Proper Seaweed Feeding

[PeterZammetti]

Proper Seaweed Feeding

Even when you have fish that don't eat and or need it, seaweed strips should be added to all reef tanks by way of smooshing.
Yes, I said smooshing...
put 5-7 turkey basters of water in a bowl
place one sheet in and smoosh until all the water has particles of seaweed but them remove the thick sheet.
one time a week add it this way for a month
second month add garlic to the mix (garlic extreme is fine one drop)
third month do this but start leaving larger strips in with the mix
eventually because all the fish will consume the small particles they will naturally pick up on the fact that the larger sheet is the same.

 

[blaxsun]

I just tear off small squares, wrap it with an elastic on a small rock and then drop it in the tank. The fish have always easily figured out that it’s food, and it feeds into their behaviour of nipping at rocks for algae.

Whatever the fish leave behind is quickly consumed by the inverts. On my 160-gallon DT, I typically place anywhere from 3-4 small rocks (1.5-2” diameter) for around 2 dozen fish (probably of which 25-30% specifically crave seaweed).

 

[Squidward]

Sounds unnecessary. Tangs will figure it out quite fast actually on the clip. Funny thing is my curious Cuban Hogfish even eats nori. Then my Emperor Angel eats it. And even my Paddlefin Wrasse would eat some lol

 

[blaxsun]

I’ve had cleaner wrasses and mandarins nibble on seaweed from time to time as well (I guess they don’t want to be left out or late to the party).

 

[Squidward]

I’ve had cleaner wrasses and mandarins nibble on seaweed from time to time as well (I guess they don’t want to be left out or late to the party).

My smaller carnivores like flamehawks and black cap basslets and clowns totally ignore it.

 

[LiamPM]

Not entirely seeing the point to be honest - Seems odd.

I can totally understand if you have fish that naturaly eat seaweed but are not eeating it within your tank but you say "Even when you have fish that don't eat and or need it, seaweed strips should be added to all reef tanks by way of smooshing"...........Whats the idea/point behind this then?

If i offer seaweed to my seaweed eating fish, they destroy it......If i offer seaweed to my clownfish harem tank they wont even acknowledge its there.

Adding it to the clownfish tank (They dont want it or need it) would just cause a mess.

 

[PeterZammetti]

Not entirely seeing the point to be honest - Seems odd.

I can totally understand if you have fish that naturaly eat seaweed but are not eeating it within your tank but you say "Even when you have fish that don't eat and or need it, seaweed strips should be added to all reef tanks by way of smooshing"...........Whats the idea/point behind this then?

If i offer seaweed to my seaweed eating fish, they destroy it......If i offer seaweed to my clownfish harem tank they wont even acknowledge its there.

Adding it to the clownfish tank (They dont want it or need it) would just cause a mess.

The sheets of seaweed we buy in stores nowadays have a lot of nutrients which all Reef setups benefit from to include your cleanup crews. So even if you don't have the NORM tangs and such that we usually feed such sheets you should feed your tank these nutrients along with you normal reef dosing. Same as using something like Reef roids. Not needed but beneficial all the way around because the plankton benefits the whole tank.

 

[PeterZammetti]

The sheets of seaweed we buy in stores nowadays have a lot of nutrients which all Reef setups benefit from to include your cleanup crews. So even if you don't have the NORM tangs and such that we usually feed such sheets you should feed your tank these nutrients along with you normal reef dosing. Same as using something like Reef roids. Not needed but beneficial all the way around because the plankton benefits the whole tank.

And there is no mess when done the way I described.

 

[LiamPM]

The sheets of seaweed we buy in stores nowadays have a lot of nutrients which all Reef setups benefit from to include your cleanup crews. So even if you don't have the NORM tangs and such that we usually feed such sheets you should feed your tank these nutrients along with you normal reef dosing. Same as using something like Reef roids. Not needed but beneficial all the way around because the plankton benefits the whole tank.

