Ideas for feeding a finicky tang?

mander · #1 10/25/2007, 02:36 PM

My achilles tang is super finicky. The only thing I've been able to get him to eat is nori, and ONLY from being rubber-banded to the rock. He ignored it on a clip.

I have tried mushing different foods into rock. Tried spirulina formula, formulas one and two. He mostly ignores foods in the water column. Have tried brine, mysis, cyclops.

I am wondering if maybe I can just vary up what I rubber-band? Maybe lettuce, broccoli, something? I have no idea, I need some help!

Here is a picture of the feller...

pelochas · #2 10/25/2007, 02:43 PM

some fish are raised that way. i would put any stress trying to change their feeding habits. if the fish wants it on a rock and rubber band, then be happy its feeding and doing well, dont mess with the fish.

mander · #3 10/25/2007, 02:50 PM

Yeah I'm fine with the rock/rubber band thing, but I don't think it's all that healthy to have nori only. I will try romaine and broccoli I think, but if there are other things I could be strapping in there, I'd love the ideas...would it help to soak the food in Selcon or Reef Plus?

Michael7979 · #4 10/25/2007, 02:59 PM

HAve you tried soaking the food in garlic extract?

Sarcophyton874 · #5 10/25/2007, 03:04 PM

It's perfectly fine just to feed nori. Tangs primarily eat algae anyways. You might try some live brine also.

mander · #6 10/25/2007, 03:04 PM

No I haven't - didn't even dawn on me! That will make it more appealing, theoretically, right? I will soak the Formula foods and see if that helps. I am also going to get a piece of large rubble to smush it into and place it very near the nori. I tried smashing some into the same rock, about an inch away, but it was underwater so the smashing wasn't all that successful, a little went into the rock and the rest floated around. The clowns and wrasse were in heaven, but the Tang ignored it.

Will try garlic!

mander · #7 10/25/2007, 03:07 PM

That makes me feel better about the nori - I would like to vary the fishes diet, but if he just won't have it I hope he can be healthy with just that.

Sarcophyton874 · #8 10/25/2007, 03:10 PM

Oh forgot to add if you just got him, then expect to wait a couple of weeks until he eats sinking pellets. Most new fish are just not use to eating stuff like that.