help with kole tang - he didn't make it :(

Well, if you've read, I haven't had the greates success with kole tangs. I've had mine about a week and have tried it giving it plain seaweed and seawood soaked in garlic and no luck with that. He's staying toward the back of the tang and not moving or seemingly eating much. I've offered variety, spirulina flakes, nori, and mysis. Is there something I should do or just let him be. He was swimming out front the few couple of days and from what I can see, I don't see any ich on him.....any advice appreciated. All the fish have been peaceful with him, the flame angel was actually swimming next to him the other day.....

I guess I am just not meant to have one - makes me sad, I really like them...

 

He might just be getting used to the tank

 

Variety is all I can Say. With my tangs I fee Ocean Nutrition Formula Two as well as Formula one, NLS Pelltes, SanFransisco Bay frozen herbavor mix, Chopped mysis, and Nori on a clip as well as shredded. I have yet to encounter a fish that won't eat something soaked in Selcon.

The trick with a picky eater is giving them something they can't resist and as they become more comfortable they try new things. Sometimes it can be hard to get a new tang to eat in a community setting, so they have to battle acclimation, new potential threats, and foreign food all at once.

 

Try tying a piece of nori to a rock and just let it sit.

In the wild they graze picking algae off the rocks. Once he recognizes it as food he may start eating off a clip.

 

I would just leave him alone...I have a new baby Kole, and he stayed in the back for the first 5-6 days. If your rocks have enough algae on them, he will pick at them. I have not gotten mine to eat any type of foliage yet at all, but he is doing well. He eats the hell out of P.E. Mysis, and Brine shrimp though.
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww215/rmeder/100_5025_zps00fa9e9c.jpg

 

You could try attaching the nori to a small piece of rock with a rubber band rather than a food clip.Sometimes the clip being a foreign object to them and moving in the current can scare a new fish OOPS,looks like Corraline and I were typing at the same time.

 

He looks just like mine, about the same size. I do have green algae on the back walls so maybe he is eating that....I will try the nori on a rock - should I dip it in garlic or just leave it plain? I may order some selcon if BRS has it....my LFS doesn't carry it. Thanks for the input....

Oh, I wanted to say thank you to Corailline. My water change was like 50% easier now that I don't have the canister anymore ;D

The only problem is that the old back hurts alot more with the lifting, bending, and stooping required.......*sigh* age sucks! oh, and how many typos can one person make (in my original thread LOL)