Blonde Naso not eating

[flower1459]

Hello all, I'm new to the boards, but not new to saltwater. My father and I have had success with our saltwater tanks for about 15 years now. We had 3 running at one point, but have eventually downsized to one over the years.
We just bought a beautiful large Blonde Naso Tang last weekend. He's acclimated well to his home and is getting along with all of his tank-mates, but seems a little picky when it comes to eating.
He's eating the brown algae throughout the tank, which was to be expected, but he's not eating flake food, shrimp, seaweed strips or blanched lettuce. He tries it, then spits it back out.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[mlr492]

I would try mysis and brine.
When he gets hungry enough, he'll eat.

 

[erhoades]

i had the same problem i attached a piece of romaine lettuce to a suction cup and fixed it to the glass and noticed him nibbling very lightly from time to time i also made a mix of frozen brine, krill, shrimp,octopus, and squid mixed in flake and garlic guard and he seemed to pic and choose from that mix what he wanted

 

[flower1459]

We're going on day 8 with no food yet in our Naso Tang. He's picking at algae on our LR like crazy, but when it comes to feeding time, it's almost humorous -- he will literally swim up to the food, maybe take a pick at it, and then turn his back on it and swim away.

He's doing great otherwise, swimming a ton, no arguments with tank mates, and no signs of illness. We've tried: green algae strips, brown algae strips, pellets, brine, mysis and romaine. Any more ideas? He's a gorgeous fish and I'd hate for him to not make it because he's being a food snob.

 

[unleashed]

well the pellets are a good idea depending on the brand i always had great luck with thera+A by spectrum. they sink and the shy fish has a better chance of feeding when your not looking...best way i always found to start them off is dose the tank with selcon and garlic extreme everything in the tank will benefit from this as well..feed live algae from fuge if you have any but most of all try to walk away from the tank and not watch from a close distance..it tends to slow down the beginnings of new to tank feeding..do you have him in a QT?another form of prepared foods i had great luck with emerald entrese its for herbivores and omnivores alike.. but the selcon and the garlic extreme in the tank directly will help boost the imune system and give nutritional value to get him healthy again..while hes not eating

 

[scotts]

Originally Posted by mlr492
http:///forum/post/2801661
I would try mysis and brine.
When he gets hungry enough, he'll eat.
Don't mean to pick on you,but this is not true. Unfortunately many fish starve to death in our tanks. Just because we put food in the tanks, does not mean that the fish knows it is food.
Flower your fish is a perfect example of this. Although it picking at the rocks is good, at least it is eating something. Nasos not eating seems to be a common thing in the hobby, even mine. What I was told and what worked for me, was to soak the food in garlic extract. The fish like the smell and taste of it. So they smell it and then get hungry and then like the taste. You can try it with Brine Shrimp, This also tastes good for the fish,but does not have much nutritional value. But at least get him started eating something and he will then start eating everything you put in the tank.
HTH
Scott

 

[reefpoor]

I am having the same exact problem with my blonde naso I bought about 6 weeks ago. He has never ate the frozen food real well but it seems he has gotten more picky in the last week. Do the rest of you find the nasos to be a really timid fish, I am thinking that could be some of the problem or they are just really picky? The only thing he will nibble on is green algae strips.

 

[flower1459]

Originally Posted by reefpoor
http:///forum/post/2805612
I am having the same exact problem with my blonde naso I bought about 6 weeks ago. He has never ate the frozen food real well but it seems he has gotten more picky in the last week. Do the rest of you find the nasos to be a really timid fish, I am thinking that could be some of the problem or they are just really picky? The only thing he will nibble on is green algae strips.
At least yours will eat the algae strips. I can't even get ours to eat them and they're algae eating fish! He's still a food snob. We found some pellets with garlic in them and at first he went crazy over them - now he's just getting snobby again and will lightly pick, then turn his back on it. I'm almost beginning to wonder if he'll eat the silver slides we'll put in for Trig at this point. We've done lettuce, pellets, flakes, algae, brine, mysis...
Mine isn't timid - he's not a bully, but he won't let our huma trig give him any crap. He dishes it right back at him. I think Trig's kinda scared of him at this point. He gets along great with our other tangs... hopefully we can just get him to eat soon.
Let me know if you have any better luck with yours. Maybe it'll be a secret trick.