Picky Yellow Tang

[merk1_99]

Any ideas on how to get a Yellow Tang to eat more than just Nori. I am open to any ideas. i have never had this problem in the past before. Unfortunately due to the heat his "trainer" fish were cooked and he survived. So now he is in the main tank with no one to teach him to eat flake or frozen. He has been in QT and in the main tank now for a total of 5 weeks, and he just swims by all offerings except for the Nori....boy does he love it....Any ideas? He is approx 4.5 inches...I hate feeding th cleaner shrimp, and crabs. Gonna sky my nitrates....

 

[jackie]

You can try frozen cubes of Emerald Entre, or brine shrimp cubes mixed with the emerald. There are other algae mixed frozen out there you can try. Mine likes fresh fish once in a while you can also try that. If you mix the green stuff with fish food he'll eventually learn to eat everything.

 

[merk1_99]

Where do you get the Emerald entree? And how do you feed that, just like other frozen cuisine shaved? I make my own frozen food mix, and I have put a good amount of Nori in it. It just floats by his mouth untouched. Very frustrating, but then again he is a stubborn one. He looks real good, full fleshed. I just don't want him to suffer for a lack of other seafood nutrition.

 

[delta]

have you tried grinding up the nori then adding other flakes to it slowly to see if he makes the switchover? or garlic soaked food ?

 

[wrassefan]

try not feeding for a few days...then put something in and see if it eats

 

[ReeferMedic]

I would be more concerned if it didn't eat nori and would eat other things. I wouldn't worry about it too much. It will eat something else when it wants to. It probably grazes on other things in your tank all day long.......

 

[denvig]

Wrap the nori around other types of food and put it on a clip. When he eats the nori he will get a tast of other things.

 

[joefitz]

Yes, I like denvig's suggestion. Some people have reported that garlic has worked for them although my experience is that most of my tangs have a stronger preference for non-garlic soaked food although they eat it all eventually (my sailfin will eat cloves by themselves, but he is the exception).

I also think, as long as he is reasonable fat to start with, that withholding food for a few days has a very good shot at making him seek alternative food sources although I'd try that option last if possible.

You may also try cutting up your nori into 'flake-like' sizes to see if he'll eat that... Or feeding him other non-nori plantfood, such as Dulse. Anything to get him trying other things would be good.