Feeding a mature tang

artieg · 02/28/2018, 06:31 PM

Have several tangs that I picked up as juveniles (clown, purple, naso), all eat everything I put in the tank. Saw a beautiful full-ish grown orange shoulder tang (8 inches) at LFS and bought it. It went on a hunger strike for a few days, then started eating. But it is just not eating enough. It is the largest fish in the tank by far, but it is growing visibly skinny. Eats nori, but it is way too submissive to get the lion's share. Won't touch dry food, won't touch mysis shrimp, will eat scallop portion of frozen reef preparation. Won't touch hair algae in tank. Totally weird.

Is the lesson just "buy small"? Anything else to consider?

Pet Detective · 02/28/2018, 06:38 PM

Did you ask what the LFS fed it? Tangs are omnivores and like most fish opportunistic eaters, I would try doubling up on the Nori, since that's what it likes the most.

I've found in my general experience it is almost always better to purchase a juvenile, much better odds of it living a long life in my tanks.

Good Luck, i hope it makes it.

skimjim · 02/28/2018, 06:55 PM

See if your local grocer has DE-SHELLED mussels. Freeze them.

Place frozen mussels in a ziplock bag and pound the mussels into smaller pieces with a meat pounder or a hammer from your garage. Place kitchen towel over ziplick bag before pounding.

Feed the mussels that are busted up into small chunks.

Ive yet to see i fish not take to the sweet taste of mussels. I feed all my fish musseel chunks 1x a day. My tangs all have BEER GUTS theyre so chubby from pure mussel meat. Lol

AlSimmons · 02/28/2018, 06:58 PM

Exactly how are you feeding the Nori? If it's from a clip you might want to cut it up into small pieces and feed like you would flake food instead. Make sure to soak it in a cup of water beforehand though to soften it up and make sure it doesn't float. If it's not getting it's fair share then throw food in on both sides of the tank. Thin out the herd so to say. Hopefully it will come around and starting eating other foods as well. GL.

Joe0813 · 02/28/2018, 06:59 PM

going to have to give the mussels a go just for kicks

Reefer40b · 03/01/2018, 01:55 AM

Buy multiple algae clips to spread out feeding

The way i make nori,
I use masstick mixed with selcon then i spread that mixture on the nori usually use both red and green type algae sheets
Then fold it up tight and put small cuts in it with scissors so they can't just rip huge pieces off.

It gives them a full diet and can bring him back for sure. Maybe look at his poop too, may have internal parasites...

I also feed mixture of a bunch of different frozen foods. Rods, lrs etc

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

crawlerman · 03/01/2018, 07:15 AM

See if you can find a live macro algae he would eat. One of my LFS sells lettuce algae and my tangs love it. Live brine can also get them started eating.

Dmorty217 · 03/01/2018, 09:03 AM

Stress related I would guess. I would argue that a Naso, clown and orange shoulder can't coexist in a 200g together. The Naso and orange shoulder both should have tanks larger than that.

Joe0813 · 03/01/2018, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmorty217

Stress related I would guess. I would argue that a Naso, clown and orange shoulder can't coexist in a 200g together. The Naso and orange shoulder both should have tanks larger than that.

I thought nasos were fine in a 180? or atleast that's why LA has them for min.

Dmorty217 · 03/02/2018, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe0813

I thought nasos were fine in a 180? or atleast that's why LA has them for min.

That is LA min but I would want to provide more than the minimum. I have see show size Nasos and they should be in something larger (longer and wider)

Joe0813 · 03/02/2018, 08:37 AM

I'd love to get a naso but I also have seen some huge nasos and wouldn't put them in my 180

sdweller · 03/02/2018, 12:19 PM

It has been many years since I had my tank up and running but am working in
that direction , have acquired a lot of new filtration items as a result of this web-site .
I loved tangs in my 125g clarity plus tank . I am not sure if they still sell the product
but it was Tenera Blue , natural sea algae . You would clip it to the side of the tank in
multiple locations . If I remember it seemed to do the trick . I think the company was
located in Boca Raton . Good Luck !
Sea Dwellers

