Hey guys I just got my first baby naso tang. I’ve been feeding many different things to get him excited but nothing has worked so far. I’ve tired green nori, nori with garlic, PE mysis, hakari mysis, and new life spectrum pellets (small). He eats but it’s typically just a bite here and there. I see him grazing on the rocks. My other fish are not aggressive towards him and there is plenty of food. What do you feed your naso tang?
Naso tang a picky eater?
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Sailfin11
Well-Known Member
I would keep trying with the frozen food. Baby tangs haven't really started eating much algae. Did you quarantine? Internal parasites often result in a lack of impetus to eat, but this could be fixed with a little PraziPro. I would recommend giving it a few more days with your other fish. If it still does not eat by then, I would consider medicating/observing in a separate tank. Best of luck!
I’m going to pick up some brine shrimp tomorrow my LFS has live should I try that or go with the enriched frozen? He eat but not a lot like I’ll feed mysis and he will go after like one or two but that’s about it same with pellets.
LIreefguy
Valuable Member
As stated above he might be ill.
Naso tangs aren’t really picky eaters once you get a healthy one. But they are very poor shippers. So newly arrived ones can need some tlc. Most important thing with new fish is to get them to start eating.
Naso tangs aren’t really picky eaters once you get a healthy one. But they are very poor shippers. So newly arrived ones can need some tlc. Most important thing with new fish is to get them to start eating.
LIreefguy
Valuable Member
When you purchased him, did you ask the person purchased from what he was eating? It doesn't look like you have tried flake food. My suggestion would be to try Spirullina flake food.
When you say small, just how small is the Naso tang? When I purchased my blonde naso, she was maybe 3.5" and didn't have much color. He had sit in the the LFS for a month or more. At one point, mine went on a hunger strike and stopped eating everything even seaweed. But he will eat anything from my fingers when given the chance.
When you say small, just how small is the Naso tang? When I purchased my blonde naso, she was maybe 3.5" and didn't have much color. He had sit in the the LFS for a month or more. At one point, mine went on a hunger strike and stopped eating everything even seaweed. But he will eat anything from my fingers when given the chance.
He’s small right now maybe 2.5 inches not much color. I’m going by the pet store soon to get some frozen brine I’ll buy some of those flakes as well. He picks at the rocks all day and I see him eat but just not much:/ I bought him online so I couldn’t really see him in person but I’ve had him for a little over a week. Seems to like my flow and isn’t showing any signs of disease but he does get nervous whenever I stick my hand in the tank or use my magnetic scrapper. When he gets nervous he changes color/pattern but after a little it goes back to normal. I’ll update after I try the brine and flake food today.
LIreefguy
Valuable Member
That’s one reason why I don’t like to buy fish online. I do understand some people don’t have as many opinions locally as we do in New York. I literally can drive 30-45 and get to 10 good lfs The first Naso I bought lasted 3 weeks. He was picking at rocks like your bought wasn’t swimming with confidence. I bought him anyway. He didn’t make it. The next one I bought I watched at local fish store. Went there 2 different times on a week. Saw him swimming. Saw him eating. Just saw him swimming with a confidence about him. That one I now have for 3 years. Eating almost everything I put in the tank. I will say out of my 10 different range I have. The naso is by far the least agressuve Tang I have in my tank. I have never seen it start a fight. Sometimes my much bigger hippo will try to start with it but it just goes about its business like nothing happened.
ca1ore
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Naso L. is a trickier fish to keep than most people realize. They can be quite challenging to get eating, and are prone to hunger strikes. I’m an experience fish keeper and have had more trouble with them than almost any other tang. Just keep trying different foods and perhaps one will succeed. One of mine, for example, really went for red seaweed.
Doesn’t look good for the blonde naso unfortunately. Very skinny still not eating and is hardly swimming. I’ve tried many different foods and feeding multiple times a day and there is no aggression toward the fish or external parasites. It could have had something internally. This fish was not eating since I received it which is unfortunate. I bought this one from saltwaterfish.com and it’s still well within the 15 day warranty hopefully it’s not to hard to file a claim. All the other fish that came in the order are doing fine and my other fish seem to be fine as well. I’m sure by tomorrow morning it will be dead :c
I couldn't agree more, mine was the same way. Never had a fish do that before, couldn't believe that something that would swim around would go on hunger strikes, but my Blonde Naso sure did. Now he is a garbage disposal and poop factory, broadcasting all my Acro's. LOL
Yes the fish died the next morning saltwaterfish.com gave me a store credit for what I paid for the fish but I don’t think I’ll get another one after that experience. I believe the shipping process is very hard on that particular fish. I tried many different foods and was feeding multiple times a day. Nothing I could do at the end of the day. He was super skinny after not eating for almost 2 weeks. Never had a fish do this before and there was no aggression towards it and he wasn’t showing any signs of parasites. Next time I pick this fish up I’ll get it from the LFS.
