Blue Tang trouble

reefman_MC · 09-11-2004, 05:54 PM

I've had my Blue Regal for about 2 weeks now. It's not that he completely refuses to eat , but he just nips and eats very small amounts. He is very thin through the middle part of his body. I've tried the following: Brine shrimp, Omega flakes, Spectrum pellets, San Francisco Bay frozen plankton, Seaweed selects, Baby brine. Romaine lettuce, Spinach, and broccoli. The Brine shrimp, omega flakes, and plankton he will hog down , but a tang can't live off of either of these. He won't touch the broccoli or the spectrum pellets. He nips at the Romaine, spinach and seaweed selects(green and brown colors). I'm starting to get worried. He is so thin. Anything that I can hang on my clip he won't be able to resist. I thought about both Sea Veggies and Nori. I haven't tried the sea veggies, LFS was out, and can't find nori anywhere. Please help I think I may lose my little buddy.

Matt Rogers · 09-11-2004, 08:28 PM

This is probably the 50th post where I recommend Formula II frozen cubes, but I swear by the stuff. It can turn fish around, I've seen it happen. Recently on the fish board, fletch mentioned Marine Cuisine which is supposed to be another frozen cube food similar to Formula. I'd go try these at this point.

fletch · 09-12-2004, 04:20 AM

Reefman as Matt suggested I would try the Formula II frozen cubes here is a link to San Francisco Bay Brand’s version of a Formula II it is called Emerald Entree give either of these a try !!
http://peticebox.com/mcart/index.cgi...ge=1&cat=1

......................................... John

PS Good luck with the little falla

reefman_MC · 09-12-2004, 05:09 PM

Hey I had the emerald entree in my hand at the LFS today and sat it down and forgot about it. I did remember the red version of the seaweed selects. He seems to be fooling with it a little more than usual. I also got some stuff from a Seachem rep. It's called Entice. I didn't pay a buck for the whole bottle. It seemed to work pretty well. He came over to the food a little quicker than usual. I can't make it back to the LFS until wednesday. I'll put some brine in an Ocean Nutrition clip for him until then. What do you think caused him not to want to eat? I've never had a fish as stubborn as this Blue Tang. I can even get an Arowana to eat pellets. I also got the Panther grouper at the LFS to eat pellets ha ha. The LFS loves me even more. Thanks

Matt Rogers · 09-13-2004, 09:58 AM

Blue Tangs have a rep for being finicky and requiring special attention.

reefman_MC · 09-13-2004, 02:42 PM

I put the red in and he filled up his belly with it. So maybe he'll be alright. He's definitely full now.

fletch · 09-13-2004, 02:50 PM

Great

Good Luck................ John

Gresham · 09-14-2004, 11:04 PM

They also have a certain nak for coming in starving to wholesalers since they've been depleted in all close by areas. They travel much further for them now, so the fish spend a lot longer with out food before you get it. If its gone to long with out food, no amount of food in its stomach will bring it back. I've seen it WAY more then I'd like to have and I truly hope this is not the case with your fish.

How big is it?

reefman_MC · 09-15-2004, 12:22 PM

He's around three inches. He seems to be doing OK. He is also eating Spectrum pellets now. My LFS also said they always come in starving. That's real great if he had told me that I wouldn't have messed with this fish. It wasn't malnuorished in his tank when I picked it up. He had been feeding it brine and sea veggies.