Yellow tang not eating

[tonytwist]

I purchased a yellow tang on Saturday and it does not seem to be accepting prepared foods. In the last 3 days, I've fed the tank flakes, seaweed on a clip, and frozen cyclopeeze. The tang has ignored all of them with the exception of taking a few bites of the cyclopeeze. It seems otherwise healthy, as it is actively swimming aroung and grazing on the liverock. Problem is, my tank does not have a whole lot of algae for it to graze on. I am getting a little concerned as it has not eaten anything substantial in the past 3 days. Any suggestions?

[reefBoyDc]

Hey Tony, welcome to TRT!!

You might try soaking the seaweed in some selcon or garlic extract. They like that. My tang really likes mysis shrimp too. Many people have suggested feeding Sea Veggies, which are basically high quality seaweed, but my tang prefers the generic dry stuff. Try different things and see what he likes. Keep us posted.

[Tim224DT]

Garlic is what i would try......My tang eats just about anything i put in the tank. Brine, Mysis, Blood Worms.......it doesnt matter he eats it. I would first try the garlic then try some other kinds of frozen foods.

[Casey]

I see Tim we need spell check

[Tim224DT]

Originally Posted by Casey

I see Tim we need spell check

wow........Let me correct that.

Tim

[Tim224DT]

Ohhhh and welcome to TRT!!

Tim

[Casey]

I will just shut up.

[tonytwist]

Would soaking the flakes in garlic have the same effect? Problem with the seaweed is that my blue tang is a hog and pushes all of the other fish away from the clip so it can chow down.

[Casey]

Yes any garlic you can get him to eat will help.

[reefBoyDc]

yes, you can soak anything in garlic, makes it tasty and boosts their imune system

[Tim224DT]

What size tank do you have?


Tim

[tonytwist]

I wasn't able to post all of this in my signature:

TANK SPECS: 46G bowfront
FILTRATION: Fluval 304 canister filter filled with LR rubble, Remora Pro skimmer
CIRCULATION: MaxiJet 900 powerhead
LIGHTING: Coralife 192W PC with LED's
LIVESTOCK (Fish): Regal Tang, Maroon Clown, Flame Angel, Six Line Wrasse, Yellow Tang, Japanese Pistol Shrimp, Crocea and Squamosa clams, Blue Porcelain Crab, Cleaner shrimp, Blood shrimp, Trouca & astrea snails, Various hermit crabs
LIVESTOCK (Coral): Frogspawn, Octobubble, Trumpet Coral, Orange/Green Ricordias, Blue & Green Mushrooms, Trachyphyllia Brain Coral, Favite Coral, Yellow Fiji Leather, Spaghetti Finger Leather, Red Sea Xenias, GSP, Red Blastomussa, Orange Sponge, Various zooanthid colonies MISC: Approx. 70lbs of live rock, 3" of crushed coral substrate

Tank has been set up for 18 months.

[reefBoyDc]

mmm, tank might be a bit small for a tang, let alone 2. keep a close eye on them, they get ick easily when stressed. garlic will help them cope.

[Tim224DT]

Originally Posted by reefBoyDc

mmm, tank might be a bit small for a tang, let alone 2. keep a close eye on them, they get ick easily when stressed. garlic will help them cope.

[tonytwist]

I've had the blue tang for 16 months and it seems quite content. Both the blue and yellow tangs are small (approx. 2-2.5" head to tail). I'll prolly be upgrading to a larger tank by the end of the year.