Feeding Yellow Tang

[xkenneth]

Hey,

I got a Yellow Tang the other day when I broke down a tank and I'm yet to be able to get him to eat. I know they're herbivores and I've been trying to feed him some Red Marine Algae, but he won't touch it. What else should I try?

[No_Floaters]

Mine eat the Julian Sprung seaweed sheets (green, red, & purple), Nori seaweed sheets from the food market, brine shrimp, Ocean Nutrition flakes, & Cyclopeeze.
I have to refill their seaweed clip everyday and I give them a little of the other stuff once every day or two. They are fat like little puppies.

[austinsdad]

Try some garlic soaked myisis or brine. Formula 2 frozen saoked may also work and be better for him too. Somehow, the garlic attracts finicky eaters and will also boost his immune system.

[roka64]

Try some garlic soaked myisis or brine.

This sets up a feeding frenzy in my tank! I would soak for at least 30 mins.

garlic attracts finicky eaters and will also boost his immune system.

Definitely!

[MACATUA]

The Formula Two flakes come with garlic in them now. That is what my PBT freaks out for.

[tecwzrd]

It’s not too unusual for a newly acquired fish not to eat. How long have you had it? Is it in a QT tank or in the main? I feed my 5” YT a 2” x 3” strip of Julian Sprung seaweed every day and he also goes after the Marine Cuisine Frozen I add every other day. I wouldn’t worry about it too much unless it’s been more then 4 days without eating.

[melosu58]

Mine eats grape calerpa all the time but before I got my fuge I would feed him seaweed selects.

[FishFrik]

I've heard that u can purchase cheap fresh/dried seaweed from asian food markets. Mayb someone in this forum will know the specific brand

[JG]

Coast of Maine - Wild Atlantic Nori
Coast of Maine - Wakame
Coast of Maine - Seaweed Flakes

All available in grocery stores - but not sure of regional availability.

Mine also likes cyclopeeze and Formula Two Frozen.

Also - try your seaweed attached to a rock using a rubber band rather than a clip. I attach a thin string to the rock as well for easy removal. This seems to produce a more natural feeding position for the fish and a more natural motion for the seaweed.

[MACATUA]

Just be careful on the seaweed from the asian markets and make sure it is just dried, not seasoned in any way.

[Scoot]

I've never had a problem with fish wanting to eat, but I used garlic flavor enhancer when my Tang was getting black spots. The fish would indeed go nuts over it.

But after using the garlic enhancer, though, the fish seemed less interested in feeding for awhile when I stopped using it. Kind of like eating at a 4-star restaurant every night, then having somebody show you dry bread and water.

I had to get some nori from a local "kind" type of grocer - its the stuff they wrap sushi in, shouldn't be too hard to find. Before I started feeding him that, I was using several kinds of prepared seaweed from the LFS, and my tang was developing a mild case of HLLE. Since I started giving him nori daily, its improved (which I hear is rare).

I avoid brine shrimp, after being told its the equivalent of junk food, with little nutritional value. The inland lakes' MYSIS is like 90% protein, and my tang loves it. He'll eat anything now, flakes, slow-sinking morsels, algea wafers (if broken up into bits), even a little squid.