Blue Tang Eating Kale

[Zarharsha]

I've had a blue tang in a 70g aquarium(He's only about 1.5" and I'm waiting for him to get a bit bigger before moving him to my 200g) I've heard they're planktivores, but I really want him to eat some nori. He eats mysis, pellets, and brine like crazy. he goes up to nori and seems to stay there, then swim off, my sailfin tang (again, only about an inch, and I'll move him when he's bigger) devours it in about an hour. I've tried using garlic oil and putting it on a piece of rock, but he won't eat it. I've tried collard greens, he won't touch it, I tried kale, and he likes it. Is it worth giving him kale, or keep trying with nori?

 

[jcolliii]

That's a good use for kale - it's certainly not fit for human consumption.

;Vomit

Lol - don't see why not. Did you blanch it somehow?

 

[F i s h y]

A variety of foods is the best diet for any of our fishes. Keep offering everything you are. Kale is delicious and nutritious (sorry @jcolliii ) i love to make kale chips.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

All of my tangs were resistant to eating algae when they were small. The bigger they became the more inclined they were to grazing. You may have to wait until it becomes larger before attacking the algae. Nori usually becomes very popular, but it does breakdown into a lot of nutrients. I have tried terrestrial plants with success, but am concerned if it is healthy for them to consume. What has worked well for me is taking algae growing in my refugium and placing it in my DT. After time they learn to eat those algaes as voraciously as nori or any other plant. Bonus is if any of those algaes start growing naturally due to higher nutrients in the DT, they are trained to completely consume it.

If it is consuming other foods well then I wouldn’t worry too much. Long term not eating algae may be detrimental to its health, but with time I have discovered every tang starts eating algae.