Desjardini Tang Help

ReEfErAdDiCt · Sep 4, 2013

I have a Desjarsini Tang that's a pretty good size, between 7"-8" from nose to tail. He is by far the largest fish in my 190 gallon tank. I'm having a problem getting him to eat the food that I feed the rest of the fish. He has no problem eating nori, But it just seems like the smaller fish are too fast for him and he can't get the small pellets when I feed the tank. I feed the tank a mixture of Formula One and Formula two pellets usually and standard seaweed you find at the LFS.

My question is, what else can I feed him or are there any methods to get him fed without the other fish eating the food first? I mean he can't only eat nori right? Maybe larger pellets that only he can eat? I dunno...

Here's a short video of me feeding the tank. When I took this video I had already fed the tank so they're not as aggressive in getting the food. You can see the large Desjardini Tang wants to eat but by the time he gets to the pellets they're gone.

http://youtu.be/0L0qse4UdvY

skinz78 · Sep 4, 2013

I feed mine Nori sheets, I hand feed them and the bigger Tangs get most of it.

ReEfErAdDiCt · Sep 4, 2013

But is that fine that the nori is all he eats?

birdsnest · Sep 4, 2013

Why not try some other macro algae for it to eat. My tangs love gracillaria or ulva.

ReEfErAdDiCt · Sep 4, 2013

I could try to get some. I have caulerpa in my fuge but I don't think they'll eat that will they?

Reefing Madness · Sep 4, 2013

I feed mine Mysis Shrimp and Plankton couple times a week. Get enough in the tank, the little guys can't get it all.
And if he's not used to eating Caulerpa, oh yea, he'll go crazy on it.

ReEfErAdDiCt · Sep 4, 2013

You feed the frozen cubes of mysis and plankton? And thanks I'll try some caulerpa right now.

JVI90gREEF · Sep 4, 2013

I feed my RSS Rods and Spirulina brine.

ReEfErAdDiCt · Sep 4, 2013

Haha awesome! Just grabbed some caulerpa out of my fuge and they destroyed it! Free fish food! Last time I tried this they wouldn't touch it so this is a nice surprise

I'll keep trying more varieties of foods and see what he likes.

Here's another vid of them eating the caulerpa along with audio of you guys replying to this thread on tapatalk haha

http://youtu.be/g8Bv0em1zmk

Reefing Madness · Sep 4, 2013

Nice!!

ReEfErAdDiCt · Sep 4, 2013

JVI90gREEF said:
I feed my RSS Rods and Spirulina brine.

Rss rods? Did a search and cars come up lol

jschultzbass · Sep 5, 2013

Google Rod's food.

pickupman66 · Sep 5, 2013

aside from the frozens mentined here, try some of the Formula 2 flake. I have an 8" Naso in my 180 with three other tangs. all 4 of my tangs eat Nori from my hand as well as several of the smaller fish too including wrasses, clowns and butterfly. I then take a large pinch of flake and put it underwater before I release it in my high current tank. this really spreads it around so everyone can get some. Naso just swims with her mouth open.

feeding Nori.

[video=youtube;MZPV_23CA8o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZPV_23CA8o[/video]

nitro'sreef · Sep 5, 2013

cool video

ReEfErAdDiCt · Sep 6, 2013

jschultzbass said:
Google Rod's food.

Thanks

pickupman66 said:
aside from the frozens mentined here, try some of the Formula 2 flake. I have an 8" Naso in my 180 with three other tangs. all 4 of my tangs eat Nori from my hand as well as several of the smaller fish too including wrasses, clowns and butterfly. I then take a large pinch of flake and put it underwater before I release it in my high current tank. this really spreads it around so everyone can get some. Naso just swims with her mouth open.

feeding Nori.

[video=youtube;MZPV_23CA8o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZPV_23CA8o[/video]

That's what I do already actually! Saw it on Mr. Saltwater Tank a while back haha. Tried it and have been doing it ever since