New kole tang...running out of algae...

[Congaken]

I got a young kole tang early this week...he'd been in QT at the dealers for almost a week and I've had him in QT with light copper since Tuesday...he's eating the algae in the 20 gal. QT well, but it is running out...I've tried to feed him algae wafers, algae flakes, nori, and algae stuffed frozen brine, but he doesn't seem interested in any of these...

His eventual home is a 65 gal. fowler which now houses 5 firefish, cb shrimp, a royal gramma and cuc...I don't want him to starve, but I don't want to rush his QT especially with a tang...no signs of ick or disease...but obviously we have not run the ich cycle...so...starve or move and take the chance...any suggestions to switch him to other foods?...any suggestions and advise would be more than welcome...Thanks...

 

[hinovak]

Try lrs herbivore frenzy or reef frenzy, my bristle tooth goes nuts for both of them

 

[hinovak]

Or fish eggs if you can find them

 

[eliramos]

Agreed with the above! He will eventually learn to eat the Algea. Mine stayed away from the clips for weeks. Until he noticed how crazy my coral beauty and wrasses went, now he joins the frenzy!
He will learn soon!

 

[Congaken]

Or fish eggs if you can find them

where would one find fish eggs...like caviar or salmon roe?...of course have to be pure, no human stuff in it...

 

[Baby Ray]

where would one find fish eggs...like caviar or salmon roe?...of course have to be pure, no human stuff in it...

You can probably get it at any of your LFS. I would get Reef Nutrition ROE

 

[hinovak]

Yes, check with your lfs, they are usually very small, and every fish I have ever kept go nuts for fish eggs. There are several brands, they like most I have used.

 

[Humblefish]

Have you tried rubber banding some nori to a rock with algae right next to it?

 

[hatrix11]

Rod's has an algae blend that my bristletooth loves. I roll the red seaweed up in the nori like a cigarette then pinch it in a clip

 

[Congaken]

Have you tried rubber banding some nori to a rock with algae right next to it?

I will this morning...

 

[Deinonych]

Mine would never touch nori when he was in QT and was very finicky with other foods. I gave him New Era Marine Grazers and he went nuts on them (they provide a natural feeding habit). New Era was purchased by World Feeds last year, so their product has been rebranded: http://www.jlaquatics.com/vitalis-mini-marine-grazer-fish-food-290-gram.html

 

[happyhourhero]

It took mine about a week to eat prepared foods. Mine went algae wafers > Seaweed Pellets > Frozen food > Nori > everything. I will add that i feed my fish roe all the time and the Kole does not eat it. It doesnt mess with the small particle food too much.

 

[Congaken]

Mine would never touch nori when he was in QT and was very finicky with other foods. I gave him New Era Marine Grazers and he went nuts on them (they provide a natural feeding habit). New Era was purchased by World Feeds last year, so their product has been rebranded: http://www.jlaquatics.com/vitalis-mini-marine-grazer-fish-food-290-gram.html

Looks good...but at 35 bucks I'll only do it as last resort...he is eating algae...but he's probably OK for another week or so in QT...thanks...

It took mine about a week to eat prepared foods. Mine went algae wafers > Seaweed Pellets > Frozen food > Nori > everything. I will add that i feed my fish roe all the time and the Kole does not eat it. It doesnt mess with the small particle food too much.

Very interesting...might try the wafers again tomorrow...since algae keeps growing, he'll probably be OK for a week or two till he's out of QT...thanks...

 

[4FordFamily]

Have you tried rubber banding some nori to a rock with algae right next to it?

X2. Extra points if you try red nori. Tangs can't say no

 

[Deinonych]

X2. Extra points if you try red nori. Tangs can't say no

IME, Ctenochaetus sp. tangs don't really go nuts over nori like other species of tangs. They primarily feed on film algae and detritus in the wild (they may eat macroalgae, but I've never observed it on a dive). Mine will eat a bit of nori now and then, but prefers to pick at the rocks more than anything. My foxface on the other hand will devour nori as soon as it hits the water.

 

[happyhourhero]

Mine enjoys the finest other fish poop. Especially if it can get it before hitting the bottom. If it poops and the current is just right, it will swirl around and be able to eat its own poop too. The finer things in a Kole's life.

 

[Congaken]

Mine enjoys the finest other fish poop. Especially if it can get it before hitting the bottom. If it poops and the current is just right, it will swirl around and be able to eat its own poop too. The finer things in a Kole's life.

aha!!!...gourmet fair...bon appetite...

 

[justingraham]

It took me about two months to get my Kole to eat off a veggie clip. What I think got him finnaly eating was dipping it in garlic. I dipped it in garlic for about a week then I switched to every other day dipping it in garlic to finally not dipping it in garlic at all.
As of right now as soon as I pull the veggie clip out of the tank he knows it's nori time and swims to the spot in the tank and waits for me to load up the clip so he can go to town.
He would only eat red nori at one point now he doesn't care what nori I give him.
Patience is key

 

[4FordFamily]

IME, Ctenochaetus sp. tangs don't really go nuts over nori like other species of tangs. They primarily feed on film algae and detritus in the wild (they may eat macroalgae, but I've never observed it on a dive). Mine will eat a bit of nori now and then, but prefers to pick at the rocks more than anything. My foxface on the other hand will devour nori as soon as it hits the water.

Mine always have. My chevron and Kole go nuts!

 

[Empress]

My Kole was afraid of nori sheets until he saw the sailfin get violent with it. After that it was ON! Fun to watch. [emoji41]