Is it OK to feed my tang lettuce?

[wrassecal]

I have a yellow tang that I feed boiled lettuce to every day to keep it from eating all my calerpa. I hang it on the side of the tank. I've been doing this for about a month now. Is it OK to do this?

 

[underthesea]

I have heard good and bad about feeding your tangs lettuce. If I was you I would go to my lfs and pick up freez dried sea weed. It is better for them since it is there natural diet. It is pretty cheap and all you have to do is tear off a little piece every day to every other day.

 

[marty]

What type of lettuce? I have used romaine lettuce before with my yellow tang. I have heard/read that is ok, but that it isn't the best (i.e. where is lettuce in the oceans? - it's not.) What might be better for the tang is some seaweed slects. You should be able to find some at your lfs. I put some in once a week or so to help with its diet.

 

[wrassecal]

Yeah I'm using romaine and I boil it a few seconds to get the stuff out that they supposedly can't digest. I have to give her a bigger and bigger piece every day! Thing is my tang is eating a heck of a lot of this stuff, she's addicted. I know not natural and my lfs is the one who suggested it in first place. I'll try the freeze dried seaweed but it better be pretty cheap the way this fish is eating!!!!!!!

 

[jimi]

It cost about the same as lettuce only it is the natural diet and much better for them. Lettuce is already low in nutritional value, and by boiling it it is of even less value, heat destroys vitamins. I know you have to boil it but just trying to say green seaweed selects is the way to go.

 

[wrassecal]

Well, the nurtient thing is what has been bothering me, thanks for your advise. I'm going to switch to seaweed selects as I certainly want my tang in top shape. THANKS!

 

[maryc137]

Used to use Romaine lettuce, but then I was told to go to an Oriental Store and buy Nori. This is dried or roasted seaweed. I comes in nice square sheets like paper. Only cost $1.69 for about 12 sheets of 7x8 inch pieces. This will go a long way. My tangs love it maybe even more than theydid the Romaine.

 

[iswimwithmyfish]

use the seaweed select that comes in rolls and all you gotta do is tear off a piece and there ya go... but it's better if you submerge it under the water...

 

[wrassecal]

Thanks everyone, I went out and bought the seaweed "sheets" at my lfs and Tang seems to love it. I feel better knowing the nutrition is there and it's a naturally ocurring "plant"