Feeding my yellow tang

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BBN

Braves on the Warpath
Apr 3, 2003
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Marion, Illinois
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He hasn't seemed to have touched the lettuce since I bought him Thursday. Will he eventually start eating his lettuce soon or should I drop some algae tabs in there? He has eaten trace amounts of flakes and picks at my rock a little bit. Other than that he's a very active and healthy looking fish. Could it just be he's still adjusting to his environment? Thanks for all your help guys. Orion and others, you are very valuable to this place!!!:)
 

MonoSebaelover

Anableps
Apr 20, 2001
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If he is not eating the above mentioned then I would try some Frozen Formula Two (by Ocean Nutrition) tangs can't resist this (I have found). Can also go to one of your lfs and get some dried seaweed. They also can't resist that. If that doesn't work then get some Caluerpa or some live algae that he can pick at. BTW, make sure you freeze the lettuce before giving it to them to make sure their digestive system can process it. Other than that time will be the key factor.
 

makai

big kahuna
Nov 27, 2002
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**MY EXPERIANCE**

This friday...bought a 1.5" long yellow tang. This little guy was in perfect condition. Wouldn't eat seaweed and algae cubes and not even flake. All this weekend i've been trying to get him to eat. SUNDAY NIGHT!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!!!

Believe it or not... a frozen brine "gumdrop"...melted in ZOE

vegatarian shmarian...
 

OrionGirl

No freelancing!
Aug 14, 2001
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Keep in mind that the tang needs to have some source of food to graze at all day long. I've been convinced that primarily herbivore fish don't have the intestinal capacity to hold a large meal, the way that predators and omnivores do. They need to constantly nibble small amounts so they can digest all day long. If you can get him to eat a quality algae wafer, I don't think it would hurt. Leave the lettuce (spinach is a good choice too--avoid iceberg) in for a while. It takes a while for fish to learn to identify something as food, and if you pull it out right away, it may never learn.

Makai--I would still work on getting the tang eating something green. Just because it will eat the brine doesn't mean the brine meets it's nutritional needs. Think about cookies--most people will eat them, but it's not the best diet.
 

makai

big kahuna
Nov 27, 2002
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Very true indeed OrionGirl.....

The point of message was not there....

thats what happens while posting between calls in a call center

The brine was just the start. Tonight i got him to eat flake. Tommorow some algae cubes. I use tap water, and the sun hits my tank in the late afternoon. This giving plenty of algae, on the never cleaned back glass, to graze on. this i watched just 5 minutes ago.

Sorry for not being clear.
 

OrionGirl

No freelancing!
Aug 14, 2001
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Okay--just wanted to make sure! Seen too many people thrilled when a fish eats live brine, so they don't try anything else, and wonder why the fish is ailing a few months later.


:)
 
Formula II

Hi,

I'd just like to echo the thoughts regarding the Formula II frozen cubes. These work like a charm and contain all the nutrients necessary to keep your tang alive and healthy. :) I also think grazing is important - which is why I've always kept razor caulerpa in the main tank.

A few pinches of any reputable flake food make for a quick cheap snack as well. We used to do two cubes of Formula II every other night and supplement with other foods (community tank) in between.

Most people who keep tangs actually have them quite undernourished - a point along the lines of Orion girl's thoughts. Tangs in the wild are huge and fat. In our tanks they are quite gaunt by comparison. Many years ago people strived to put minimal amounts of food in the tanks. There was always this "issue" of polluting tanks and causing mass amounts of waste buildup. Tanks with sandbeds can process extremely efficiently, and we should never skimp on our fishes diets in order to "not pollute" the tanks.

Ideally, small gradual feedings throughout the day are better than one massive feeding per day since more of the food gets to the fish as opposed to the cleanup crews. ;)

The old idea of feed your fish as much as they will eat in 5 minutes has always been a successful method - but I think the happiest fish are those that get this "meal" at least a couple of times a day. You can "mix" the foods up, but again I must recommend the Formula II frozen as a mainstay; it's worked superbly for me for years.

There is this really neat "device" which I think is appropriate to mention. It is this floating "rectangle" - basically a plastic rectangle surrounded with foam so it floats on the surface of your tank. You can then drop your pinches of flake in it, and they gradually "soak and sink" to the tank. This helps prevent food from disappearing instantly into the overflows. ;) It makes feeding much more convenient. These should be in the food area of bigger fish stores. Probably the neatest "tool" for feeding I've ever used. :)

Good luck with the tang - they shouldn't be picky eaters, but as mentioned - we need to be responsible and ensure they get a well-balanced diet.
 

BBN

Braves on the Warpath
Apr 3, 2003
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Marion, Illinois
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Hey guys update here. I had the romain lettuce and froze it like you told me. He didn't hardly touch it for a couple of days and suddenly he's been chowing down all day today. Thanks for your help!!!:)
 
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