My fish arent eating the lettuce at all. Was in there all day and not a touch. I have a Yellow Tang, Coral Beauty Angel, Azure Damsel, Yellowtail Damsel, 2 Oscellaris Clowns, 2 Blue/Green Chromis, a Fridmani's Pseudichromis, and a yellow watchman goby. Its a 135 gallon tank. Is this normal??
Romaine Lettuce
- Thread starter Juthunter28
- Start date
Well, if it's the first time you've put it in the tank, I wouldn't be too surprised that no one went for it. I'd expect the tang to snack on it, but none of your other fish would likely have any interest in it. Lettuce has little or no nutritional value for fish though, so even if your tang ate it, he wouldn't get any real benefit from it. Check the Asian Food section in a major supermarket and see if they carry dried nori (sushi wrap) sheets - my tang goes nuts for the stuff!
Okay now I was at the boston aquarium and was told by their workers that romain lettuce was close in quality to seaweed and is what they feed their sea turtles. I even saw the turtle munching away on some.
Only ice berge lettuce is worthless, most of the lettuces are actually quite nutritious.
Was the lettuce floating? I know tangs like to pick at rocks all day. Try sinking it with a weight or something. The Tang might be more interested in it that way.
Only ice berge lettuce is worthless, most of the lettuces are actually quite nutritious.
Was the lettuce floating? I know tangs like to pick at rocks all day. Try sinking it with a weight or something. The Tang might be more interested in it that way.
To compare some greens:
Nori
Laver, 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp)
Calories: 3.5
Protein: 0.58g
Carbohydrate: 0.51g
Total Fat: 0.028g
Fiber: 0.03g
Spinach
Spinach, 1 cup (50g) (raw)
Calories: 6.6
Protein: 0.86g
Carbohydrate: 1.0g
Total Fat: 0.105g
Fiber: 0.810g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A (2,014 IU)
*Good source of: Vitamin C (8.4mg), and Folate (58mcg)
Romaine
Romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup (35g) (raw, shredded)
Calories: 3.9
Protein: 0.45g
Carbohydrate: 0.66g
Total Fat: 0.056g
Fiber: 0.47g
*Good source of: Vitamin C (6.7mg), and Vitamin A (728 IU)
Iceberg
Iceberg lettuce (raw, shredded), 1 cup (56g)
Calories: 6.6
Protein: 0.55g
Carbohydrate: 1.15g
Total Fat: 0.104g
Fiber: 0.77g
Red leaf
Red leaf lettuce, 1/2 cup (28g) (raw, shredded)
Calories: 5
Protein: 0.36g
Carbohydrate: 0.98g
Total Fat: 0.08g
Fiber: 0.53g
*Good source of: Vitamin A (532 IU)
Bok Choy
Bok choy, 3 oz. (85g)
Calories: 14
Protein: 1.0g
Carbohydrate: 2.73g
Total Fat: 0.18g
Fiber: 0.84g
These are not all the same suggested serving sizes, unfortunately. However, it is very clear that nori has more calories, protien, and carbohydrates than lettuces. It also has less fiber. But I'd think that there are many vegetables that could work if you try not to overdo any one nutritional aspect. For instance, broccoli florets.
