Powder Blue Tang Losing Weight

[euphoria]

Why is my Powder Blue Tang losing weight? It eats like a pig. I feed it silversides, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, formula 2, formula 1, pellets, flakes, ocean plankton, and another food I buy from LFS that has all kinds of stuff in it (krill, worms, urchin, etc...).
I feed them once a day, and sometimes if I don't make it home on time they get fed once every two days, but that's rarely.
It looked fat when I bought it, but now when I look at it from the back, it's thin like a few pieces of paper put together.
What's the deal?
:needhelp:

 

[feixjai]

um... you forgot the algae sheets or seaweed. they are grazers eat all day.

 

[nicetry]

Give it algae on a daily basis and start feeding it more often. This is an active fish with a high metabolism. IMO, they need to be fed more often than some fish in order to keep weight on and remain healthy. Try it. If the fish continues to lose wt. it may have an internal bacterial infection.

 

[marineman]

i think you should feed your powder blue tang 3x a day and they need lots of seaweed. tellus if this works out!

:happy:

:needhelp:

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by marineman
i think you should feed your powder blue tang 3x a day and they need lots of seaweed. tellus if this works out!

:happy:

:needhelp:

I feed mine once a day and two sheets of seaweed a week

 

[scubadoo]

If you are feeding him plenty you have two possibilities. One, your tang has internal parasites. Two, your tang was cyanide caught. The first can be cured with meds. The second is fatal and nothing can be done. If you have had this animal for a few weeks or longer it is most likely number one possibility.
A powder blue will usually die within two weeks after being exposed to cyanide. Try incresing the diet as suggested...but I fear you have one of the above two possibilities.
Both will not allow the animal to process the nutrition..despite eating planty.

 

[euphoria]

Sorry guys, I forgot to mention that I do feed it seaweed. I feed a 2"x1" sheet every other day, and I feed two types of algae: green and red (interchangeably).
Sometimes the tang never bothers to eat any of the algae sheets. I leave it in the tank for 4 hours and the tang only takes a few bites of it.
I've had the fish for over 2 months now, so I"m sure it doesn't have any cyanide poisoning. How can I verify that it may be parasites and not just the fact that I am underfeeding it.
I don't want to feed more than once a day, cuz it'll spike my nitrate levels.

 

[scubadoo]

He still could have been exposed to cyanide...but they usually go within two weeks. It is still a possibility although not likely as a fish exposed to cycanide can live for up to 6 months.
A poweder blue requires plenty greens in his diet. If your system is large enough with appropriate filtration there should be no concern for nitrate issues. What size system is he in? THey do better in systems with high water turnover, a temp of about 82, good steady water quality and plenty live rock with open spaces for swimming...minimum six feet required.

 

[beth]

Tangs are fish that graze all day long, which why they should only be kept in large, established FOWLR or reef tanks. They should be fed min 2x a day with added sources of algae such as algae sheets in addition to the 2 feedings.

 

[euphoria]

I have a 60 gallon tank, that's 4' long.
All levels are great except nitrates are always around 10ppm. I am afraid to feed more and cause nitrates to get to above 10.
Although nitrates are at 10, my corals are doing great, which makes me want to doubt kit readings and buy a new kit (the one I have is a year old).
Anyways, if I feed it more often, then I have no choice but to also feed the other fish often. If there was a way to isolate the tang and feed it alone I'd do it.
What doesn't make sense to me is that I put algae sheets in there but it never really eats it. Also it doesn't graze much. It just swims around in the tank. The coral beauty angel on the other hand grazes all day.
How can I make it eat more of that algae sheets? I put it in the tank and remove it a few hours later almost untouched.

 

[sw65galma]

Originally Posted by EUPHORIA
I have a 60 gallon tank, that's 4' long.
That's to small imo for a powder blue.
But to address your probelm...They don't grow that fast as they can live 70 yrs.
So as long as it doesn't look to skinny you should be ok.

 

[scubadoo]

Originally Posted by EUPHORIA
I have a 60 gallon tank, that's 4' long.
All levels are great except nitrates are always around 10ppm. I am afraid to feed more and cause nitrates to get to above 10.
Although nitrates are at 10, my corals are doing great, which makes me want to doubt kit readings and buy a new kit (the one I have is a year old).
Anyways, if I feed it more often, then I have no choice but to also feed the other fish often. If there was a way to isolate the tang and feed it alone I'd do it.
What doesn't make sense to me is that I put algae sheets in there but it never really eats it. Also it doesn't graze much. It just swims around in the tank. The coral beauty angel on the other hand grazes all day.
How can I make it eat more of that algae sheets? I put it in the tank and remove it a few hours later almost untouched.
Does the animal graze on liverock? Constant swimming back and forth or pacing while staring at its reflection in the glass by Powder Blues is a sign of stress.

 

[euphoria]

Ya he does sometimes graze on LR and even on the shells of hermit crabs.