Fairplay - I guess its just a difference of opinion on this one as i wouldnt be adding reefroids to my tank without a specific reason to either.

If i added a sheet of smooshed seaweed to my tank of clowns i could guarantee the majoirty/if not all would be missed by them (They dont eat it) and the clean up crew. Most would end up in the filter sock/wool (what i meant by mess) or rotting in a crevice to add to the nutrient levels eventually and unwanted. (PO4/NO3 - Most are trying to reduce this number from the start)

Sure theirs some goodness to adding stuff thats not directly eaten but id go with a liquid feed such as phytoplankton on that one.

I let my testing do the talking in terms of nutrients and unless i wanted to up my numbers i wouldnt be adding any food to the tank knowing it may not be eaten.

 

[WVNed]

I think this is a very good idea.
I think I will modify your method a bit. Why smoosh when I have a food processor? I think I will take 2 sheets and blend them in some RODI water. I don't believe in the magical properties of garlic. I will add some Selcon instead. I will bottle it and add some everyday. Or freeze it in thin sheets.
Yes, you could dose phytoplankton but you would have to grow it or buy it and it isn't cheap. I dont see a seaweed slurry as doing the same thing anyway. I see it as a way to provide basic nutrition to things like pods, urchins, snails, conchs and filter feeders like gorgonians.
The trick will be generating the correct particle size to get it to go down and stick in the surfaces
I think I will add some LRS to it. Not a lot, but some.
I dont run filter socks so I dont have to worry about that and any that doesnt stick somewhere to be eaten will be picked up by the slimmer.
Off to the kitchen.

Thanks @PeterZammetti

 

[Goaway]

Sounds unnecessary. Tangs will figure it out quite fast actually on the clip. Funny thing is my curious Cuban Hogfish even eats nori. Then my Emperor Angel eats it. And even my Paddlefin Wrasse would eat some lol

Not all of them. Years of having tangs the smaller ones were scared 1 1/2" to 4", they did not like how it moved on a clip. Of course some are so aggressive they will attack anything. I never got that lucky. Regardless of how little they are. I had to chop everything up into a slurry like Ned does. As tangs got bigger 4+", they would go for the sheets.

eventually because all the fish will consume the small particles they will naturally pick up on the fact that the larger sheet is the same.

My malanurus wrasse will pick meaty chunks from seaweed, clowns eat everything. Gobies only like meat. Emperor angel loves nori. Eats little bit of meat. So she gets sheets and can pick up whatever else she wants. Powder blue likes everything along with the foxface.
Leftovers go to the worms, crabs and snails.

So, my point. Feed accordingly. Know your tank and what you need to process together. Everyone will benefit in some form.

 

[WVNed]

It's in the freezer in a ziplock bag.
2 sheets nori
1 tsp Selcon
1.5 inch square piece of LRS
2 mysis cubes
I added some bottled water but just enough for it to blend well. The small bottle was down about 2 1/2 inches.
I took my stick blender to it in a small bowl until the pieces where 1/16 of an inch or smaller. I did not want to turn it into dust.
I put it in a ziplock bag and squeezed the air out, Then I placed it on a flat box in the freezer and pressed it flat.

In my case this has nothing to do with getting fish to eat nori. I fold 4-5 sheets at a time and put it in a clip
and they eat it in a day.

 

[WVNed]

PZ Frenzy

I cut it up and will add it to my cup when I defrost food with all the other stuff I feed.

They are waiting

 

[Goaway]

My bag is running empty , thanks for reminding me.
How big is that emp? 8"?

Those fish are gorgeous.

 

[WVNed]

7", more or less. It is just closer to the glass. The koran is 1/3 bigger.

 

[Goaway]

What I have learned from this.

PZ Frenzy

I cut it up and will add it to my cup when I defrost food with all the other stuff I feed.

They are waiting

Keep your fish well fed, and they wont kill you at night.