New Kole tang not eating :(

markie360 · 06-28-2010, 08:07 AM

I got a kole tang about 2 days ago and i cant get him to eat. Water checks out fine and he swims around the tank a lot. I see him pick algea on the rock often but he wont eat. I have tried feeding him mysis brine formula 2 and freeze dried seaweed. Is this normal for a tang to take a while to get used to his home or am i doing something wrong.

divott · 06-28-2010, 08:18 AM

its probably getting accustomed to his new surroundings. if its pecking at algae on your rocks , i wouldnt really worry. have you put any nori on a clip? he may go after that .

blackraven1425 · 06-28-2010, 08:21 AM

It can take a tang a while to get used to eating nori, or any other prepared foods. I wouldn't worry about it, since he's currently eating off the rocks.

BTW, bristletooth tangs eat detritus more than other tangs. So even if there isn't a large amount of algae, I still wouldn't worry.

markie360 · 06-28-2010, 08:21 AM

yeah i put nori in and nothing the other tang destroys the nori but the kole doesnt touch it

horkn · 06-28-2010, 08:24 AM

Bristletooth tangs can be like this. How long has the tank been up? If it won't eat any prepared foods, it will eat detritus and algae off the glass and rocks. if it has enough of that, it will be fine. if not, it will starve eventually unless it learns to eat prepared foods.

djbonney138 · 06-28-2010, 08:26 AM

Hide a few little pieces of Nori in the live rock. Wedge a piece or two in between two rocks. It will take him a few days to adjust to his new surroundings so it is normal. Mine is real picky and only started eating the expensive Julian Sprungs Sea Veggies Green Seaweed. Once you get him eating Nori it won't take long till he eats like a pig at feeding time.

markie360 · 06-28-2010, 08:26 AM

tank is a year and a half old i was told that these guys are hardy anyways so i dont know why iam not having good luck!!!

blackraven1425 · 06-28-2010, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markie360

tank is a year and a half old i was told that these guys are hardy anyways so i dont know why iam not having good luck!!!

Well, they're hardy compared to other tangs. Definitely not as hardy as damsels lol.

djbonney138 · 06-28-2010, 08:34 AM

It has only been 2 days and you have seen him pecking at live rock I wouldn't get discouraged yet. He will eat just keep trying different foods and techniques.

ReefSparky · 06-28-2010, 10:21 AM

I've had mine over a year and he pecks the glass more than anything. He will eat mysis and brine, though. He won't touch anything on a clip, brocolli, nori, seaweed, etc. The LFS recommended I buy spriulina-based flakes, but I've yet to take him up on that.

He's doing fine. Good luck.

06-28-2010, 08:07 AM	#1
markie360 Astrea Snail Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 46 Skin: Mint Karma: 182	New Kole tang not eating :( I got a kole tang about 2 days ago and i cant get him to eat. Water checks out fine and he swims around the tank a lot. I see him pick algea on the rock often but he wont eat. I have tried feeding him mysis brine formula 2 and freeze dried seaweed. Is this normal for a tang to take a while to get used to his home or am i doing something wrong.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kole Tang	blackraven1425	Tropical Fish	13	03-29-2010 09:12 AM
Kole tang	sterling	Tropical Fish	5	03-19-2009 02:59 PM
kole tang	MTips18	ASAP	6	10-30-2008 06:26 PM
Kole Tang Vs Urchin.. Help!	Executivelevel	Tropical Fish	11	03-01-2008 11:04 AM
Help! Hippo tang not eating!!	TBar100	ASAP	12	10-02-2007 08:45 AM

06-28-2010, 08:18 AM	#2
divott Giant Squid Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: holland landing, ontario ,canada Age: 52 Posts: 3,661 Skin: Classic Karma: 687859	its probably getting accustomed to his new surroundings. if its pecking at algae on your rocks , i wouldnt really worry. have you put any nori on a clip? he may go after that .

06-28-2010, 08:21 AM	#3
blackraven1425 Giant Squid Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 4,783 Skin: Mint Karma: 1194796	It can take a tang a while to get used to eating nori, or any other prepared foods. I wouldn't worry about it, since he's currently eating off the rocks. BTW, bristletooth tangs eat detritus more than other tangs. So even if there isn't a large amount of algae, I still wouldn't worry.

06-28-2010, 08:24 AM	#5
horkn Giant Squid Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Cedarburg, Wi Age: 38 Posts: 3,200 Skin: Mint Karma: 545866	Bristletooth tangs can be like this. How long has the tank been up? If it won't eat any prepared foods, it will eat detritus and algae off the glass and rocks. if it has enough of that, it will be fine. if not, it will starve eventually unless it learns to eat prepared foods.

06-28-2010, 08:26 AM	#6
djbonney138 Peppermint Shrimp Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Idaho Falls, Id. Age: 38 Posts: 424 Skin: Mint Karma: 491211	Hide a few little pieces of Nori in the live rock. Wedge a piece or two in between two rocks. It will take him a few days to adjust to his new surroundings so it is normal. Mine is real picky and only started eating the expensive Julian Sprungs Sea Veggies Green Seaweed. Once you get him eating Nori it won't take long till he eats like a pig at feeding time.

06-28-2010, 08:34 AM	#9
djbonney138 Peppermint Shrimp Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Idaho Falls, Id. Age: 38 Posts: 424 Skin: Mint Karma: 491211	It has only been 2 days and you have seen him pecking at live rock I wouldn't get discouraged yet. He will eat just keep trying different foods and techniques.

06-28-2010, 10:21 AM	#10
ReefSparky 3reef Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: South Florida Age: 47 Posts: 3,669 Skin: Mint Karma: 1027463	I've had mine over a year and he pecks the glass more than anything. He will eat mysis and brine, though. He won't touch anything on a clip, brocolli, nori, seaweed, etc. The LFS recommended I buy spriulina-based flakes, but I've yet to take him up on that. He's doing fine. Good luck.