I need help getting a Gold Rim Tang to eat....

**Jim in Michiana** · 05-10-2009, 8:11 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 ?

**RajunCajun06** · 05-11-2009, 12:47 AM

Garlic sometimes helps to get them to eat and can even help with ick. jury's still out on that though. Anways go to the store and buy a thing of minced garlic and simply use the juice from that. Let the food soak in it for 5-10 minutes then dump into the tank. You are right gold rims are hard to keep as well are powder blues and browns can prove challenging as well. Good luck hope he starts eating.

**CichlidWrangler** · 05-11-2009, 1:12 AM

Originally Posted by RajunCajun06

Garlic sometimes helps to get them to eat and can even help with ick. jury's still out on that though. Anways go to the store and buy a thing of minced garlic and simply use the juice from that. Let the food soak in it for 5-10 minutes then dump into the tank. You are right gold rims are hard to keep as well are powder blues and browns can prove challenging as well. Good luck hope he starts eating.

ich doesnt exist in saltwater

there is another infection that LOOKS a bit like ich.. but it is in no way related to ich

sadly.. it is often mistaken for ich, and in turn treated improperly

**fsn77** · 05-11-2009, 8:53 AM

If you decide to try food additives to help stimulate a feeding response, Selcon works well. There are some other types of seaweed besides nori (mostly available at LFSs) you may also want to try -- reds and browns.

**kyryah** · 05-11-2009, 9:47 AM

I really know nothing about saltwater, so just throwing this out there...

I know some FW people take algae pellets and powder them, mix it with hot water and gelatin, coat rocks with the mixture, and let it set up. If you have seen the fish picking at the rocks.... Maybe that is an option?

Kristina

**saltydunc** · 05-11-2009, 1:16 PM

Its probably just taking some time to settle in,when i introduced my powder blue tang it took around a week to start eating some brine shrimp...now it eats anything i put in the tank.
Try some brown algae sheets on a clip they love that.

**RajunCajun06** · 05-11-2009, 3:48 PM

Originally Posted by CichlidWrangler

ich doesnt exist in saltwater

there is another infection that LOOKS a bit like ich.. but it is in no way related to ich

sadly.. it is often mistaken for ich, and in turn treated improperly

Well related or not i have been in saltwater for a while and a member of many saltwater networks and every one refers to it as ich/marine ich. whatever you want to call it whitespot disease. They call it ich because the fish displays iching behavior in an attempt to get the parasite off.

Anyways just like garlic seeps out of your pours it will do the same on fish. Just hopefully if you have any pairs of fish one will not be ban to the other side of the tank by its significant other.

**Jim in Michiana** · 05-12-2009, 5:00 PM

After 6 days, it has started to take frozen brine shrimp. It still refuses mysis and other meaty foods. I am hopefull that it will begin to eat normally soon.