My new orange shoulder tang

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Just picked up a large Orange shoulder tang, about 5" long. It was very active in the shore, ate like a champ when they fed it. I put it in my display yesterday and has adapted nicely. I feed my fish a mixture of frozen food and nori sheets. This fish is eating my frozen food up, and fast. Faster then my other fish can get to it. It will not touch the nori in the clip. Should i try putting it in a rock, or sand bed? Eats off the sand all day, I'm afraid it is going to run out of food. How often should this fish eat? What type of food should I give it? And what can I do to make sure my other fish get to eat as well?

[ALH]

I don't have any answers for you. Just came to say that i love that fish and would get one if i didn't already have an Acanthurus

[frnkynlop]

My sohal took awhile to get use to the veggi clip. I actually soaked the seaweed in garlic and within 2days it started destroying it.

[Recty]

A couple of tangs in my past have needed the nori clip laying on a rock, not on the glass. I dont think a lot of fish initially see it as a food source when it's on the invisible wall they live inside. When it's on the rocks, however, they know to go down there and graze on it.

I've placed my clip just laying on a rock and had fish that wouldnt even notice it on the glass go immediately to it and start grazing away. Try and place it in a place that has a little flow so that the nori wiggles around and attracts their eye.

[aleonn]

It's a good sign that a new arrival immediately eats in a new environment. He sounds like a pig, which is great. I wouldn't worry about the Nori just yet, as he may not be used to the veggie clip. But when hungry enough, and when observing other tangs pick at it, he'll learn soon enough. If not, garlic-soaked Nori, or rubberbanding Nori onto a rock work just as well.

[Reefing Newbie]

I would love one of these guys too bad my tank isn't big enough :(

@ALH- are you worried about the other acanthurus picking on the orange shoulder or the orange shoulder picking on the other acanthurus? I have read that they are one of the more peacful large tangs. I have read elsewhere, that someone had an exsisting one and added another acanthurus species with it(exsisting one was a mature adult) with no problems. But no guarenttees here tho.

[small alien]

Orange shoulders get pretty big. Too big for a 125 I believe. They are beautiful. Don't mean to be a downer.

[small alien]

Orange shoulders get pretty big. Too big for a 125 I believe. They are beautiful. Don't mean to be a downer.

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Its true, the orange shoulder can grow to 14" and live to be about 10+ years old. I'm in the planing and stand building stages of a 300g DD tank so I'm not worried about his size.
I am however worried about my other fish now. The orange shoulder is the largest fish in the tank. About 3 times larger then my largest fish, so most of the fish now are hiding behind my rock wall. My clowns have become separated and wont come out now, my chroma's only pop out to grab food and hide again. My box fish is staying put behind my rock work as well. Like i said early in the post I just introduced the tang Sunday, so I'm hoping the other fish are still "Testing the waters" to see this ones behavior. The tang is just huge, its not bothering any of the other fish. Its one of the most calm tangs I have ever owned.

[forddna]

I bought a Regal Tang from a local club member, and he ate nori off a clip voraciously in his tank. He wouldn't touch it in my tank....until the other 2 tangs went nuts for it. He may just need to see the other guys eating it.

[small alien]

Its true, the orange shoulder can grow to 14" and live to be about 10+ years old. I'm in the planing and stand building stages of a 300g DD tank so I'm not worried about his size.
I am however worried about my other fish now. The orange shoulder is the largest fish in the tank. About 3 times larger then my largest fish, so most of the fish now are hiding behind my rock wall. My clowns have become separated and wont come out now, my chroma's only pop out to grab food and hide again. My box fish is staying put behind my rock work as well. Like i said early in the post I just introduced the tang Sunday, so I'm hoping the other fish are still "Testing the waters" to see this ones behavior. The tang is just huge, its not bothering any of the other fish. Its one of the most calm tangs I have ever owned.

Interesting. I've never read about a new fish causing a pair of clowns to separate. That sounds kind of intense. Hopefully after a little more time, things will chill out. Good luck.

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Thats what im hoping. The one clown is behind my rock wall, the other is in the upper right corner by the power head. Then have not moved since the intruduction of the giant.