Feeding Tangs

[Samhain]

Ok, so I'm preparing to add a tang (as soon as LA or another reputable online fishie source gets a White Tail Bristletooth in stock), and I need some feeding info. I know about their veggie requirments of Nori, seaweed sheets, etc as well as needing meaty bits too. But I'm wondering about alternative greens. I know some supplement their tangs with lettuce and broccoli, but being the good southern girl that I am, I know there are plenty of greens other than these. Does anyone have any idea if tangs would like/can eat collards, mustard greens, and turnip greens? These are staples around here, cheap, readily accessible, and packed with a lot more nutritious value than lettuce. So, whatcha think?

 

[little_fish]

If you can get them to eat them, Im sure it would be better than lettuce. However, dont skip out on the seaweed. IMO that is what they evolved to eat and that is what their primary food should be.

 

[Samhain]

Oh no. The primary staple of the tangs diet will be nori, seaweed, and marine cuisine. I was just wondering if they could or would eat the more nutritious "land greens" in addition to the "sea greens".

 

[andysgirl8800]

I don't think they would, and you'd have to be SUPER cautious about any possible pesticides or other outside contaminants. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw collard greens floating around a reef. ;) I'd really try to keep them on their seaweed, as it's their natural diet. Just MHO.

 

[MikeG]

You might also want to try the Instant Ocean Gel Pack Seaweed Blend, my Sailfin Tang, Foxface and a bunch of my other fish love it.

 

[FishyReef]

Do keep any chaeto in your refugium? I've heard they like that too :)

 

[Northstar24]

I would not feed tangs Chaeto - they have a hard time passing it through there system....mine do seem to like caulerpa though

 

[FishyReef]

I would not feed tangs Chaeto - they have a hard time passing it through there system....mine do seem to like caulerpa though

Oh, good to know! Thanks for the info!

 

[phastroh]

I have 4 Tangs in my tank and I throw small seaweed rectangles in the tank and they hog them down. The other fish all eat it as well so I can never tell who ate how much. It is hard to see.

I got this food from the store that the guy said was popular for Tangs and other fish that eat greens. I can't recall the name at work but they are not in cubes. Instead it is frozen into octagons but in the shape of a tower.

It is gel bound I am sure because it does not break up in the water so if it floats behind the rocks it is gone to whomever happens to see it.

I hate gel binders and try to avoid them.

 

[Reefrookie]

Once they get accustomed to them, your tangs will eat turnip greens. Put a small amount on the clip with the nori to start out.

 

[DAvis]

I know about their veggie requirments of Nori, seaweed sheets, etc as well as needing meaty bits too. But I'm wondering about alternative greens. I know some supplement their tangs with lettuce and broccoli...
would like/can eat collards, mustard greens, and turnip greens?

I know some people feed pea's lettuce, etc but.... Would a Whitetail Bristletooth Tang ever come in contact with any of these greens in the wild? We work so hard at giving the fish the best possible environment to mimic their home. So why would we want to change their main staple? I would stick with nori (not the roasted one) and other seaweed snacks and the meaty morsels. If finicky, you can always soak the seaweed in a food supplement, but seaweed is the key for tangs. That's how they got their name!

Good luck with the WTBT, it's a beautiful fish!:Cheers:

 

[Samhain]

This seems to be the consensus. I don't think I'll be trying the alternative greens. It was just a thought. It was never intended to be a staple, just an occasional add on, but it seems that almost everyone is in agreement that it's not a good idea.

 

[phastroh]

Yeah well I know I read somewhere you can feed them Broccoli and other green vegetables along with their food so don't sweat it. I wish I could remember where but it was a known site.

I remember because I tried to use it one time, like a tiny piece and it just floated around and nobody even sniffed it. There are many things anyway they will eat.

I feed them Emerald(something) and Prime Reef and they hog it down and I can't remember the last ay I didn't put in an 1/8th of a seaweed sheet ripped into squares and sometimes I do it twice and it is gone and the days I feed my coral either my frozen, freeze dried Cyclopeeze or Reef Chilli they all eat that too.

I put Chaeto in a long time ago and no-one ate it so forget that idea most likely. If they eat Broccoli then let them but I forgot what I fed them frozen or fresh but like someone posted who knows what is sprayed on it but it didn't hurt the water but no fish ate it.

 

[Samhain]

We know what's sprayed on our veggies, since we raise our own and do all organic, no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers other than poop. But regardless, it was just an idea.

 

[Bifferwine]

I don't think it's a bad idea -- a lot of people do it. I just don't think it's worth the hassle when the prepared foods we give them are formulated to meet their nutritional needs.

 

[FishyReef]

Hey Samhain, LA got a few lemon peel mimic tangs in (they are the juvenile chocolate tangs) if you're interested!

 

[Zissou]

You can also grow some gracilaria in your refugium:
ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Red Gracilaria

Or some Ulva:
Saltwater Aquarium Algae for Marine Reef Aquariums: Ulva Lettuce Algae - Aquacultured

And just break pieces off and feed them to your fish every once in awhile.