Broccoli
Broccoli (raw), 1 cup (133g)
Calories: 25
Protein: 2.6g
Carbohydrate: 4.6g
Total Fat: 0.31g
Fiber: 2.6g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin C (82mg), and Vitamin A (1,357 IU)
*Good source of: Folate (62.5mcg)
Here is where I just checked the comparative nutritional values:
http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/healthnotes.cfm?ContentID=1987000#Food-Contents-List
Nori
Laver, 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp)
Calories: 3.5
Protein: 0.58g
Carbohydrate: 0.51g
Total Fat: 0.028g
Fiber: 0.03g
Spinach
Spinach, 1 cup (50g) (raw)
Calories: 6.6
Protein: 0.86g
Carbohydrate: 1.0g
Total Fat: 0.105g
Fiber: 0.810g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A (2,014 IU)
*Good source of: Vitamin C (8.4mg), and Folate (58mcg)
Romaine
Romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup (35g) (raw, shredded)
Calories: 3.9
Protein: 0.45g
Carbohydrate: 0.66g
Total Fat: 0.056g
Fiber: 0.47g
*Good source of: Vitamin C (6.7mg), and Vitamin A (728 IU)
Iceberg
Iceberg lettuce (raw, shredded), 1 cup (56g)
Calories: 6.6
Protein: 0.55g
Carbohydrate: 1.15g
Total Fat: 0.104g
Fiber: 0.77g
Red leaf
Red leaf lettuce, 1/2 cup (28g) (raw, shredded)
Calories: 5
Protein: 0.36g
Carbohydrate: 0.98g
Total Fat: 0.08g
Fiber: 0.53g
*Good source of: Vitamin A (532 IU)
Bok Choy
Bok choy, 3 oz. (85g)
Calories: 14
Protein: 1.0g
Carbohydrate: 2.73g
Total Fat: 0.18g
Fiber: 0.84g
These are not all the same suggested serving sizes, unfortunately. However, it is very clear that nori has more calories, protien, and carbohydrates than lettuces. It also has less fiber. But I'd think that there are many vegetables that could work if you try not to overdo any one nutritional aspect. For instance, broccoli florets.
Broccoli
Broccoli (raw), 1 cup (133g)
Calories: 25
Protein: 2.6g
Carbohydrate: 4.6g
Total Fat: 0.31g
Fiber: 2.6g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin C (82mg), and Vitamin A (1,357 IU)
*Good source of: Folate (62.5mcg)
Here is where I just checked the comparative nutritional values:
http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/healthnotes.cfm?ContentID=1987000#Food-Contents-List
i buy stuff called seaweed salad. its 100% dried natural seaweed, at least thats what it says on the package. its analysis goes like this
crude protein....................... 31%minimum
crude fat.............................. 4% minumum
crude fiber............................ 17% max
moisture............................... 8% max
ash....................................... 8% max
dont know how that adds up to the rest but it seems to work for my 2 tangs so far. my turbo snails love it too.
crude protein....................... 31%minimum
crude fat.............................. 4% minumum
crude fiber............................ 17% max
moisture............................... 8% max
ash....................................... 8% max
dont know how that adds up to the rest but it seems to work for my 2 tangs so far. my turbo snails love it too.
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Keep in mind that marine herbavores do not have the right digestive enzymes to digest the cellulose in terrestrial veggies... it may provide some behavioral stimulation but I wouldn't expect them to gain any nutritional benefit from them.
redpaulhus hits the nail on the head. The fish can't really digest lettuce, no matter how nutritious. I just go to the store or chinese foods store and buy nori. But the clowns, damsels, chromis, goby and dottyback are all zooplankton feeders so they just aren't interested.
All I know is that the Boston Aquarium feeds lettuce to sea turtles.
I also know that people on this board feed their fish veggies all the time, which includes cucumber, zucchini and lettuce.
I also know that people on this board feed their fish veggies all the time, which includes cucumber, zucchini and lettuce.
Keep in mind that marine herbavores do not have the right digestive enzymes to digest the cellulose in terrestrial veggies
Neither do humans. Yet we still derive some benefit, I'd say.
Only a subset of terrestrial herbivores can digest cellulose. Most that can actually have multiple stomaches or eat their own droppings to get nuitrition out of it. Yet, even true carnivores (like great cats) eat plant material for the parts that they can digest and the roughage.
Terrestrial vegetables probably shouldn't be the only food given to marine herbivores, but they aren't void of nutrients.
Neither do humans. Yet we still derive some benefit, I'd say.
Only a subset of terrestrial herbivores can digest cellulose. Most that can actually have multiple stomaches or eat their own droppings to get nuitrition out of it. Yet, even true carnivores (like great cats) eat plant material for the parts that they can digest and the roughage.
Terrestrial vegetables probably shouldn't be the only food given to marine herbivores, but they aren't void of nutrients.