Tangs & Seaweed

[Connorer]

Hi, I have a yellow and Regal tang, and I'm not sure if i need to feed them the seaweed strips that I got from my LFS. They haven't really touched them (that i can tell), and the yellow tang seems to be quite content to eat the algae on the rock - would this suffice for the seaweed that they need, or do i definitely need to be feeding them the strips.

On a sidenote, I am worshipping my LFS atm, when I originally got my regal tang a couple of weeks ago, he developed a disease that I couldn't identify within a couple of days, he ended up with ragged fins, and random cuts all over himself, so i took him back to the lfs where they said they'd medicate him, and i just assumed that he would be beyond help as he looked about an hour from death - two weeks later (yesterday) I go in to buy some seaweed for my new yellow tang - and they told me he's ready and completely cured! Now he looks ecstatic back in the tank (apparently it was an ulcer), and the two tangs are getting on really well!

I know someone will probably shout at me for adding two fish so close together, but I didn't really have a choice, i couldn't possibly let them sell him to somebody else!

 

[beth]

They need the strips. Algae on the rocks will be harvested by them soon enough and its not going to supply the fish with all that they need. Be sure to change out the algae sheets as you don't want them to rot away in the tank. Eventually they will figure out that they need to eat it. Also, you may want to try a variety.

It is very likely that the two tangs were being aggressive with each other, thus the ragged fins and cuts. What is the size of your tank?

 

[Connorer]

They need the strips. Algae on the rocks will be harvested by them soon enough and its not going to supply the fish with all that they need. Be sure to change out the algae sheets as you don't want them to rot away in the tank. Eventually they will figure out that they need to eat it. Also, you may want to try a variety.

It is very likely that the two tangs were being aggressive with each other, thus the ragged fins and cuts. What is the size of your tank?

No the yellow tang wasn't in when I had the regal, when he got ill i took him back (assuming it was white spot), and a few days later bought the yellow tang instead, assuming that the regal would die of (what i thought was..) white spot. They actually seem to get on, they swim with each other, and i've watched them closely since i put the regal in with him yesterday and there are absolutely no signs of aggression

 

[flower]

I know someone will probably shout at me for adding two fish so close together, but I didn't really have a choice, i couldn't possibly let them sell him to somebody else!

LOL...Are we really that bad for shutting folks down? Just a note for in the future, you can always purchase a fish and have the store hold it for you. To be honest, unless it's a rare fish, you can always find another specimen when your system is ready for it, instead of taking a chance by adding too many too fast. A quarantine tank will go a long way to help you not only keep a healthy tank, but space out how fast you add a the new.

 

[Connorer]

LOL...Are we really that bad for shutting folks down? Just a note for in the future, you can always purchase a fish and have the store hold it for you. To be honest, unless it's a rare fish, you can always find another specimen when your system is ready for it, instead of taking a chance by adding too many too fast. A quarantine tank will go a long way to help you not only keep a healthy tank, but space out how fast you add a the new.

They just said that if we still wanted it then we could have him back, otherwise they'd put him up for sale. I'd have felt rude asking them to keep it after they'd just completely cured him
Plus my emotional attachment to him made me not want another one

 

[Kristin1234]

What type of sea weed are you feeding them?

My tangs love the Rods Nori seaweed.

 

[Connorer]

What type of sea weed are you feeding them?

My tangs love the Rods Nori seaweed.

Not entirely sure of the type, it's just labelled as 'green marine algae' which is why i wondered if they would be alright on green hair It's by Ocean nutrition, and it has garlic extract which is always a plus (especially as mr regal tang gets white spot at the slightest noise)
I've got another pack which is labelled as 'Natural seaweed - Porphyra sp." by gamma (which i think is a good brand, that's who all my frozen is by anyway) and that's spirinula and omega 3. Haven't tried that one yet, because the other pack is huge!
Never heard of Rods Nori though, tbh, i never considered that there was a difference (it's amazing how the more you learn about this hobby, the more you don't know haha), I might keep an eye on it, anything to keep the tangs happy

 

[Kristin1234]

Not entirely sure of the type, it's just labelled as 'green marine algae' which is why i wondered if they would be alright on green hair It's by Ocean nutrition, and it has garlic extract which is always a plus (especially as mr regal tang gets white spot at the slightest noise)
I've got another pack which is labelled as 'Natural seaweed - Porphyra sp." by gamma (which i think is a good brand, that's who all my frozen is by anyway) and that's spirinula and omega 3. Haven't tried that one yet, because the other pack is huge!
Never heard of Rods Nori though, tbh, i never considered that there was a difference (it's amazing how the more you learn about this hobby, the more you don't know haha), I might keep an eye on it, anything to keep the tangs happy

Yea I do the rods and tear it in to strips and soak it in vitamin c, vitamin m and a few garlic drops. The garlic doesn't actually help with Ich, it just helps things smell more apetizing for the finicky fish. Next trip to your lfs see if they have any nori and try and see if the tang likes that better.

 

[Connorer]

Yea I do the rods and tear it in to strips and soak it in vitamin c, vitamin m and a few garlic drops. The garlic doesn't actually help with Ich, it just helps things smell more apetizing for the finicky fish. Next trip to your lfs see if they have any nori and try and see if the tang likes that better.

Ah right, I know it doesn't help with it, but I did read somewhere that it makes the fish stronger, so it would help stop them dying if they did get it (but who know, i've read a thousand things about fish that turned out to be false)

I'll have a look out, I think they only had the two i bought though :/

 

[bang guy]

I worry about people dosing their fish with vitamin C. I know it is an essential vitamin but there are no published daily recommended amounts for each fish so how do you know the product you use isn't overdosing?

 

[Kristin1234]

I worry about people dosing their fish with vitamin C. I know it is an essential vitamin but there are no published daily recommended amounts for each fish so how do you know the product you use isn't overdosing?

I don't dose the tank, I just saturate the seaweed with about 8 drops of each. I guess I don't know but haven't had any issues with it so far. The tangs and Fox face eat it up. Colors are as bright as ever. I guess I haven't thought it could truly do any harm.

 

[trigger40]

if it was ich then your tangs are still in danger. but IME it will take a while before the tangs will eat from the clip. it took my yellow tang over a week to eat from the clip.

 

[bang guy]

I don't dose the tank, I just saturate the seaweed with about 8 drops of each. I guess I don't know but haven't had any issues with it so far. The tangs and Fox face eat it up. Colors are as bright as ever. I guess I haven't thought it could truly do any harm.

It's just a concern I have. I might be way off base. OTOH, 1/4 drop could be an overdose. We just don't know if it is extending the life of your fish or severely shortening their lifespan.

 

[beaslbob]

My in tank refugium provided my yellow and blue regal tang plenty of macros that poked through the partition.

my .02

 

[mandy111]

If they wont take the clip, get a small rock and rubberband some nori (seaweed) to it. Drop it to the bottom of the tank and they will eat it. They are sometimes a little nervous about coming to the glass when new.
This way also let you put a couple of rocks in and you get less food aggression that way, the wander past and peck instead of fight over the one clip. ( I have 8 tangs that love their rocks.
The other thing tangs love is the chateau from the sump. I just grab it and throw it in, eating really quickly.