Kole tang still not eating!

[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.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by 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.

Thanks Honestly, I don't have the provision to set up a QT in my current home. And like you said, setting QT hastily is always a bad idea. Will do it once I move to the new place (hopefully it will have some space to spare). I kept on reading the net and people say that just give it time, it will start eating and so on. Till now, the longest starvation that I have seen in a new fish is possible an hour or something and thats it. Even the foxface, which is extremely shy, started eating the moment I got it in the tank. I just hope it starts eating!

[naesco]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

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?

All commonly kept tangs need algae. The cheapest good source is non flavoured nori.

Regal tangs are meat eaters and need meaty foods

Koles need film algae.

Most tangs will eat what the reefer feeds it.

Sqish some garlic, use garlic extreme or garlic extract on the food you choose to try. It acts as an appetite enhancer

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by naesco

All commonly kept tangs need algae. The cheapest good source is non flavoured nori.

Regal tangs are meat eaters and need meaty foods

Koles need film algae.

Most tangs will eat what the reefer feeds it.

Sqish some garlic, use garlic extreme or garlic extract on the food you choose to try. It acts as an appetite enhancer

Thanks. Will keep this thread updated (even if it leads to flaming me).