Blue hippo tang not enough food?

[Aidanflower]

I got a small blue hippo tang a few weeks ago and for about the first week she didn't eat anything or swim at all. Finally she ate meaty foods like blood worms and mysis shrimp. But i was told to not encourage her to eat those cuz she needs seaweed. Ever since i got her I've been hanging a strip of seaweed on a clip attached to the glass. She eats small amounts of the seaweed and i havnt feed her directly any meaty foods. Today i noticed these lumps on the stomach and im not sure if they are here ribs that i see because she isnt getting enough food, what do you guys think? I also enrich all the foods with zoe and garlic.

 

[carey]

I feed my tangs meaty foods every day but also have seaweed available. I would encourage her to eat as much as possible, regardless of the food. My blue is fat! I mean really stocky, and healthy and I have had her for a few years now with no issues.

 

[Aidanflower]

Okay i will do both, but i was told meaty foods dont help her in anyway and if i keep feeding her both she will eventually turn down the seaweed

 

[carey]

Not sure who told you that but it doesnt seem correct. lol

I have been feeding meaty foods since day one with my three tangs and they will rip apart a piece of seaweed in less than 10 seconds!

You can also feed a nice frozen omnivore food that contains greens as well if you are concerned about her greens intake.

 

[Aidanflower]

Okay thanks. I will feed her both and i will take a look ate the frozen omnivore stuff

 

[carey]

Good luck! Those guys eat everything so you should be fine as long as it eats.

 

[Aidanflower]

Thanks i fed her a combination of blood worms mysis shrimp and nutramar ova and she left the mysis generally alone a few blood worms but went crazy for the ova and i keept feeding her small amounts until it was all gone, she ate alot! And shes still looking for more food. Ik your only supposed to feed fish what they can eat in a few min but i just wanted to make sure she was well feed cuz shes still really shy haha

 

[carey]

Mine is still kinda shy too, even after a couple years. She will go after the seaweed even with me right in front of the tank, she loves it that much. You might even try pe mysis, mine gos nuts over that stuff.

 

[Aidanflower]

Whats pe mysis or i that a typo haha???

 

[carey]

nope, its a brand of mysis that is packed with protein. Better than the regular mysis, a little expensive but worth it if you want to fatten up a fish.

 

[Aidanflower]

Great i will most likely be getting some of that soon. Thanks for all of your help!

Btw i have been reading your thread about upgrading your tank to a 180. Sounds like its gonna be awesome, good luck!

 

[mr_X]

Tangs are omnivores, meaning they will eat both meaty foods and algae. Most meaty foods are very nutritious and should be fed regularly. That info about it not helping tangs is incorrect.

 

[Aidanflower]

I just wanna say thanks again because my hippo tang is doing better then ever! She is very social and a ton less shy and is gaining weight and now her ribs are a lot less visible!

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

I just wanna say thanks again because my hippo tang is doing better then ever! She is very social and a ton less shy and is gaining weight and now her ribs are a lot less visible!

Pics?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Pics?

Hippos love meaty snacks. I use nori and lettuce to keep them bulked up and their digestion working, but use meaty foods to get their weight back in order. Mine eat anything.

 

[carey]

Really glad your tang is doing better. They key is always to give a balanced and varied diet. Like I said, mine eat just about anything.

Keep up the good work and you will soon have a fat happy fish. lol