I thought Tangs were supposed to eat veggies

[Gatorfreak]

I recently got a Yellow Tang. He has no interest in the caulerpa that is overgrowing my tank. All he seems interested in is pods. He's just cruising around, picking pods off the rocks.

 

[Fluff]

Tangs are omnivores. He may be grazing on the rocks for algae though. Mine always did. I don't know why he wouldn't take the easy stuff. Could be you just got a picky one. :?

 

[melosu58]

All mine will eat is macroalgeas. Give yours time and he will eat and pick at it. You learn something everyday. I thought tangs were herbivores. Not the last time I`ll be wrong. Good day

 

[Fluff]

I stand corrected. They are listed as herbavores but they definately aren't strict herbavores. Mine loved meaty foods. (yellow tang) To me, that's an omnivore.

 

[melosu58]

I knew what you meant. No two tangs are the same. I have three. Yellow, sailfin and yellow eye Kole tang. I love their personalities

 

[seaham358]

what type of caluerpa?

 

[melosu58]

I use grape Calerpa that I grow in my refuge. You can get seaweed selects which is dried seaweed that comes in strips. Some of your LFS sell sea kelp that they love to eat. I see you have a refuge, just grow in your sump if you have a light.

 

[Gatorfreak]

This kind...

 

[melosu58]

My tangs would love your tank!!!

 

[haus]

I thought the same thing abotu tangs being herbivores, but my yellow tang loves mysis shrimp. He spends most of his time grazing for algea off the live rock.

 

[jayfish]

my blue tang eats everything, flakes, dried vegies, frozen weeds, algaes and brine/ mysis shrimp will even eat grated prawn, mussels, and fish

 

[Gatorfreak]

Update: My Tang finally decided he likes veggies and has eaten through most of the tank. I can't believe how much he's eaten!

 

[melosu58]

Good report

 

[OceanMist]

yeah, my yellow eats anything!

 

[SirLight1337]

I think its safe to say the basis of their diet is veggies. Mine love the Nori select stuff. Also attacks mysis shrimp, and an ocasional flake snack. I think its safe to say they are very opertunistic in captivity. I also had quite a decent growing of hair type algae which my tangs ate all of.