Atlantic Blue Tang - Coral Nipper!

[Anonymous]

My atlantic blue tang that I have had for 3-4 years has suddenly become a SPS coral nipper.

I have seen him nipping on my small colonies of Pocilliopora and today I saw him take a few bits of my Turbinaria.

WTF. I have never heard of a tang doing this.

I have also noticed that his mouth looks a little irritated. I'm sure that is because the corals are stinging him.

Weird, huh?

Louey

 

[Unarce]

Any changes in your feeding regimen, Louey?

 

[Mike612]

Usually if a tang starts picking at coral it means that he isn't getting enough food. Put some nori on a clip for him to pick at during the day. It should distract him and keep him away from the coral. At the same time, it will obviously keep him well fed.

 

[Anonymous]

I do put nori in the tank a couple of times a week. It gets devouerd in a few minutes time.

I was using an auto feeder that dropped flake food in the tank a couple of times a day. That was to sustain the fish while they wait for thier big meal at night. That feeder didn't work all that realiably, because the flake would get sticky due to the humidity and it wouldn't always drop out like it supposed too. So now I try to feed flake at least once per night, in addition to the main feeding of various frozen foods. I also toss a wad of cheato in there every now and again.

This tang, like all of my fish, is very fat and appears well fed. But I suspect that what you all have suggested must be true. He's obviously wanting something more than I am giving him.

Louey

 

[Mike612]

He sounds very healthy and in good hands. I definately wouldn't consider putting in nori more than twice a week since you've got the rocks in there for him to pick at. He might get nitrate poisoning if you feed him nori too often (I've had experience with it, not fun). Maybe try feeding him a little more at feeding time. You might want to try spirulina or formulas one and two. He'll love those.
Based on my experience, tangs don't often like to eat chaeto. I believe it has a repelling taste to it. You might want to try caulerpa or gracilaria. My Sailfin Tang loves both and devours the gracilaria especially.

 

[mr_X]

nitrate poisoning from seaweed on a clip too often? care to elaborate on that some mike? please pm me on this.
i do throw my pruned bubble caulerpa in my display, and the tangs devour it with a quickness. my tangs seem to eat like they haven't in weeks, even if i just fed them.

 

[Anonymous]

I have two of the fattest tangs in the land. That being said, I have lost many corals to tangs. Clams as well.

Such a shame. While I have had several different tangs through the days, the common demoninator thus far seems to be a hippo tang which teaches the others.

 

[Anonymous]

Louey,
Have you thought about doing a Pellet type food instead of the flakes? ..just a thought anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

I have done spirulina pellets before. The tangs like it okay, but the smaller fish can't eat it. That's why I used flake.

I'll just try to make sure I feed them a couple of times per day and add nori more often and see what happens.

I actually wish he'd eat all of the pocci's as they are like weeds in my tank. I hate them.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

My 2 blues have been eating my xenia. I had to give my xenia away before they killed it completely.

I feed flake and algae on clip. Those buggers are just some big hogs!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Try feeding some frozen seafood. Perhaps they are lacking this type of protein. My tangs eat the minced clams/shrimp as fast as any of my predators.

Speaking of which; I haven't fed frozen in a couple weeks. I guess I better get cracking.

 

[Anonymous]

The main meal my fish get each night consists of:

10-12 frozen krill
6-8 whole silversides
2 cubes of frozen cubes (alternating between mysis shrimp, prime reef, formula 1).

I don't think there is any protein defenciencies going on here.

Louey