Tangs not feeding?

[RobCanada]

Ok, I've stocked my reef tank with 4 new yellow tangs and a blue regal tang, and some other fish...
Everything's great, all the fish are happy, healthy... Except I've put in some romaine for the tangs, but they won't feed on it. I've seen some of my damsels nibble on it, thus its been seen, but my tangs just pick on my live rock all day. Now I know there's not enough growing on those rocks to sustain them... they must be starving. I've moved the leaf twice, and nothing??? I've had many tangs before, and they would live off the leaf until it was mincemeat, but these guys? Could it be they're fresh from the ocean and don't know any better?
I'm a little concerned as I feel they aren't eating enough. My other fish are too fast for the yellow tangs to get any frozen food, except for the blue guy! Wow he can swim... but I'd hope he too would take some greens?
Any ideas... I know, I know (nori, nori) I want to make sure they'll eat first before going to Chinatown?
Suggestions?
Thanks,
Rob

 

[EmilyB]

Well, besides the, crap I hope that's a big tank.....

If you haven't seen them take anything, you've got to feed some live brine. That will get them going. OSI spirulina flake I recommend after that, and I would demand that visit to get the nori......

 

[Stars360]

If you want to jump start there feeding why dont you feed them some live macro algae. I personally grow and feed to my tangs. Grape Calurpa, Razor (Prolifera) Calurpa, and Gracillaria (Red Macroalgae). If you want email me and i would be more then happy to sell you some of mine my email address is [email protected]

 

[SPC]

Rob, what size tank are these fish in?
Steve

 

[Mac1]

Ditto everything Stars360 said. Go to your local health food store, get some unflavored Nori (if Mail ordering it, try BrineShrimpDirect.com), a lettuce clip, and toss that terrestrial plant material in the garbage.. those fish have never seen Romaine, Spinach, Icebarg, or any other kind of lettuce before in their life.

- Mac

 

[RobCanada]

The tank is a 250 gallon. I think I'll put in some brine this morning, and see if they go for it. I'll go get the nori tonight and try again tomorrow morning. I've had tangs do well (I guess moderartley well since they're no longer here) on romaine, I guess I had hoped for more.
Thanks,
Anthing else...
I appreciate all your suggestions!
Robert

 

[jdeets]

Rob--did you blanch the romaine first? If you didn't blanch it first, they won't be particularly interested in it. Just an attempt to explain why they might not be going for it, and not to promote feeding romaine. I also strongly urge you to make that trip to Chinatown...

 

[RobCanada]

Ok, I've added the nori, and my fish (Except the tangs) dove right in. I'm looking at the leaf of nori right now and the tangs are swimming right by it?
I'll give it until the morning to see if over the next 16 hours if they take any.
Thanks,
Rob

 

[davelin315]

The fact that you put 4 yellows in at the same time might be causing them to fight each other to establish dominance, which might be preoccupying them from eating anything you offer. If they're picking on the rock, take some of whatever you regularly feed and push it into the rock. Hopefully, they'll pick at it, and learn that it's food. I don't feed nori (ate it a lot in sushi and in soup) too often, maybe once every couple of months, but my fish have never looked skinny enough to make me think that I needed to do it. IMO, mine look better than my friend's, who feeds them those tang heaven macroalgaes from IPSF. I feed OSI spirulina flake, and I'll drop some OSI marine pellet/stars in there for my jawfish which the tangs will pick at, and once in a while, I'll grind up some shrimp and toss it in there for them (live brine once in a great while for a treat). Don't worry about your tangs too much, unless they get really skinny and are fighting, the stress will kill them, but if they settle into a pattern, and leave each other alone, they should start eating and recover whatever mass they've lost.

 

[danmhippo]

I used to feed mine spiruna (sp??) flakes exclusively soaked in selcon. Been doing that for the last couple years. Until about a month ago, that I have some leftover cooking nori that's getting old, I say, what the heck, I feed them to the tangs. At first, tangs are not interested in it, as they probably have never seen a sheet of red seaweed before their life. I left it there for 2 days, and next morning it was gone. I placed another sheet there, and soon, I see my sailfin and purple nibbling at it. Give them some time to get used to the prepared food, and soon enough, you will see them feasting on it.

On the side note, I used to feed tangs romain as that was the trend a couple years back. Instead of blanch it, I freeze it and use it. Freezing makes it soft to chew on.

BTW, before using nori, my tangs are all fat and healthy. Obviously, in my case at least, nori simply gives them a more diversed diet. Definetly NOT the necessity.

 

[RobCanada]

Well, I just got into work, and the nori is almost totally gone. I can see that the tangs keep going back to the clip to see if there's more, but whewww... I feel better now. But I am surprised how much the damsels like nori too???
By the way some seem surprised I have so many tangs together... IMHO they never fight, swim together and from my past expiereinces have never had a problem putting this many together, I'd never do just two, but 4-5 is where I'm comfortable.
Thanks everybody...!!!
Robert

 

[jethro]

Sounds like your tank is too big. If you had a smaller tank, say a 30 gallon, your tang wouldn't have to move as far or as fast to get to the food. Most likely the food would drop right in front of his face thereby making feeding easier for him.