Naso Tang

[Shellyfish]

what is the best way to get a newly aquired Naso tang to eat? I'm not to worried yet as I only got him today, but the sooner he eats, the happier I will be. Anything in particular they really like? Nori or mysis soaked in garlic?

[rcmania]

He may not eat for a day or two. However after he gets use to the tank he will start eating. I would put some seaweed on a clip tomorrow. And see if he will eat some of that. But I wouldn't worry to much right now its still a brandnew home for him.

[Shellyfish]

Yeah, I've left the lights off for him today so hopefully that will help. I will try some seaweed tomorrow, hopefully he will eat. Such a gorgeous fish, I want him to do well!

[aleonn]

I'd rubberband Nori to a rock, which looks more natural than a veggie clip. Mine was scared of the veggie clip at first.

[Shellyfish]

So I used the veggie clip, and put some on a pvc pipe. I also tried mysis soaked in selcon and garlic, so far he hasn't eaten. He's swimming around fine, is not dark or anything. I just hope he eats!

[MrTuskfish]

Nowhere near time to worry. How big is this guy? Small Nasos can be very difficult to acclimate.

[Megatrev62]

Had one years ago and wouldn't eat for days. Nori,frozen etc. Bought some spiralina flake and he went mad for it the minute I introduced it.

[Shellyfish]

Sorry for the late reply, I was at work all day. He is not small by any means, he's about 8" or so. Really beautiful thick fish. I have some spirulina flake so I can try that. I'm just so used to my other 2 tangs who will rip nori right out of my hands. And I'm just a worrier.

[Megatrev62]

Hope it works. Spirulina ofcourse. lol

[Shellyfish]

spirulina did not work.

[johnv]

I just went through this,try some grape culurpia.that was the only thing mine would eat for a few weeks.i tried everything from rods to pellets and the only thing he will eat now is flake.he even picks through and only eats one color of the flakes.i have had him for 12 weeks and just took him out of quarentine and he is fat and happy.

John

[anbosu]

Live brine can work too. They are difficult to switch to prepared foods, but they usually will respond to something if you keep trying different things.

[reeferstace]

Not all humans like the same food. The same can be said for fish. I would keep trying different foods until you find something he will eat. Do you know what he was eating at the source from which you got him?

[Voxboy]

Mine loves Nori. It helped that my other fish love it as well. It was like he would watch them go crazy and within a few days joined the frenzy. I don't use a clip. I use a cleaning magnet and elastic the Nori on to it.
I will take a 2 inch by 2 inch square (pretend you are rolling a cigarette) I will put different flake, freeze dried food, and thawed frozen food....and roll it up. I put it on the magnet and they go crazy. I do this so that the fish will get used to different foods.

My Naso is only 2" maybe. He now eats like a pig.

[Shellyfish]

Well so far, he hasn't touched NLS pellets, omega sea pellets, nori, spirulina or mysis. The timing of getting him was bad, as I noted ich in my tank and am now treating everyone, he is in with them as due to his size I didn't have a tank to put him in seperately. there has been no aggression between him and the other 2 tangs (mimic and yellow), they actually seem to like swimming together. I've given him lots of hiding spaces. He may have actually eaten while I'm not watching as he seems to hide as soon as he sees me.

[Shellyfish]

At what point should I be concerned with the not eating? My other two tangs ate right away so this is really bugging me.

[Tat2demon]

When I got my little blonde naso a little while back it was 12 days before it ate. Its a hog now.

[Shellyfish]

Well that makes me feel a bit better, I have only had him for 5 days now

[Voxboy]

My littel Naso took about 3 days....but my yellow tang took about 2 weeks before he ate anything I put in the tank.

[DragonWarriorPo]

just leave nori rubber banded on a tonga rock or clip over night. tangs can't resist nori's. they might even come out at night, in the dark, to eat the nori, without you knowing.

[Shellyfish]

I have been doing that, I hope he's been eating when I can't see. I'm really not sure how to tell!

[Shellyfish]

So, thanks for all the help guys, he's started eating. So far he will only eat nori if it is cut up in bite sized squares, but he's a pig about it! By the way, do only males have the streamers on the tail fin?