Kole Tang

[andysgirl8800]

Many of you have already met Triton, my Kole Tang. I am a little concerned with his feeding. At the moment, he completely ignores every food I've put in the tank. I've fed mysis, emerald entree, marine cuisine, even a little flake food. I've also tried seaweed sheets in a clip and also tied to a rock. Nothin' doin'.

He is content kissing the glass and every nook and cranny of my rocks. He isn't looking thin or anything, and is behaving just fine. My concern is when the natural algae source runs out, what will he eat? Guess I'd just feel better if he would at least nip at the veggie clip....once in a while.

My hippo tang won't leave the clip's side, once it's been refilled and I kinda hoped Triton would take the hint with the hippo's fenzied feeding. Thinking maybe he was intimidated by her, I tied some seaweed to a rock and put the rock in the "Parthenon", the cave that Triton usually habitates. No luck. Am I worrying for nothing?

 

[Melosu58]

As long as he`s nipping at the rock and glass he`s getting something. Hopefully he`ll warm up to eating something soon. Mine eats all that you mentioned so he should eat soon.

 

[puttycat]

I make my own fish food out of several types of sea food. My Kole tang gobbles this up, he isn't to interested in the frozen algae or sheets. He nibbles on the glass and rock all day like yours does. Give him time when he gets sick of eating off the glass he will switch

 

[Reefrookie]

He will eat when he is hungry enough, I wouldn't worry

 

[andysgirl8800]

Thanks everyone. He's just the first fish I've owned that hasn't eaten a thing I put in the water.

 

[reeffreak]

I don't have any scientific data to back up this claim.

....but I think fish can learn from behavior.I watch my copperband follow and swim frantically when the other fish were eating,never touching the food.After a couple of months,she started doing what the other fish were doing during feeding time.I'm sure she will come around.

 

[andysgirl8800]

WOOT! Update....I finally got him to eat some of the seaweed sheets that I put into the tank for my Hippo Tang. After several trials and errors, I realized Triton won't touch the stuff while it's in a veggie clip, no matter how much garlic it's soaked in.

I ended up using a rubber band to attach a strip to a small piece of LR rubble and placing the rubble just inside the "Parthenon", the rock structure that looks like a Greek temple entrance that he's been calling home. After several days of good eatin' for the crabs and shrimp, he finally started nibbling on it, and has worked his way up to finishing it off entirely each time I set it in there. Guess he didn't like take out and much prefers home delivery instead. :D

 

[yote]

Now thats the kind of stuff I like to read on here.:D

 

[Hiker4twenty]

Glad to hear he's eating for you. Hope he continues to do well.

 

[Rcchanlder]

my foxface does the same thing. i have only had it since last weekend. i never see him eating. but i have been clipping nori sheets in the tank. when i leave for the day. the sheets are gone when i get back. they have to be going somewhere. crabs cant get them.

 

[daugherty]

good to hear that it is starting to eat

 

[ccCapt]

I ended up using a rubber band to attach a strip to a small piece of LR rubble and placing the rubble just inside the "Parthenon",

Yes, it's alot more natural for them to be picking algae off the rocks. I zip tied my clip to a piece of rubble then use a long piece of rigid airline tubing with a plastic hook on the end to put it in the tank and pull it out.

 

[andysgirl8800]

That's a good idea, capt....haven't thought long term, I guess. If he won't eat from the clip, I may have to imitate your solution!

 

[yote]

I know what I'll be riggin up when I get home Sunday.:D
I'd never even thought of that with the clips.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Problem I have with the clips is the Hippo is completely conditioned to them. She watches me through the glass as I'm putting new seaweed in. She's ruthless about her veggies! However, since she IS NOT looking for her seaweed attached to a rock, she's been leaving Triton's dinner alone.......so far.

 

[Melosu58]

I do love a happy ending.