keeping an indian ocean clown tang

[creebo]

I just got a clown tang a few days ago and it seems pretty healthy - it's always picking at algae on my rocks and swimming around, but I'm having some issues with feeding it. The only thing it'll eat is tiny bits of shrimp, like 2-3 pieces at most. So I know it's eating, just not a lot. I'm wondering if these guys are strictly herbivores, or if it's common for them to eat stuff like mysis, spirulina, and brine shrimp? I've been adding some garlic extract to try and attract it to the food. Any tips on target feeding would be great, thanks.

I got this tang from my LFS just 2 days after they got it in stock - I know I should've waited, but I just couldn't resist, it's such a nice fish...

[felinxo]

I think we're on about Acanthurus lineatus, lovely fish, grows to around 15 inches, and it's a herbivore.

[creebo]

I think we're on about Acanthurus lineatus, lovely fish, grows to around 15 inches, and it's a herbivore.

seffie, thats the one. With mysis shrimp, it eats it and then spits it back out now - i'm guessing maybe it's just not used to it yet? I tried krill too, figured the attractant would help, but no luck. Did throw in some nori yesterday and it's gone today, still didn't catch which fish ate it though. Still on the hunt for ways to target feed this little guy.

[coral8]

Seffie said it's a herbivore, so I'm guessing it's not too into meat.

[creebo]

Seffie said it's a herbivore, so I'm guessing it's not too into meat.

My blue tang is a total carnivore at heart - loves shrimp, krill, bloodworms, squid, you name it. Thought all tangs were herbvivores, but I guess not. Figured the clown tang would be down with some meat too, like my blue tang, but nope. Guess I was wrong, thanks for the reminder.

[sage23]

what's the tank size you're keeping your clown tang in?

[creebo]

what's the tank size you're keeping your clown tang in?

right now its in my 65 gallon since its only about 2-3 inches, im planning to move it to my 200 gallon as it grows bigger. its gotten alot skinner compared to last week when i got it, which is kinda worrying me. for some odd reason, its choosing to pick at my rocks for seaweed instead of munching on my nori, like i thought it would. any ideas on why its doing this? should i just keep offering the nori or try something else?

[rileyon]

I think you're underfeeding your clown tang, to be honest. They've got pretty inefficient digestive systems, so they need to eat a lot, all the time. In the wild, they're constantly grazing, and that's what they're used to. I'd say you should be feeding him at least 4-6 times a day, maybe more. You need a really varied diet, too - nori, veggies, all that stuff. He's probably starving right now, which is why he's picking at the rocks for seaweed.

[creebo]

I think you're underfeeding your clown tang, to be honest. They've got pretty inefficient digestive systems, so they need to eat a lot, all the time. In the wild, they're constantly grazing, and that's what they're used to. I'd say you should be feeding him at least 4-6 times a day, maybe more. You need a really varied diet, too - nori, veggies, all that stuff. He's probably starving right now, which is why he's picking at the rocks for seaweed.

Thanks for the advice, but I'm still having trouble getting him to eat. I've got a huge variety of foods on offer - clams, nori with garlic, cucumbers, spirulina brine shrimp, mysis, squid, krill... you name it. I've also got a good amount of live rock, so I'm assuming there are plenty of amphipods for him to munch on. The thing is, he's just not interested. When I try to target feed him, he swims away like I'm trying to eat him. I'm starting to think it's time to give up and return him to the store, but I'm worried about stressing out my other fish or causing damage to the reef. It's like he's given up, and I don't know what else to do.

[coral8]

Any luck with mcora?