Argg..New Y Tang wont eat hair algae?

[thegriffin]

Ok, so I got a small Yellow Tang about a week ago to maybe help with my green hair algae problem. I was told that these guys love the stuff and will tear it up. Problem is, he has been in there for about a week and I haven't SEEN him eat any of it yet. He only seems to pick at the clean rocks. Not where the hair is. Whats going on? Did I get a picky eater. Is MY hair algae not GOOD enough for him? I'm feeling a little bit frustrated. Does it take awhile for him to start eating it?
Another problem is do I need to supplument his diet? I assumed that with so much hair algae that I wouldn't really need to feed him until it started going away. But since he does not appear to be eating it do I need to start adding some of my Seaweed Selects that I bought him?
Should I be worried? I am sort of jumpy because I once had a Lawnmower Blenny starve to death in a tank with tones of green hair algae. For some reason he wouldn't eat the hair and only pecked at the clean rocks.
Thanks
By the way, I do get to observe him alot. The tank sits across from my office desk so I get to stare at it for 50+ hours a week which is why its not really a case of me just not seeing it.

 

[jmick]

Some Tangs will not touch the stuff and it’s been my experience that once hair algae get to be an 1”+ nothing will eat it.

 

[danedodger]

Same here, my yellow tang won't touch the stuff. He goes nutso for the seaweed sheets we put out and only picks at certain algae off the rocks, never touches the hair algae.
A better bet is to find out what's causing the algae bloom and fixing it at the source.

 

[danedodger]

Oh and heavens yes!!! Feed the poor guy!!! Tangs are active swimmers, burn up a lot of calories, and can quickly go right downhill! One day they look fine, the next BOOM!!! Very next morning you wake up their color is off, swimming funny or not at all, you can see bones and angles poking out... Once they start that downhill slide it can be difficult to save them.

 

[cowfishrule]

Originally Posted by Jmick
Some Tangs will not touch the stuff and it’s been my experience that once hair algae get to be an 1”+ nothing will eat it.

not true. sea hares will eat hair algae almost down to the rocks.

 

[jmick]

I’ve never had a sea hare (none of the LFS in my area carry them). If they do eat long hair algae that’s outstanding!

 

[scsinet]

I had the same problem with my system, probably new tank syndrome, but I addressed it with Kole Tang. LFS advised me of a particular affinity they have for the stuff and they were right...at least for me. It was at least as long as you describe.