Reef Discussion

[daveH]

My new Naso is settled in OK but I think she should be eating better by now.
She hardly ate anything for the first couple of days, just pecked at algae on the rocks and sand but wouldn't join in with the other fish at feed time. Everyone else eat like pigs.
So far I've unsuccessfully tempted her with:
Nori, fresh prawn/scallop mix, mysis shrimp, Formula 2 Marine Pellet, sv.M2, and New Life Spectrum Algaemax.
She'll kind of have a piece or 2 of some of them but not actually a feed.
Her belly is starting to look empty.
Anyone have any suggestions that may work?

 

[Buddy]

Maybe try some live brine shrimp or black worms? This has worked on fussy fish in the past for me, especially the worms.

 

[Lesley]

Have you tried rubber banding the nori to a small rock and placing on rockwork or sand bed. They sometimes prefer to graze than chase until they are settled. Chateau from the sump floating around the tank can spark it too.
That's the 2 things I have tried and been successful with all my fussy tangs.
Good luck.

P.S I know not idela for tangs. but frozen bloodworm seem to also create a lot of interest in lipsticks too.

 

[daveH]

She started pecking at some nori attached to a rock on the bottom - so there might be some hope yet.
The Yellow Tang is such a little shit. Every time the Lipstick is about to have a bit of the nori the Yellow races in ahead and has a chomp which throws the Lipstick off.

 

[Lesley]

She started pecking at some nori attached to a rock on the bottom - so there might be some hope yet.
The Yellow Tang is such a little shit. Every time the Lipstick is about to have a bit of the nori the Yellow races in ahead and has a chomp which throws the Lipstick off.

Add a couple. I used to add 4 in different spots around the tank, impossible for the yellow to protect all. '

 

[daveH]

The girl is finally eating!!!
I notice when I did a feed she was more attracted to the shrimp than the prawn and scallop.
I made a mix of Brine Shrimp with Spirulina & Garlic and Mysis Shrimp.
I now feed her this mix through a tube which she is learning to come to the end of the tube for a feed. This way the other greedy little buggers don't steal her food.
I'll do this 3 times a day to get her fattened up a bit.
She is getting more accustomed to picking at the Nori also.

 

[daveH]

Well, things have changed for the worse.
She's not eating at all today and has lost a stack of body mass.
I'm trying to feed her and she just comes up to the tube and opens her mouth out wide but doesn't eat and swims away.
It doesn't look good at all. I pretty sure she's not going to make it.

 

[Buddy]

Can you try soaking some food in garlic? I personally haven't tried it, but a lot of people swear by it.

 

[daveH]

Can you try soaking some food in garlic? I personally haven't tried it, but a lot of people swear by it.

Yep, I've tried that. No luck.

 

[ReeferRob]

It sounds like an intestinal issue to me Dave. They are notorious for having all sorts of parasites.

 

[Lesley]

Oh nooo. So sorry. Our lfs hates getting them in says they are one of the harder to settle & get eating. Crossing fingers :(

 

[daveH]

Doh! Now I find this out

 

[Lesley]

Doh! Now I find this out

If it makes you feel any better our one we have now actually only picked rocks and minimal nori for 6 weeks. I also thought he wouldn't make it. So thin the line down his body was the only meat left on him. Then out of no where one night just ate. No stopping him after that. Have you tried frozen bloodworm ? I know not a long term feed to use but may be enough to keep him going ?

 

[daveH]

I'll give it a go - thanks

 

[ReeferRob]

The weird thing about them is they ship like nobody's business, rarely a loss here, but they are slow to start eating. If you can get some Caulerpa, try that Dave, sometimes that gets them going.