posts: 82	I need help getting a Gold Rim Tang to eat I thought it was a Powder Brown when I bought it..... It's a 6" Gold Rim Tang,(nigricans) and it's beautiful........ BUT........ I can't get it to eat. After researching this fish online, I see this is not unusual, and the fish is considered difficult to keep past 3 months. I've had it since Wednesday, and aside from seeing it pick at rocks occasionally, it hasn't accepted any food offerings. It's passed on nori, frozen mysis, "emerald cuisine", and brine shrimp. I'm starting to worry a bit about the fish not eating. It seems comfortable in my 120 (only a couple small fairy wrasses in it now), and swims constantly. It still looks healthy, full and plump, but I wonder for how long if I cannot get it to eat. I've heard of garlic and other things being used to stimulate a fish's appetite, but have no idea how to use it (them). A little help ?

05/10/2009, 10:14 PM	#4
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	I had one for about 3 years, sold it when I moved because it was getting too big for my 75, and didn't feel right about keeping it in there. Anyways, mine started to eat the 2nd day I had it. I can't remember all the foods that I gave it, but I do recall it loving LifeLine's Herbivore mix, and pretty much anything else I put in the tank. If you can get it, true some Rod's food, all of my fish love it --- even picky eaters. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

05/10/2009, 11:01 PM	#5
the_rider Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 449	Ya, mine didn't ate much the first day, second day a little bit more and etc. I have him since Tuesday, he eat mysis soaked in Garlic like crazy but not has much flakes but he seems to eat a little bit more each day. When I take my frozen mysis out, i put maybe 1/8 of a cap on the mysis and let it thaw at room temp. Then I use a plastic spoon to serve only mysis, not the water and the garlic. __________________ DT (The Zen Garden): Miracles Custom Rimless 155G (60x30x20) Marinetech Sump full equip 80G Marinetech 3200 GPH Deltec SC2560 Tunze 2x6105, 2x6055 2xKoralia 4 (In sump) Profilux III ATI Sunpower 6x54W + BLAU 6x54W FRAG : Miracles Custom Rimless (24x24x12) Illumagic M-60S Koralia 4 Live: Fish :One Spot Foxface, CBB, Trio of Royal Gramma, Borbonius Anthias, Multicolor Angel, Multifasciatus Angel, Semi-Picasso Pair

05/11/2009, 03:37 AM	#7
RandalB Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cedar Lake, IN Posts: 1,958	Chopped up clams or mussels. Several people I know have had luck with Majestic angels and Achilles tangs using them... HTH, RandalB __________________ Have Membrane, Will Travel... Current Tank Info: 32 Biocube, 30 Half circle, 120 in wall coming soon all reefs

05/11/2009, 05:08 AM	#8
njdevilsfan Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: texas Posts: 658	try roamine rip it up in tiny pieces and drop them in dried bllod worms and try some danchii baby sized sinking pellets good luck keep up us to date on this please __________________ SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS Current Tank Info: 210lps,75anemone,60frag,20

05/10/2009, 08:06 PM	#2
edgex Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: south salem ny Posts: 68	Soak food for 10 minutes before feeding.I bought fresh garlic and pressed it into small bottle of really hot water.After it sits overnight I put 5 drops of the liquid garlic in the food that has defrosted.I also soak the seaweed in garlic before feeding.Tangs really eat greens and pick at rocks all day in the wild you need to simulate their natral food source,garlic is the human twist that seems to work.Also food soaked in selcon is good too

05/10/2009, 08:43 PM	#3
oxymoron Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada Posts: 91	Pick up a bottle of the extract at your lfs and use as directed. Will more than likely tell you to add a couple drops to your food and soak. Maybe try bloodworms if you havn't yet. Also I have heard of some having success wrapping a sheet of algae around a rock and droping it in the tank. If hes picking at rocks this might trick him into eating the algae until you can get him on something else. Hope this helps. Good luck

05/10/2009, 11:10 PM	#6
crooks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elgin IL Posts: 1,346	I have a powder brown that was picky for the first 3-4 days. I put some nori with garlic on a small rock and wrapped it with a rubber band seemed to work good and I still feed like this so I dont have to look at those nori clips in my tank.

05/11/2009, 09:15 AM	#9
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,877	My Kole tang only ate seaweed sheets at first, now he eats mysis, brine shrimp, and blood worms. It seems he learned to eat it from watching the other fish.

05/11/2009, 11:35 AM	#10
hottuna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 1,248	try cyclopeeze...I have a picky tang that got started on that after a while... __________________ HotTuna