Best method to get tangs feeding?

[akahoshi]

What is the best method to get Tangs to start feeding?

What food should i start out first? Nori? Vegi? Brine Shrimps? Mysis?

If they still not eating.. What else can i do?

[kueytoc]

You can start with Mysis or Brine Shrimps...& perhaps some macro-algae for them to graze on.

[Alvin Tan]

bro...can try ocean nutrition formula 1 n 2...enhance wif garlic...smell definetely ur tang will lyk it...plus..in future can mix with hikari super pellets..

my 2 cents..

[akahoshi]

thnx bro..

anyone got more ideas and methods?

[hotlemond]

macro algae is a good start for fish that doesn't recognise prepared food, like the all too familar red bamboo for powder blue example.

Meanwhile flood the tank with food, they will learn from others very fast.

[dradttg]

Can try some live brine shrimp first? Slowly add in frozen one too.

Alternative, stir a bit of cyclopsse (something like that ) with frozen brine shrimp before feeding.

[Travy]

Macro on a rock will work like a charm.

But provided the fish is not shocked of bullied la...

I always resist the temptation to buy untill i find a fish that is feeding at the shop and will follow my finger ard when i play with it at the surface..

[kokhui]

Macro on a rock will work like a charm.

But provided the fish is not shocked of bullied la...

I always resist the temptation to buy untill i find a fish that is feeding at the shop and will follow my finger ard when i play with it at the surface..

I agree with Travy. That is what I did for my purple tang. I first made sure that it is already feeding in the LFS before I bought it. Do not be shy to ask the LFS owner to prove to you that the fish is feeding before you buy it

When I got it home, after aclimatizing, (did not qurantine it as no QT) I tried to give it some dreid seaweed and it started feeding only after 2 days! At first got bullied by the yellow cousin in the tank but and kept hiding. After 2 days, guess it is hungry and started to feed on the seaweed. And after 4 days, now feeding on pellets.

[Derek0925]

i solve this problem using red bamboo algae.....

[optimus prime]

I always resist the temptation to buy untill i find a fish that is feeding at the shop and will follow my finger ard when i play with it at the surface..

alamak..... sounds like luohan

[flamey]

alamak..... sounds like luohan

my thoughts exactly

[akahoshi]

hmmz.. ok, back to the thought about red bamboo algae..

so, what do i do even if they start eating the red bamboo? do i spray brine shrimp and mysis into the red bamboo?

also.. does red bamboo work on angels? e.g. emperor (juv), regal, majestic..

[Travy]

my thoughts exactly

HAHA! Really!!! it works for me la.

My theory is that if the fish is curious and interested in the things ard it then most prob it'll be in good health and will explore the food i put in its tank lo.

[Travy]

hmmz.. ok, back to the thought about red bamboo algae..

so, what do i do even if they start eating the red bamboo? do i spray brine shrimp and mysis into the red bamboo?

also.. does red bamboo work on angels? e.g. emperor (juv), regal, majestic..

No need to spray anything on the algae la. The fishes will recognise it as food naturally.

Might work for angels too... dunno havent tried.

[akahoshi]

Ya.. i know the tangs will recognize the red bamboo as natural food, but how do i make them change their diet from red bamboo to brine shrimps and mysis...?

[kokhui]

Ya.. i know the tangs will recognize the red bamboo as natural food, but how do i make them change their diet from red bamboo to brine shrimps and mysis...?

Maybe after they started to eat, you can gradually introduce the pellets/brinr shrimps soaked in garlic to encourage them to eat them too. After no more red bamboo to eat sure got to eat the pellets loh. My purple tang satred eating only the nori I gave it but after a few days it got to eat the pelllets too

[abflug22]

Hi Akahoshi,

currently I hve a yellow, purple and powder black quarantine in main tank.

initial fed them with 'pangcai' vege frm market, good response

thn tried with frozen brine shrimp, initially powder black not tat keen but 2nd day, all good response.

nxt gonna try kokhui's seaweed mtd

but they dun seem to like formula pellets leh.. mabbe bcos they are in captivity...

Gd Luck

[Lester]

henry special food inside got seaweed

[Travy]

Maybe after they started to eat, you can gradually introduce the pellets/brinr shrimps soaked in garlic to encourage them to eat them too. After no more red bamboo to eat sure got to eat the pellets loh. My purple tang satred eating only the nori I gave it but after a few days it got to eat the pelllets too

From my experience...

My tangs did the "monkey see,monkey do" method. When they see other fishes eat, being closet pigs chances are, they will try out as well.

After making sure they are feeding well on the food i want them to eat, i only offer seaweeds one feeding or once every two days if i can remember.

And Garlic helps tons! In keeping itch at bay and getting them to eat.