Naso Tang Not Eating..Advice needed

hatfielj · #1 09/18/2007, 12:22 PM

Hello all,
I have a 3-4" naso tang that I just picked up on sunday and it has been in my tank now for a full 48 hours and it is not yet eating any prepared foods I'm offering it and its starting to look quite thin. I have him in a 170 gal system with 3 other tangs, a mystery wrasse, and a tomato clown. He is not showing any signs of poor health other than being skinny and not eating much. I have seen him picking at algae off of the rocks, but he ignores the flake foods, pellets and frozen foods I've been feeding to the rest of my fish. He also has not yet learned how to eat the seaweed clips I've been putting in there either. Should I be very concerned or is it still too early? He is out and swimming all over the tank, he does not have any ich or other sorts of infections, just not eating like a tang should! Any suggestions on how to get him to eat? What kind of foods should I try?
Thanks

shibumi · #2 09/18/2007, 01:11 PM

Try to mix your food with garlic. Some people use Garlic as an appetite stimulant.

nyvp · #3 09/18/2007, 01:28 PM

mine took almost a month to eat so thats fine. I was told they sometimes go on a fast period when nervous. Just keep putting the nori in the tank and have faith.

Michelle L · #4 09/18/2007, 01:45 PM

Fold up a sheet of nori and rubber band it to a rock, then drop the rock somewhere in the aquascaping or on the bottom of the tank. The trick is to simulate the natural look of algae waving in the current to trigger him to eat.

It's worked like a charm on all of my picky fish. Most newly caught fish have no idea that a seaweed clip signals food.

hatfielj · #5 09/18/2007, 02:11 PM

Thanks for that suggestion. I'll try that, it seems like good idea.

Michelle L · #6 09/18/2007, 09:18 PM

You're welcome. Don't worry, sometimes it can take them a little while to start eating.

TJ · #7 09/19/2007, 10:47 PM

That is good advice, Michelle.... I recently acquired a Naso and to tempt him to eat sooner, I did the same thing- put some algae (in a clip), but stuck it down in the sand between 2 rocks and he started in on it pretty quick- looked more natural, I guess. And yes, dosing w/garlic is a miracle worker! Good luck hatfielj! They are awesome fish!

scarter · #8 09/20/2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michelle L
Fold up a sheet of nori and rubber band it to a rock, then drop the rock somewhere in the aquascaping or on the bottom of the tank. The trick is to simulate the natural look of algae waving in the current to trigger him to eat.

It's worked like a charm on all of my picky fish. Most newly caught fish have no idea that a seaweed clip signals food.

2nd that

hatfielj · #9 09/21/2007, 11:38 AM

Okay, so I tried the nori folded up on a rock thing last night. The other tangs of course went crazy for it, but my naso still didn't show much of a response at all. He is still picking at the rocks every now and then, but for the most part he is still not showing much interest in food. I'm really getting worried about him because he is so thin now. I went to the LFS where I bought him from last night and looked at the other naso they have that came in at the same time and it is eating well and not skinny at all. Is it possible I just picked the more nervous/picky one? Or, could this all still be related to the fact that he is not yet adjusted to his new home? He has been in the tank since sunday (~5days). I've never had this much trouble with any of my other tangs before? I really hope he starts eating something soon!

Serioussnaps · #10 09/21/2007, 11:47 AM

make a mash with tons of different foods in a blender with selcon and garlic and load the tank up with it....

its ok to get him started on meaty foods

honestly i would try mysis or some live brine just to get a feeding response...i think once he gets that response you will cruise it on out

I suspect there is some bullying going on with the other tangs.

hatfielj · #11 09/21/2007, 11:52 AM

Yeah, you're probably right about the bullying. When he was first introduced the other tangs really weren't happy about it. But, after the first day they started to leave him alone. Now, he's out and swimming around with them most of the day, however I'm sure there's still some subtle bullying occuring that I'm not seeing throughout the day. I might try and get some live brine shrimp tonight and see if he'll go for those.

Serioussnaps · #12 09/21/2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hatfielj
Yeah, you're probably right about the bullying. When he was first introduced the other tangs really weren't happy about it. But, after the first day they started to leave him alone. Now, he's out and swimming around with them most of the day, however I'm sure there's still some subtle bullying occuring that I'm not seeing throughout the day. I might try and get some live brine shrimp tonight and see if he'll go for those.

If you have some selcon then put a dropper in with the live brine for a few hours prior to feeding the shrimp to the tank....it gives it a real nutrition boost. Its the bullying thats the problem. He knows he is going to get thrashed.