Naso Tang not eating when fed...

[PEA]

Just got a Naso Tang about a week ago. It's a 135 gallon tank with two Clarkii Clowns and Sailfin Tang and Yellow Tang. I picked up the Sailfin and Yellow at the same time and the Sailfin can't eat enough. The Yellow eats some, but mostly likes to pick at the rocks. Tested the water and everything is spot on...

The problem is that the Naso won't eat anything that I try to feed it. It just swims right by. I've tried Mysis, Formula One and Two pellets, seaweed on a clip all soaked in garlic and it just swims right by. The only time I've seen him eat is if I stick some seaweed in my plate corals mouth and it will pull it from the plate corals mouth. Only thing it does eat is stuff it picks off the rocks. It seems acclimatized to the tank and is social to the other fishes. Just getting abit worried since it seems to be getting really skinny now.

[fkshiu]

Try clipping some nori onto your live rock at a spot where he likes to pick at.

[PEA]

Tried that... But he picks around it... hahaha.

I must have the dumbest fish... Cause sometimes he just runs into the food pellets and eats one.

[freddy]

I have a bicolour angel that wouldn't eat anything I put in the tank,just picked at the rock then one day it started eating mysis,then after awhile it started eating pellets,I know this dosn't help much,but you might just have to give it time.

[naesco]

Originally Posted by PEA

Just got a Naso Tang about a week ago. It's a 135 gallon tank with two Clarkii Clowns and Sailfin Tang and Yellow Tang. I picked up the Sailfin and Yellow at the same time and the Sailfin can't eat enough. The Yellow eats some, but mostly likes to pick at the rocks. Tested the water and everything is spot on...

The problem is that the Naso won't eat anything that I try to feed it. It just swims right by. I've tried Mysis, Formula One and Two pellets, seaweed on a clip all soaked in garlic and it just swims right by. The only time I've seen him eat is if I stick some seaweed in my plate corals mouth and it will pull it from the plate corals mouth. Only thing it does eat is stuff it picks off the rocks. It seems acclimatized to the tank and is social to the other fishes. Just getting abit worried since it seems to be getting really skinny now.

Is it an adult naso
Did you see it eating at the LFS?

[Haloreef]

I have had the same problem with two different tangs, achilles and red sea sail fin, I tried feeding every thing and they would only pick at the rocks. The only thing I could get them to pick at was nori. The first time I put garlic soaked emerald entree in the tank they went crazy for it. Now four months later they eat any thing.
Hope this helps.
Keith.

[PEA]

It's a baby Naso Tang, about 3-4".

[naesco]

Originally Posted by PEA

It's a baby Naso Tang, about 3-4".

That is the best size to get as the adults mostly simply refuse to eat.

Naso tangs require brown algae as part of their feeding.

If you soak some in garlic, or selcon, or water use a powerhead to move the soaked brown algae around.

Continue trying a variety of different foods with the hope that he latches on to something he likes.

You mentioned that he is getting skinny. If you can get an eyedropper full of selcon near her, squirt her so she gets a mouthful.

Was she eating when you bought her. Is it possible she is suffering from a parasite?

[PEA]

I bought some Red Algae in the pack, cause it liked eating the red hair algae so much. Going to try some Purple algae tonight, and maybe some of this Emerald Entree. I usually soak all the algae in garlic to make it more appetizing.

I think I got too excited about the Naso at the fish store, that I forgot to test if he was eating. He did have some stress spots when he first got to my tank, but it's all good now. He wasn't skinny before, but getting skinnier now.

Can't get anywhere near the Tangs with my hands.


Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions!