Feeding Lettuce

[CodyRVA]

Don't quote me anymore please you're obviously not understanding what I'm saying which would lead me to believe you're biased and will try to defend this even if your wrong.

We're all very fortunate to have reef2reef as it is an amazing resource for knowledge. I can't begin to convey the amount of information I have learned and continue to learn through open conversation and debate in this forum. The communication offered here can act as a catalyst to improve our abilities in this hobby, among others. The only way this communication is adequately achieved is through open debate and polite conversation. I've disagreed with many folks and they've disagreed with me, but at the end of the day we've both learned something. No one learns anything if and when we fail to maintain a free debate. So, welcome the debate, celebrate it; difference of opinion only helps us further understand and resolve the issues at hand.

 

[FirstContact]

Some people don't have minds open enough to see any path but their own which is sad. Discussion, ideas, and different paths should be open to everyone.

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[mcarroll]

"Terrestrial plant lipids are well known to cause heart and liver lesions...

This has been brought up before, but it requires that 100% of the diet be made up of these things. It was a test of extremes, not a test of what's appropriate.

Was just at Aulani resort where Disney has a massive tank/pool you can swim in that I would guess to be half a million gallons. There are thousands of fish in there and about 50 different types. Disney has reported the yellow tanks, convict tangs, squirrel fish, and others all spawning in the tank.

I saw Disney feed the fish lettuce. I would say if a company that has unlimited resources and has spent millions on a tank feeds it its a safe bet for you as well. Not to mention those are the fattest convict tangs and healthiest yellow tangs I have seen in my life including in the wild. If the fish are this healthy I would say you are safe and would am now even planning to feed it to my fish.

Again I'm not expert but if marine biologists do it and the real experts do it I feel safe to do it. I have seen it at other large public aquariums as well so not sure how someone in our saltwater aquarium world can argue against people who's careers and degrees are in the marine biology field.

If you don't know why they're doing it, you should be more conservative....what's the rest of their diet like? I doubt green veggies are the secret.

I've fed broccoli before to urchins. Can't see how lettuce is bad for tangs.

There's nothing toxic about it – it's a question of how valuable it is and how much they are eating vs everything else on offer.

Dear lord we are still talking about lettuce.. We are not fish. Not even close to fish. Fish are not humans. Not even close. There is no comparing at all. What our bodies and their bodies do are not even close. Do you see us finding the needs to eat algae even though we can find nutrients from it. No.

Well, that's mostly not true. Our digestive systems are surprisingly similar – or not so surprising since fish are the ones who invented our digestive system!

We both have what are known as fermenting guts. (No, not the same as a ruminant gut! Yes they are still a bit different as we have a few hundred million years of evolution on the idea....but the basics are still the same!!!)

Neither one of us have too much problem pooping out the useless parts of what we eat.

For any that are still reading. Look at the guaranteed analysis on the back of flake food, whether spirulina or veggie, or whatever. There is a catagory for ash. Ash has absolutely no nutritional value and is not digested.

That's not really true either....it represents the mineral content of the food. Calcium, Magnesium, et al.

Vitamins and minerals are both important.

After the analysis is done (aka burning the food) all the protein and other things burn off, but the minerals just oxidize.

Like any nutrient, it's possible to have too much or too little......label reading is good, but you have to know your organisms first!!! What do they need?

 

[40B Knasty]

This has been brought up before, but it requires that 100% of the diet be made up of these things. It was a test of extremes, not a test of what's appropriate.



If you don't know why they're doing it, you should be more conservative....what's the rest of their diet like? I doubt green veggies are the secret.



There's nothing toxic about it – it's a question of how valuable it is and how much they are eating vs everything else on offer.



Well, that's mostly not true. Our digestive systems are surprisingly similar – or not so surprising since fish are the ones who invented our digestive system!

We both have what are known as fermenting guts. (No, not the same as a ruminant gut! Yes they are still a bit different as we have a few hundred million years of evolution on the idea....but the basics are still the same!!!)

Neither one of us have too much problem pooping out the useless parts of what we eat.



That's not really true either....it represents the mineral content of the food. Calcium, Magnesium, et al.

Vitamins and minerals are both important.

After the analysis is done (aka burning the food) all the protein and other things burn off, but the minerals just oxidize.

Like any nutrient, it's possible to have too much or too little......label reading is good, but you have to know your organisms first!!! What do they need?

And that's how you get muted. Obviously the brain hasn't developed much different from a fish either.

 

[mcarroll]

Hm...I'm not even sure what you're responding to.

I can supply supporting information if you had questions about anything in particular.

FYI, the only way to stay out of a thread that you don't want to participate in (if that's what's still going on...I read the thread) is to not reply......un-watching doesn't help too much. I've run into the same phenomenon.

 

[Tahoe61]

Has anyone tried feeding their fish lettuce? Last year I was at a huge public aquarium (believe Disney Animal Kingdom) and remember them dropping romaine lettuce into the tank & fish went crazy over it. Does anyone else do it & what veggies do you feed? Do you soak them in RODI water first? How often? What kind of fish?

For those that missed the intent in the opening post.

Please keep the discussion civil and the dialog respectful and on topic.

 

[PJS]

OK OK, some of these posts are getting as chilly as an Iceberg and this topic is getting Shredded...Lettuce move on shall we.
Points made, opinions shared.
Play nice people!
That's all I've got.....

^^^^I repeat^^^^

 

[4FordFamily]

And that's how you get muted. Obviously the brain hasn't developed much different from a fish either.

