Feeding Powders?

[yamanjazz]

i have used a liquid that encourages the growth of green macro-algae to provide a food source for my tang. it now grazes on the LR and its seems quite happy. but i noticed that it does not even try to eat the food that i put in for the other fish, not even taste it. i was wondering what i could use as a good food source for my powder blue tang. can anyone help me on this one? thanks in advance

 

[Oliver]

Alot of fish like to eat nori, this is the seaweed that is used to make sushi.

 

[FloridaBoy]

Hmm, you know I help out aquarists on two different forums and I see this question a LOT... usually a variation on the theme, "I have no idea what to feed my fish, to which my standard reply is, "What was it eating at the LFS?" There's a lesson for all here; never purchase a marine fish that is not chowing down at the LFS; and I don't mean nibbling/tasting/picking at rocks/sampling and spitting out, etc. etc. I mean chowing down.
This is why I will never purhcase a mail order marine fish; if I can't see them eat, I don't buy them, period. If it was eating at the LFS, and you are offering the same food, then there is a good chance you have a water quality issue or other enviro problem; could be aggression or some other issue but something is usually wrong if a fish stops feeding, and it's generally considered a bad sign.

 

[yamanjazz]

thanks Oliver. i understand where your coming from FB and i also thank you for the info you have shared wih me. i just wanted to say that this fish was purchased buy a friend of mine, and the reason that he gave me the fish is because he was afraid that he could not look after it. he got it from a shop from South Cyprus where they did not provide any help on how to care for the fish. he regrets buying it but cant return it so he asked me if would care for it, his tank is not even cycled yet. i said ill take it and try my best to save it from HIM. the reason for my explination is so you guys dont think im careless about my fish. once again, id like to thank you for your consern on this matter.

 

[Oliver]

try some nori, zucchini(spelling?) and any other vegetable that is recomended from marine sites. It may take them a while to get used to it, my foxface dosn't like nori yet but I am hoping he will get arround to it, it is great for them. good luck, the PB tang looks great . Has it got itch yet, when it does(almost always do), just keep giving it food and make sure it eats, there are many remedies but I am told to just make sure they eat, and keep an eye on them.

 

[yamanjazz]

Cheers Oliver no itch yet(hope it never does), ill try the nori, im going to london on friday im hoping to find some good food for my fish there.

 

[Max]

You could get a 10 put in in a window and grow calupera or other macro's and thread algae on it. Just sort of rotate rocks in and out. The problem with terrestrial vegies is that they have a lot of nitrates that may cause an algae bloom in your tank," the additive you're putting in your tank is fertaliser by the way you might be better off growing an algae farm in another tank."

 

[FloridaBoy]

Excellent idea Maxilaria, green algae is the key here.
I have also heard good things about Julian Sprung's brand called
Sea Veggies.

 

[Oliver]

thats a great idea, I think I may start a algea farm. Is it ok to just get a tank, put some rock in there and put it in direct sunlight, then when the rock is lush with algea, place it in the aquarium??

 

[yamanjazz]

cheers maxilaria, that sounds like a very good idea. i think i will do that.

Just one porblem, i think my tang has itch. this has nothing to do with the original thread subject, but i didnt not want to start a new one. i have never treated itch before. it seems to be eating and looking for food. it is not rubbing on anything, but it does have white spots on it. so i assume it is itch. ill have to do some research on that, any info you guys can give me would be very helpful. thanks