BeaverLakeAndy
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Just want to show this fella off. Very pretty fella, won't eat, but other than that I just love this fish. About 5" long.
Pretty Powder Brown Tang
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tehmadreefer
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Lol pretty but won’t eat.... oh boy.
Probably going to die if you don’t get to h eating FAST, as pbt are difficult fish. Also looks like your tank is brand new, not a good combo
Probably going to die if you don’t get to h eating FAST, as pbt are difficult fish. Also looks like your tank is brand new, not a good combo
Quarantine it properly please, what have you tried offering it to eat?
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BeaverLakeAndy
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I've got a post on it here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/powder-brown-tang-will-not-eat-need-suggestions.696743/
The tank is a couple months old. He's doing quite well, picking at brown algae on the rocks, but won't eat anything I feed him. I've had him for almost two weeks now.
Honestly I think the tank being relatively new is a moot point. It's fully cycled and all fish are thriving, aside from this guy not eating well.
tehmadreefer
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Lol ok..if ya believe that then I’m afraid you are highly mistaken especially when dealing with a sensitive fish such as pbt.
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BeaverLakeAndy
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lol ok?
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BeaverLakeAndy
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Not raw organic from Amazon, but I do have BRS nori sheets. It plays around with the sheet, but won't really eat it.
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BeaverLakeAndy
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Thanks, just added it to my cart for my next order.
Sorry yours isn't eating. I got lucky I guess w/ mine as he eats like a horse. He will eat nori but not his favorite. Mine loves hair algae actually. Decimated a huge clump in one day. I've been feeding mine frozen omnivore mix. I had a yellow tang in qt that i didn't see eat for over 2 months. Kept feeding him anyways and he would pick on live rock, and now he's fat and happy eater but loves nori much more than my powder brown. Keep trying. I've read garlic can helps stimulate appetites. Maybe try a few small pieces. Also my yellow seemed to eat much better when he went into dt and was around other fish that were in a feeding frenzy. He hid less too. Do you have other fish or is he in a quarantine tank?
Though I think other posters may be correct about the age of your tank.
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BeaverLakeAndy
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Thanks. Picking at brown algae on the rocks is pretty much the only thing this one has ate in two weeks. I'm going to the LFS this weekend and picking up some LRS Herbivore Frenzy to see if it'll eat that, and going to try some of the raw, organic nori the previous guy mentioned. I'll keep trying until I find what it'll eat.
ppatches24
Active Member
I detest the fact that my tank was new that was the reason that things weren't happy but a year later... my tank just needed to mature. Im glad you think yours doesn't but it does.
Also the fish looks like it has Head and Lateral Line Erosion Disease (HLLE) ... It is also referred to as Lateral Line Erosion (LLE), Lateral Line Disease (LLD) and Hole-In-The-Head Disease. It appears as open pitted wounds around a fish's head and along the lateral line as if something is slowly eroding away the flesh. So JUST MY OPINION but that white mark on the face is ummm not supposed to be there.
You got an expert fish in a new tank. That's fact so stop with disregarding that. That also doesn't mean you cant take care of it. But don't fight against yourself. or at least a harder fish than normal. I didn't like hearing that some fish I can't have or take care of either but they got that reputation for a reason.
EDIT: OH and my tomini tang would eat. i tried red nori and LRS herbivore and that tang wreked both those foods like a boss. At the same time tought my wrasse and clowns to eat the nori as well!
Good luck!
EDIT 2: I am jelly and want a powdered blue tang SOOOOO BADLY
Also the fish looks like it has Head and Lateral Line Erosion Disease (HLLE) ... It is also referred to as Lateral Line Erosion (LLE), Lateral Line Disease (LLD) and Hole-In-The-Head Disease. It appears as open pitted wounds around a fish's head and along the lateral line as if something is slowly eroding away the flesh. So JUST MY OPINION but that white mark on the face is ummm not supposed to be there.
You got an expert fish in a new tank. That's fact so stop with disregarding that. That also doesn't mean you cant take care of it. But don't fight against yourself. or at least a harder fish than normal. I didn't like hearing that some fish I can't have or take care of either but they got that reputation for a reason.
lol ok? Yeah ok.....
EDIT: OH and my tomini tang would eat. i tried red nori and LRS herbivore and that tang wreked both those foods like a boss. At the same time tought my wrasse and clowns to eat the nori as well!
Good luck!
EDIT 2: I am jelly and want a powdered blue tang SOOOOO BADLY
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BeaverLakeAndy
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The white mark on its face is 100% supposed to be there. Every PBT has it. Here's a link to pics of them on Google Images.
I'm aware of the difficulty in these fish. In my humble opinion he is healthy. There are no signs of illness, he just isn't eating like I think he should be. I'll do what I can to fix that by trying new foods until I find what works.
Some things to try to get the fish besides what is already mentioned in that thread.
1). Take the nori sheet and rubberband on to relatively small piece of rock rubble. See if will eat of this. Before you add to the tank. Place the nori after attached in a small container of tank water. Add a few drops of vitamins. Let the nori suck this in.
2). when feeding add seachem entice, its a banana flavor additive that simulates the smell of rotting carcass to fish.
3). Purchase some live macro algae from algae barn. Gracillia and ulva would be the two i would try. Feed like the nori attached to a piece of rock rubble.
The reason new tanks and difficult fish often do not mix is because, difficult often has to do with feeding. New tanks lack the diversity of life to sustain them.
1). Take the nori sheet and rubberband on to relatively small piece of rock rubble. See if will eat of this. Before you add to the tank. Place the nori after attached in a small container of tank water. Add a few drops of vitamins. Let the nori suck this in.
2). when feeding add seachem entice, its a banana flavor additive that simulates the smell of rotting carcass to fish.
3). Purchase some live macro algae from algae barn. Gracillia and ulva would be the two i would try. Feed like the nori attached to a piece of rock rubble.
The reason new tanks and difficult fish often do not mix is because, difficult often has to do with feeding. New tanks lack the diversity of life to sustain them.
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BeaverLakeAndy
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Thanks, this is good advice! I appreciate it and will try it!
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BeaverLakeAndy
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On your first edit, I'm going to my LFS tomorrow to pick up some LRS Herbivore Frenzy, I've had a couple people recommend that, so definitely want to give it a try.
On your second edit, I literally struggled with choosing between Powder Brown and Powder Blue! Something drew me to the Brown just a bit more though!
I would not add any other tang or tang like fish(butterflies, angels, etc) after the pbt. Both the powder blue and brown can be incredibly aggressive to fish they view as a competitor once they settle in. Just something to keep in mind.