Why are you frequently behaving angrily towards other members with whom you dissent? Be civil, show some respect. It's ok to disagree but I've seen lots of unnecessarily snide comments from you over the past few weeks. Take it down a notch. This is a friendly family forum. We try to help people not cut them down.

 

[40B Knasty]

Why are you frequently behaving angrily towards other members with whom you dissent? Be civil, show some respect. It's ok to disagree but I've seen lots of unnecessarily snide comments from you over the past few weeks. Take it down a notch. This is a friendly family forum. We try to help people not cut them down.

He took the time to read everything, right? I said it a few times do not quote me in this thread pulling me in, right? What do you say to the person that pulls someone back into a thread that knowingly is doing it on purposes? Where is the wholesome family fun in that done to me who specifically asked to not be pulled back in like another member who was also being pulled back in.
As for respect. You get respect when you give it. I came on to this thread to talk. Not be constantly poked at in a way I do not like. So.. Where is the quote for them to say hey I noticed you pulling these people back into the thread and poking at them. This is supposed to be fun for them. It works both ways Ford. Ya they seem playful doing it and innocent by putting an emoji. Plus they have supporting tags. So they are liked more in a visual sense. That doesn't mean you get to do what you want. Or does it? Bottom line, another member and I specifically asked to not be pulled back in. Yet here I am again.
It is what it is.. I have done what I could to save face by unwatching the thread 6x(not once) and ignoring 2 people now. If you don't like the way someone stands up for them self when no one else will. You will not like what I have to say in doing so. I can agree. If you are going to sit there and say you agree with how they are. Friendly family forum is not what is going on here from either side you are trying to be partial to. I understand your opinion and I am talking to you about it here like you are talking to me. If you want to talk to me about it. PM me. There is my side of the story. Don't pull me back into this thread. Thank you!

 

[azreeftank]

I have been keeping SW tanks and Reef tanks for over 25 years. I used to feed lettuce to my tangs like 20 years ago. At the time Nori was not readily available for me or I did not know about it. From the moment my LFS started selling it I stopped feeding lettuce. Bottom line for me now is I have THOUSANDs of $$$ in my tank and 6 large tangs. If I want to be too cheap or lazy to feed them Nori everyday and replace with lettuce then I'm not doing my fish any justice and I should leave the hobby. I buy only the best frozen foods (LRS , Rods etc) I supplement with Selcon and Vitachem and then people say I should feed them with .50 lettuce instead of Nori??? Yeah no I will stick to Nori even if you prove to me that lettuce is good for them. My Achilles tang was skinny when I got him 5 years ago. He now eats one purple and green Nori sheet every day along with Frozen food and Spirulina flakes and he is the thickest and most beautiful tang I have ever seen. I will leave the lettuce for my Subway Spicy Italian. Thx

 

[Reefing Madness]

He took the time to read everything, right? I said it a few times do not quote me in this thread pulling me in, right? What do you say to the person that pulls someone back into a thread that knowingly is doing it on purposes? Where is the wholesome family fun in that done to me who specifically asked to not be pulled back in like another member who was also being pulled back in.
As for respect. You get respect when you give it. I came on to this thread to talk. Not be constantly poked at in a way I do not like. So.. Where is the quote for them to say hey I noticed you pulling these people back into the thread and poking at them. This is supposed to be fun for them. It works both ways Ford. Ya they seem playful doing it and innocent by putting an emoji. Plus they have supporting tags. So they are liked more in a visual sense. That doesn't mean you get to do what you want. Or does it? Bottom line, another member and I specifically asked to not be pulled back in. Yet here I am again.
It is what it is.. I have done what I could to save face by unwatching the thread 6x(not once) and ignoring 2 people now. If you don't like the way someone stands up for them self when no one else will. You will not like what I have to say in doing so. I can agree. If you are going to sit there and say you agree with how they are. Friendly family forum is not what is going on here from either side you are trying to be partial to. I understand your opinion and I am talking to you about it here like you are talking to me. If you want to talk to me about it. PM me. There is my side of the story. Don't pull me back into this thread. Thank you!

 

[CodyRVA]

 

[4FordFamily]

I've never had my tangs or fish eat lettuce, i always fed nori instead. This is an

bahahahaha!!

 

[mcarroll]

Lettuce is green.

 

[mcarroll]

...I could have mentioned that I don't feed any greens myself either. Did I sound pro-Lettuce?

Noori is about it, but since it seems to be freeze-dried I even question the value of it. It certainly can't be a substitute for algae that's alive and loaded with critters. I've always suspected that Tangs go after the algae for all the critters in the algae anyway rather than the algae itself.

Feeding macro algae from your fuge is a smart alternative if you have a good way to do it so you can assure it either gets eaten or removed. Some macros can be invasive.

 

[4FordFamily]

I've always suspected that Tangs go after the algae for all the critters in the algae anyway rather than the algae itself

Interesting theory, but not surprising. I know they eat tons of algae but I also know there are tons of other critters in and around it. They do love meaty offerings.

I think tangs are the oceans garbage cans - they'll eat anything organic - even another fish's excrement sometimes.

 

[laga77]

Interesting theory, but not surprising. I know they eat tons of algae but I also know there are tons of other critters in and around it. They do love meaty offerings.

I think tangs are the oceans garbage cans - they'll eat anything organic - even another fish's excrement sometimes.

I read an article that young tangs need to consume the excrement of older tangs to get the gut bacteria necessary for digestion.

 

[4FordFamily]

I read an article that young tangs need to consume the excrement of older tangs to get the gut bacteria necessary for digestion.

I've heard that as well