Kole tang still not eating!

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

I have a Kole Tang, and his first food (besides constantly picking algae from the rocks and glass) was freeze dried mysis in the QT tank, and it is still his favorite food. Then he started eating a few pellets after that. Never could get him to eat nori (weird for a tang), and still won't. And yes, I have a foxface too, and he is a real pig for that nori. I also have the Kole eating veggie flakes. But he still fills his day bouncing around the tank, pecking for algae.

He was getting quite active (apart from being shy whenever I am standing close to the tank) but he became very slow today and only roams around in one side of the tank. I am not totally sure but I have read that koles hardly (if any at all) touch nori. I am seriously getting worried.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

He was getting quite active (apart from being shy whenever I am standing close to the tank) but he became very slow today and only roams around in one side of the tank. I am not totally sure but I have read that koles hardly (if any at all) touch nori. I am seriously getting worried.

Well, if he has ich, that is not good. Because I always QT with hypo, my new fish always get a good start. The hypo seems to give them extra vitality, and they take new food fairly quickly.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Well, if he has ich, that is not good. Because I always QT with hypo, my new fish always get a good start. The hypo seems to give them extra vitality, and they take new food fairly quickly.

I know. It has to start eat within a day or two or else it is doomed I have cured visible ich from quite a few fishes with just overfeeding them but this guy seems to be too stubborn

[naesco]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

I know. It has to start eat within a day or two or else it is doomed I have cured visible ich from quite a few fishes with just overfeeding them but this guy seems to be too stubborn

You just can' let her die.
See if you can give her to another reef right away. One who has a qt with film algae on the glass

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by naesco

You just can' let her die.
See if you can give her to another reef right away. One who has a qt with film algae on the glass

I am not saying that I will let it die. Trying to catch it and give it to someone else would be more stressful and I don't think that would be a good idea. I have the natural resources for it in the tank (film algae) but it just wouldn't eat. I am going to try the formula 2 tomorrow. Keeping my finger crossed.

[naesco]

Try everything!
What are you going to do about the ich infestation that has attacked your already weakened kole?

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by naesco

Try everything!
What are you going to do about the ich infestation that has attacked your already weakened kole?

The typical method I followed before: overfeed it. It hasn't weaken to the point of heavy breathing yet. I just need the correct food to entice it to eat. Tell me the name of the food that all tangs love. Ocean formula 2 or something else?

[Reef Pilot]

I would like to suggest hypo in a QT. But unless you have one already set up fully cycled and mature, chances are not good for that to work either. Hastily set up QT's usually don't work. And as you said, catching him and moving him again will be stressful.

Ich usually subsides a bit every few days. If you can get him eating during that time, and maybe some immunity might kick in, you (he) might get lucky and survive. But I honestly don't like your chances.

I don't know what else to suggest at this stage. Good luck.

[AquaAddict]

Hi,

My Kole Tang wouldn't eat for 2 weeks. I just kept feeding the other fish PE Mysis shrimp and it finally realized what they were eating and then started competing for its share. Meanwhile it cleaned up the back overflow - never looked so good and I already had a yellow tang.

AquaAddict