Skinny Convict Tang

[GreatHammerhead]

Probably about 3 weeks ago I rescued this neglected convict tang from an LFS that wasn’t taking care of it… it was in a small tank with a very aggressive big puffer and was banged up and malnourished. I brought it home cause I couldn’t leave it there to die. The wounds have healed up, but he’s still super skinny. He eats nori like his life depends on it. I feed nori 3-4 times a day because of that, he has yet to eat any meaty foods(I feed Rods mixed) so I’m wondering if that’s why he won’t put on weight or if it hasn’t been enough time or something else.. any advice?

 

[Boreas_SA]

Try deworming it, most of the ones we caught out of rock pools had bad internal worms. Not sure about a brand name dewormer, but something with levamisole or praziquantel that you mix with food in will help.

 

[keepingfishwithnoidea]

feed more

 

[Largeangels]

Feed often anything you have, mysis, flakes, pellets, nori, etc. What ever it eats just feed more of. Just be careful of too much un eaten food.

One caution. These fish often come in not doing well. But if they survive they are pretty hardy but IME these can be nasty. The one I currently have is being removed this weekend from one of my tanks. Very nasty, very aggressive tang. My sohol and lineatus are better than this one.

 

[Borat]

Feed more proteins: convict tang likes food such as clams/mussels.

 

[exnisstech]

Maybe cut back on the nori and see if it will take some meaty foods. Also adding vitamins like selcon and or vitachem to the nori may help. All of my tangs including my convict love PE mysis. It's been a staple of my tangs diet for years and they are fat and healthy.

 

[GreatHammerhead]

Feed more proteins: convict tang likes food such as clams/mussels.

I feed rods mixed 2-3 times a day, and he doesn’t touch it

 

[GreatHammerhead]

Feed often anything you have, mysis, flakes, pellets, nori, etc. What ever it eats just feed more of. Just be careful of too much un eaten food.

One caution. These fish often come in not doing well. But if they survive they are pretty hardy but IME these can be nasty. The one I currently have is being removed this weekend from one of my tanks. Very nasty, very aggressive tang. My sohol and lineatus are better than this one.

I feed all the protien fish food I have 2-3 times a day and he still doesn’t attempt to try it

 

[GreatHammerhead]

feed more

I always have nori available in tank during day. He doesn’t even try the meat foods

 

[GreatHammerhead]

Maybe cut back on the nori and see if it will take some meaty foods. Also adding vitamins like selcon and or vitachem to the nori may help. All of my tangs including my convict love PE mysis. It's been a staple of my tangs diet for years and they are fat and healthy.

Thanks! How do I add them to nori? Soak it?

 

[GreatHammerhead]

I feed all the protien fish food I have 2-3 times a day and he still doesn’t attempt to try it

Thanks for the info about aggression, I’ll keep an eyes on him

 

[exnisstech]

Thanks! How do I add them to nori? Soak it?

I just put some drops on the nori and let it soak in before placing in the tank. I wouldn't soak the nori becuase it will get too soggy and make it hard to work with plus a lot would probably come off in the water.

 

[GreatHammerhead]

Maybe cut back on the nori and see if it will take some meaty foods. Also adding vitamins like selcon and or vitachem to the nori may help. All of my tangs including my convict love PE mysis. It's been a staple of my tangs diet for years and they are fat and healthy.

Went and bought some hikari mysis today, and he devoured them!!

 

[exnisstech]

Went and bought some hikari mysis today, and he devoured them!!

Awesome. Good on you for rescuing it. Mine is a non stop algae grazer.

 

[Largeangels]

Great! Hikari mysis is my absolute favorite. Almost all the fish go after it like crazy.

Here are some of them chasing the Hikari mysis. I do as many small feedings as I can during the day.

 

[keepingfishwithnoidea]

true

 

[Largeangels]

How's the tang doing?

 

[keepingfishwithnoidea]

Yeah we need an update

 

[klc]

I have 2 convicts, one in my display and one in my frag tank. Both are fat and sassy. They are the hardest working fish there is. It's good to hear yours is eating mysis, it'll fatten up after a few weeks.