Blue Hippo Tang Won't Eat Lettuce

[souljah]

I bought a 2 inch blue hippo tang 2 weeks ago
and currently have him in my 10 gallon quarantine.
This fish is a pig and eats everything except
lettuce. He takes flake, brine, pellets...etc.
But he won't touch lettuce, is this normal
behavior, because I KNOW tangs NEED
algae in their diets. Why wont he eat the
lettuce? I have given him green romane
lettuce, green spinich etc. on his lettuce clip,
and he wont even go near anything green.
Someone let me know whats
up with my blue hippo tang.
thanks
http://www.***********.com/images/products/large/pw73746.jpg

 

[fishfood]

yea.. forget lettuce and get some sea veggies or seaweed select.. I have the sea veggies packet out and it has a blue tank on the front... I'm not sure about their interest in algae but i find it funny that they are pictured on the package..By the way the packet i have is the purple seaweed and is a product of Two Little Fishies.
oh and its good that you have him in qt.. I have only had one once and had major problems back when i didn't qt. Awsome fish!

 

[holacanthus]

Anthem, it couldn't have been said better! It's amazing how many so called "pros" suggest feeding lettuce and it's kin.

 

[fishtanker]

in my 55gal FOWLR with a hippo, yellow, and kole tang i feed them romaine lettuce boiled in water for about 15-30 secs. the hippo is the biggest pig when it comes to the lettuce. he starts eating with the lettuce clip still in my hand. Maybe try boiling the lettuce first. I don;t know what these other guys' replies are talking about tangs eat any and all types of greenstuffs becasue they need it in their diet.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Maybe I can shed some light on this as well.
First of all, lettuce may not be the way to go.
Try Nori (the seaweed stuff they use to wrap sushi).
Although, be prepared that for the first week or so, he may be afraid of the clip itself. Mine took a week before getting used to something hanging inside the tank offering food.
Although, once they know what it is, they WILL take to it. Keep doing it on a daily basis, and he'll take to it.
Also, as Beth has told me, these fish need a varied diet. Read this thread , which will give you some interesting food options for this guy.
Just don't expect to feed him only flake and formula 2...

 

[souljah]

Excellent,
Thanks guys