Tips for Getting Tangs to Eat Nori

[Gpettit721]

So as the title says my tangs are having issues eating Nori. They eat frozen food all day long but when I put Nori on a clip its like all of a sudden they don't want to eat. Now I will say my tank is over crowded at the moment so it could be stress related ( I just moved and could only set up my 60) and it will be another 3 weeks before my bigger tank is built and delivered 60LX30WX25H. Would you suggest dipping in garlic or is there another remedy you would try? I should also mention that I'm having a problem with really low nutrients and my corals are starving so I feed anytime I look at the tank (not really but at least 4-6 times a day). So I'm wondering if I should hold off on feedings for a few days then try Nori again? Or just be content with the fact they eat everything else. Tangs are Naso (small), Blue Hippo (tiny), and Sailfin (smallish-Medium). Yes I know they shouldn't be in this tank and I'm a horrible person but I couldn't give them up and the new tank is taking longer to get delivered than I anticipated.

 

[Triggreef]

feed nori and lay off the other food for a while. They'll figure it out.

 

[tdileo]

Just so you know, all of those tangs will eventually outgrow a 60” long tank so I hope you have the ability to rehome them. But you’re here for help with getting them to eat, not criticism, so I’ll leave it at that.
Some fish just don’t realize it’s edible. My tang would not eat it at first, until it saw my starry blenny go after it. Flash forward to today, now all of my fish tear into nori like crazy. The only fish that don’t eat it are my cardinals and clowns. My lineatus wrasse even used to eat it!
I would suggest tying a piece to a rock so the fishes naturally grazing behavior may get them to nip it, and once they realize it’s good, they will understand that you adding it is another feeding. If this still doesn’t work, consider adding in more fish that may eat nori, like blennies or rabbitfish (I would wait until you have the bigger tank if possible for this option).

 

[Brittany Marie]

Sometimes is not the nori itself but the clip is strange to them. Try tying nori to a rock with fishing line or a rubber band.

 

[Gpettit721]

The 60” is only for these fish now. Eventually when we start building our new house there will be a 96 or larger (still waiting to close on the land then need to finalize floor plan and location of tank). I will try putting in the rocks in an area they frequent. Thanks for the help.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Ive found rubbing the nori in your fingers under the water to make small bits float around helps the tangs figure out its food. The clip, rubberband or whatever can be strange to them at first.

 

[azbigjohn]

I definitely second (or third) the recommendation to attach some to the rockwork.

That was the only way my Kole tang would ever eat nori.

 

[Breadman03]

All of my fish would attack nori when I sushi roll some LRS into the middle, but wouldn't touch it if I just put it in the same clip by itself. I just tried rolling it into about a 1" wide roll, clipping one end and cutting the loose end into thin strips. All of my fish went right for it and killed it off in a few minutes. I suspect the motion and ease of getting a bite makes a difference.

 

[Gpettit721]

The sushi roll idea is showing some promise!

 

[Billldg]

@4FordFamily

 

[JumboShrimp]

I agree that sometimes it’s the clip itself that causes the intimidation. Once they learn it’s edible (using some of the other suggestions), you can likely go back to the clip because after they start loving the Nori it’s “game on!” Similarly, Nori eating fish tend to be monkey-see-monkey-do (a mixed metaphor—lol), meaning once you get one fish to eat it, others will follow suit. Best wishes!

 

[miyags]

Try cutting a couple strips about 1/8 in strips by about 3in long. And just let it free float

 

[4FordFamily]

Sometimes is not the nori itself but the clip is strange to them. Try tying nori to a rock with fishing line or a rubber band.

This would be my recommendation. They pick algae off of rocks in the wild and this most closely mimics their feeding they're accustomed too. If a tang finds a clip, they'll all figure it out pretty quickly.

I also agree small pieces in the tank can get some eating, my Achilles started off eating that way.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

Just so you know, all of those tangs will eventually outgrow a 60” long tank so I hope you have the ability to rehome them. But you’re here for help with getting them to eat, not criticism, so I’ll leave it at that.
Some fish just don’t realize it’s edible. My tang would not eat it at first, until it saw my starry blenny go after it. Flash forward to today, now all of my fish tear into nori like crazy. The only fish that don’t eat it are my cardinals and clowns. My lineatus wrasse even used to eat it!
I would suggest tying a piece to a rock so the fishes naturally grazing behavior may get them to nip it, and once they realize it’s good, they will understand that you adding it is another feeding. If this still doesn’t work, consider adding in more fish that may eat nori, like blennies or rabbitfish (I would wait until you have the bigger tank if possible for this option).

not sure if you got to the end of the post. this is at the end of it.

the new tank is taking longer to get delivered than I anticipated.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

From my understanding of your post is that these guys have ate it before and ate from the clip as well so none of that would be the issue. I would think it is the stress of the move and a new home. You could cut back on the frozen food and they will find it ar just keep feeding them what you are. as long as they are eating that is all that matter for now. I would do some target feeding of the corals though for sure. If you are low on the nutrients in the water, yes target feed them every other day for sure. those guys need that food too. I wouldn't worry about the tangs though their eating and your feeding a lot so probably not roaming around looking for anything and haven't found the new place it is at. good luck man and I hope your tank hurries and gets there soon.

 

[Gpettit721]

No these are rescues. They were in a much smaller tank than mine and the person didn’t want to upgrade. I was looking to set up a larger tank to get established before the new house is built and my much bigger tank is ready. Then I’ll use the 190ish for grow out and coral qt.

 

[ca1ore]

Depends somewhat on the tang genus. Bristles are least likely; Acanthurus most likely. I've always been able to get them to eat nori off the clip with enough perseverance. A 'trained' tang is the best way to get newcomers clip comfortable.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I began with tucking it between a couple of rocks and then also applied to vegi clip in tank. No effort involved as they started mowing it within 15 minutes.

 

[Reef Homer]

Just keep offering the Nori. I had the exact same problem with my Tang-Gang. One day for no apparent reason the started to like it and can't get enough of it ever since. I also tried all sorts of different ways to offer the Nori to them. That didn't do anything. Once one of the fish in your tank (not necessarily one of the Tangs) figured out the Nori and takes a liking to it, the others will follow. Crazy fish.

 

[MartinWaite]

Try getting the red a or brown nori for the big tang I have a 5 inch length of 32mm pipe with a magnet set in resin in the end and I wrap the nori around the pipe and use another magnet to hold to the glass and all my fish come for a nibble including clowns, wrasses, angel, and tangs all come and graze. My yellow tang attacks the pipe until I load it up again.