Yellow tang wont eat

M

mginster

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I got a yellow tang two weeks ago from the group buy I hosted. On day 3, he was stuck in a rock and I had to literally pull him out with plastic tongs and my fingers. His top fin got damaged, he was bruised and had scales missing. I thought for sure he would be dead in the morning. However, this little guy is still chugging along and swims constantly around the tank and shows no signs of illness (still a bit beat up though).

He will not eat though. I have only seen him peck at rocks a bit. I have tried the following:

- I have 2 Nori clips that I have kept stocked every day. My blue tang seems to be pigging out on it all.
- I have soaked the Nori in garlic.
- Emerald Entree
- Formula 2
- Cyclops
- Mysis
- Brine
- Flake
- Scraped some algae from the sump to get it sucked into the pump to the DT.

He always looks very interested when I feed, and swims like crazy, but never actually eats. No tank mates pick on him, except for my clown when he gets too close to his anemone.

What else have you guys done to get picky tangs to eat? He is starting to get skinny.
 
Try using a rubber band or use a couple of rocks to attach the Nori to rocks where he likes to graze. Once they get used to that, start moving it toward the Nori clips and eventually they will get the idea and eat off the clips. I've also used New Era mini grazers this way to get tangs to eat.
 
Thank you, ill try that. Have you ever noticed Tangs that have a preference to a type of seaweed? Red, green, purple, etc?
 
Not really but that is just in my limited experience. I've usually gone with the Nori from Asian supermarkets. I have, however, noticed that my tangs can be picky about "algae pellets" or algae type foods meant for tangs. Sometimes they won't touch a certain brand or type. Never seemed to have a problem with the real algae sheets though.
 
My yellow tang doesnt really eat the green toasted nori, but will eat the purple nori readily from two little fishes. I also keep Ulva and Red Gracilaria as my macros, and give those on the clip 2-3 times a week.

I've tried soaking the green stuff in garlic and selcon, no luck.
 
So far I have had 2 blond nasos refuse to eat. Both died after about a week. Right now I am struggling with a new powder blue. I tried the rock and seaweed deal and couldn't get to budge.

My powder blue is barely now nipping at the clip. Swims like crazy when I feed everyone else though. I need to find so sea lettuce or red gracilaria. I've heard they can't resist this.

I was in the hobby for 6 years prior. Had several tangs and angels and never ran into this issue. Took a 5 year break and just restarted back in June and have had it happen to 3 fish now. Makes me wonder if they are catching them differently now.
 
Try getting some dragon beath of other algae that you find he will eat and clip it with
The nori ...

They eat the algae and will get a taste of nori too and eventually
You can ween him to it
 
I've seen dragons breath for sale at a few LFS, but thats it. I checked and all I have left in the sump is ulva, which I will be getting rid of in the next couple of weeks.
 
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