Yellow Tang eating habits.

[wartooth1]

So my understanding of Yellow Tangs is that they are herbivores and the feeding advise I was given was to use seaweed attached to clips and romaine lettuce rubberbanded to something (I use a large sea shell).
However, my Yellow Tang doesn't seem interested in these at all and really just likes to eat sinking pellets, and I've even seen it go after the brine and mysis that I feed for the other fish in the tank. As a matter of fact, my tang gets really excited when there's meaty foods in the tank.
The tang appear to be in healthy shape, but should I be concerned for later down the road?

 

[florida joe]

um your understanding is wrong
Yellow Tangs are omnivorous, but vegetable matter should be the mainstay of their diet. They are always grazing. They will eat algae, dried seaweed as well as frozen brine shrimp and flake foods. They like crustaceans and meaty foods can also be provided.
Quote:
So my understanding of Yellow Tangs is that they are herbivores

 

[btldreef]

Joe is right.
If your tang is not accepting sheets, try holding them in the water in front of your return pump or a powerhead and rubbing the sheet between your fingers to break it apart, it will look like flake food. At first it may not accept it this way, but the flakes will land on the live rock around the tank and the hope is that the tang will eat some while grazing.
You can also try frozen blends made for tangs such as Emerald Entree.

 

[wartooth1]

cool thanks guys... I'll give that a try

 

[mr. limpid]

Also there is Ocean Nutrition frozen Formula 2, they also make in flake form. Instant Ocean also has come out with grazing blocks for both omnivorous and herbivores. Just some more choices, I believe a wide variety of foods for better health.

 

[rainbow grouper]

I do have a question how many tangs will eat halimeda? and wartooth try some macro-algae just put a bit on the rocks let it grown and prune it.

 

[florida joe]

Quote:
Originally Posted by rainbow grouper http:///t/388398/yellow-tang-eating-habits#post_3425351
I do have a question how many tangs will eat halimeda? and wartooth try some macro-algae just put a bit on the rocks let it grown and prune it.
I have no firsthand knowledge BUT I have never heard of tangs eating any halimeda introduced into the tank. may I ask why you want to do so

 

[rainbow grouper]

I don't want to do so. I obtained it with some star polyps and now my mimic tang loves it.( the yellow tang will give it a nibble every now and then)