New To Reefing

[jart]

I now have a pair of tangs and a coral beauty who love their nori. I have tried four methods so far of offering the nori, none of which I have been completely happy with:

* vegie clip suctioned to the side of the tank
* rock with rubber band
* small PVC pipe with rubber band
* cut up into 4-5mm squares, presoaked, then fed with other food

Methods 1-3 above result in my fish "pecking" at the sheet until it comes away from the clip/rock/pipe and then they chase it all over the tank --> lots of small nori pieces floating all over the place, some of which I am sure are not being consumed. Method 4 just ended up with most of the nori squares floating near the surface and eventually ending up in my weir/sump.

Is the above just the way it is when feeding nori? Anyone have any better methods of feeding these amazing fish their vegies?

 

[Lesley]

More than one rubberband on the rock so it's tightly wrapped. I found exactly the same problem until I used multiple rubberbands on the one rock. They still get it all believe me - none left ! It just doesn't float around the tank & they enjoy having to work hard for it anyway. :)

 

[Buddy]

I use an old glass cleaner to hold the sheet for the fish. I get about half a sheet and fold it up to about a credit card size and then cut it in to about 5mm wide strips but not all the way to the end.
The fish just pull the strips off and eat them like they are slurping spaghetti!

 

[Rob]

I get 1/4 of a sheet and fold it over and over so it's about 2cm x1cm. Then place this in your TLF clip. The fish have to work harder and it does not float away. Guaranteed to work !

 

[ezza]

i prefer a two little fishies clip too. the clip is attached to a strong magnet which you can easily move around thanks to the external plug. it stays in place. i cut my nori into strips when i open a new packet. they end up being around 1 inch wide by 2 or 3 long. they fit into a little plastic snack lunchbox i stole from my daughter's lunchbox. i attach 4-5 every day and they nom away.

 

[Lesley]

See Ezza I used to use a clip too.But my lipstick goes straight in for the kill. He rips it away from where the clip end is and takes the whole piece off.
I too cut mine and store as it is easier to feed every day without cutting. But it stays on the clip for a hole 15 secs then whole big piece floating all around the tank.
If the fish ate from the end of the nori I can see that working but biting at the clips edge, it just does not work ?

 

[jart]

Thank you all for your shared experience and wisdom. I will try each of your methods a few times and report back.

 

[Franklin Dattein]

Magnetic clip, too. If too much is being wasted, I cut the next batch in smaller pieces and feed more often.

 

[Ian3145]

I fold my nori several times so that the whole bundle is about 2cm wide and only as long as the clip. I leave half inside the clip jaws for good grip and half out.

Being that thick, it's harder to rip away and more accurately represents true seaweed. Mind you I don't have tangs so your fish may be more voracious. Once the 1cm (half) wad has been gnawed away I open the clip and let the other half out with just enough still in the clip to hold it.

 

[jart]

Thanks again everyone for sharing your methods. Tried each and found what is working for me with my tank denizens.

* repurposed one of my kids' small snack tupperwares for more storage
* cut up about 10 sheets into quarters
* feeding one 1/4 sheet daily - fold sheet until it is about 1 x 2cm and attaching with clip
* fish peck away until the accessible part is gone (about 2/3)
* give them a 10min break then open clip and release clamped portion, which my fish immediately chase all over the tank and fish over until it is gone
* thanks again everyone. Much happier with this method.