02/28/2018, 06:31 PM	#1
artieg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 66	Feeding a mature tang Have several tangs that I picked up as juveniles (clown, purple, naso), all eat everything I put in the tank. Saw a beautiful full-ish grown orange shoulder tang (8 inches) at LFS and bought it. It went on a hunger strike for a few days, then started eating. But it is just not eating enough. It is the largest fish in the tank by far, but it is growing visibly skinny. Eats nori, but it is way too submissive to get the lion's share. Won't touch dry food, won't touch mysis shrimp, will eat scallop portion of frozen reef preparation. Won't touch hair algae in tank. Totally weird. Is the lesson just "buy small"? Anything else to consider? __________________ 200 gallon peninsula, mixed reef 180 gallon sump, large skimmer, U/V sterilizer Three 72-inch Reefbrite XHO LED strips

02/28/2018, 06:58 PM	#4
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	Exactly how are you feeding the Nori? If it's from a clip you might want to cut it up into small pieces and feed like you would flake food instead. Make sure to soak it in a cup of water beforehand though to soften it up and make sure it doesn't float. If it's not getting it's fair share then throw food in on both sides of the tank. Thin out the herd so to say. Hopefully it will come around and starting eating other foods as well. GL. Last edited by AlSimmons; 03/01/2018 at 11:19 AM.

02/28/2018, 06:59 PM	#5
Joe0813 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Boston strong Posts: 2,766	going to have to give the mussels a go just for kicks __________________ Joe and Jenny Current Tank Info: 180 reef

03/01/2018, 01:55 AM	#6
Reefer40b Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 248	Buy multiple algae clips to spread out feeding The way i make nori, I use masstick mixed with selcon then i spread that mixture on the nori usually use both red and green type algae sheets Then fold it up tight and put small cuts in it with scissors so they can't just rip huge pieces off. It gives them a full diet and can bring him back for sure. Maybe look at his poop too, may have internal parasites... I also feed mixture of a bunch of different frozen foods. Rods, lrs etc Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk __________________ 180gal build custom stand, Photon V2's 32in/T5 Supplements B+ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2644 200 gal frag system. T5 C+B+ combo Owner Hidden Treasure Corals LLC

03/01/2018, 09:03 AM	#8
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	Stress related I would guess. I would argue that a Naso, clown and orange shoulder can't coexist in a 200g together. The Naso and orange shoulder both should have tanks larger than that. __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

02/28/2018, 06:38 PM	#2
Pet Detective Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 328	Did you ask what the LFS fed it? Tangs are omnivores and like most fish opportunistic eaters, I would try doubling up on the Nori, since that's what it likes the most. I've found in my general experience it is almost always better to purchase a juvenile, much better odds of it living a long life in my tanks. Good Luck, i hope it makes it.

02/28/2018, 06:55 PM	#3
skimjim Registered Member. Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 513	See if your local grocer has DE-SHELLED mussels. Freeze them. Place frozen mussels in a ziplock bag and pound the mussels into smaller pieces with a meat pounder or a hammer from your garage. Place kitchen towel over ziplick bag before pounding. Feed the mussels that are busted up into small chunks. Ive yet to see i fish not take to the sweet taste of mussels. I feed all my fish musseel chunks 1x a day. My tangs all have BEER GUTS theyre so chubby from pure mussel meat. Lol

03/01/2018, 07:15 AM	#7
crawlerman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 503	See if you can find a live macro algae he would eat. One of my LFS sells lettuce algae and my tangs love it. Live brine can also get them started eating.

03/02/2018, 08:37 AM	#11
Joe0813 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Boston strong Posts: 2,766	I'd love to get a naso but I also have seen some huge nasos and wouldn't put them in my 180 __________________ Joe and Jenny Current Tank Info: 180 reef

03/02/2018, 12:19 PM	#12
sdweller Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Key Largo, Florida Posts: 51	It has been many years since I had my tank up and running but am working in that direction , have acquired a lot of new filtration items as a result of this web-site . I loved tangs in my 125g clarity plus tank . I am not sure if they still sell the product but it was Tenera Blue , natural sea algae . You would clip it to the side of the tank in multiple locations . If I remember it seemed to do the trick . I think the company was located in Boca Raton . Good Luck ! Sea Dwellers