What and how to feed a tang? Nori, macro, ...?

ToTaLCHaoS13 · 11/03/2006, 09:52 AM

I recently added a tang to my tank and and still learning what and how to feed it. Right now, along with the normal feeding of my other fish with mysis and brine, I am using a clip and feeding sheets of dried algae I bought from the lfs. What does everyone else do? Do you add any macro algaes to the tank for it to eat?

terryfavors · 11/03/2006, 11:05 AM

Romaine Lettuce my tangs love this and the hit it all day long, just about ever fish I have will eat it. The Copper-band Butterfly will even eat it every day. Just a suggestion for you.

MCary · 11/03/2006, 12:23 PM

Tangs are more omnivorous than you might thing. They eat anything. Most tangs don't mess with Calerpa. It proably has to do with the toxins. Gracilaria parvispora is a red macro algae, sometimes called Tang Heaven. Its a great natural food source, but might be difficult to grow. Nori on a clip is always good. Then there are specifics for different Tangs. My Hippo doesn't graze much and likes meaty food over algae. And Naso Tangs like brown macro algae. A nice clump of Sargassum is great for them.

Mostly I feed Formula 2 Flakes for vegatable matter. Let them graze on algae in the tank, and mix it up with mysis and cyclops.

Mike

old salty · 11/03/2006, 12:24 PM

I'll add green and brown algae (nori) as well as meaty foods. They don't seem to be very picky eaters.

kass03 · 11/03/2006, 03:03 PM

My tangs love caulerpa (sailfin, hippos and yellow) but there are some kinds that might not eat it like a kole as they prefer diatom, slime algae.

I grow caulerpa in my sump and put it on a lettuce clip. They seem to prefer the grape and mexicana. I also have some sea lettuce I grow for them but they like the grape and mexicana better.
I did get tang heaven once but they did'nt eat it as readily as caulerpa but did eat it.

They also like broccoli. You need to freeze it first to break up the glucose.
Instead of paying high prices for the LFS veggie sheets you can go to an asian grocery store and get nori sheets for much cheaper. Just be sure it doesnt have any addatives.

Yes they will usually eat anything but do need veggies in their diet. I also add spiralina flakes to my flake food for them.

Also different tangs have different diets and you did'nt mention what kind you have.

kass

11/03/2006, 09:52 AM	#1
ToTaLCHaoS13 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cartersville, GA Posts: 379	What and how to feed a tang? Nori, macro, ...? I recently added a tang to my tank and and still learning what and how to feed it. Right now, along with the normal feeding of my other fish with mysis and brine, I am using a clip and feeding sheets of dried algae I bought from the lfs. What does everyone else do? Do you add any macro algaes to the tank for it to eat?

11/03/2006, 11:05 AM	#2
terryfavors Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5	Romaine Lettuce Romaine Lettuce my tangs love this and the hit it all day long, just about ever fish I have will eat it. The Copper-band Butterfly will even eat it every day. Just a suggestion for you.

11/03/2006, 12:24 PM	#4
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	I'll add green and brown algae (nori) as well as meaty foods. They don't seem to be very picky eaters. __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

11/03/2006, 12:23 PM	#3
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	Tangs are more omnivorous than you might thing. They eat anything. Most tangs don't mess with Calerpa. It proably has to do with the toxins. Gracilaria parvispora is a red macro algae, sometimes called Tang Heaven. Its a great natural food source, but might be difficult to grow. Nori on a clip is always good. Then there are specifics for different Tangs. My Hippo doesn't graze much and likes meaty food over algae. And Naso Tangs like brown macro algae. A nice clump of Sargassum is great for them. Mostly I feed Formula 2 Flakes for vegatable matter. Let them graze on algae in the tank, and mix it up with mysis and cyclops. Mike

11/03/2006, 03:03 PM	#5
kass03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kaukauna, Wi Posts: 2,937	My tangs love caulerpa (sailfin, hippos and yellow) but there are some kinds that might not eat it like a kole as they prefer diatom, slime algae. I grow caulerpa in my sump and put it on a lettuce clip. They seem to prefer the grape and mexicana. I also have some sea lettuce I grow for them but they like the grape and mexicana better. I did get tang heaven once but they did'nt eat it as readily as caulerpa but did eat it. They also like broccoli. You need to freeze it first to break up the glucose. Instead of paying high prices for the LFS veggie sheets you can go to an asian grocery store and get nori sheets for much cheaper. Just be sure it doesnt have any addatives. Yes they will usually eat anything but do need veggies in their diet. I also add spiralina flakes to my flake food for them. Also different tangs have different diets and you did'nt mention what kind you have. kass