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	Feeding a Kole Tang
raider_fish Fish Master Posts: 1452 Kudos: 1340 Votes: 0 Registered: 02-Oct-2001	I purchased a kole tang about a week ago. He isn't eating any prepared foods at all. I tried putting dried seaweed on a clip in the tank, but he didn't go for that. I have tried frozen formula 2, flake food, brine and mysid shrimp, but none of it worked. He seems to be picking at the rock and glass a lot. I didn't clean the front glass on my tank for a few days and I could see where he had eaten a lot of the algea growing there. What can I do? Is this normal? What other foods should I try, or should I not worry about it? Thanks all. Raider_fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
i8chicken Fingerling Posts: 30 Votes: 0 Registered: 20-Oct-2003	Hi, I have a Kole Tang, too. He didn't eat any thing I tried for the first week either. I also noticed him eating algea. He finally ate some frozen Prime Reef and now he eats that and flake formula one. It took him over a month to eat the Nori (?) sheets. He doesn't seem to like the Mysis too much. Guess maybe it just takes time?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
DarkRealm Overlord Moderator metal-R-us Posts: 5962 Kudos: 2166 Registered: 23-Sep-2002	Congrats on purchasing one of the most difficult tangs to take care of! They are great fish, and should start start to feed after it gets settled in. Remember, that they pick algae off of rocks also......even if you cant see the algae, it is there.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
raider_fish Fish Master Posts: 1452 Kudos: 1340 Votes: 0 Registered: 02-Oct-2001	I've noticed him picking at the rocks quite a bit. He looks really healthy and appears to be quite happy. I just haven't seen a fish refuse prepared foods for so long. I know he is eating, my concern was the quantity. Tangs are active fish and need quite a bit of food, I just want to make sure he gets all he needs. Raider_fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
DarkRealm Overlord Moderator metal-R-us Posts: 5962 Kudos: 2166 Registered: 23-Sep-2002	Im sure he will be fine.....Mine took several weeks of "training" in the store to get him to eat foods other than what were available on the rock.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
raider_fish Fish Master Posts: 1452 Kudos: 1340 Votes: 0 Registered: 02-Oct-2001	I'll just keep offering the different foods I have available. My yellow tang loved the frozen formula two, but would eat just about anything. Hopefully soon this one will do the same. Raider_fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
raider_fish Fish Master Posts: 1452 Kudos: 1340 Votes: 0 Registered: 02-Oct-2001	Just an update, my kole tang has started to take frozen foods now. He likes brine and mysid shrimp and loves bloodworms. I was told that bloodworms have no nutrition so I don't feed them very often, is this accurate? He still won't touch the formula one or two that I offer and he only ate a little of the flake food. He looks good and is active. Later all. Raider_fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
lil_mikey69 Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3180 Kudos: 2380 Votes: 1 Registered: 22-Jan-2003	Well, bloodworms should have more nutritional value than say the brine shrimp your feeding. If your worried about it, go ahead and get one of the vitamin supplement things like Zoe.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
raider_fish Fish Master Posts: 1452 Kudos: 1340 Votes: 0 Registered: 02-Oct-2001	I feed quite a variety of foods as well as his grazing in the tank. I think he will be ok. I don't have any supplements for the food yet, I will get some later on. Thanks all. Raider_fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
amilner Big Fish Posts: 429 Kudos: 654 Votes: 0 Registered: 05-Jul-2004	My Kole tang is around 8cm now and I've had it 3 months. It has never taken the prepared food on offer and spends the entire time grazing on the rocks and glass. It has to be the shyest fish I've ever owned.... but stunning and very active if there's no movement in the room. I wouldn't worry about feeding it too much.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
fish1 Banned Posts: 1727 Kudos: 1910 Votes: 58 Registered: 09-May-2004	ive never seen one so a few pics would help the noob
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
i8chicken Fingerling Posts: 30 Votes: 0 Registered: 20-Oct-2003	Here's a link to the Live Aquaria picture and profile of a Kole Tang. They are my favorite besides a Powder Blue Tang, but my tank's too small for one of those... http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=345
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28
amilner Big Fish Posts: 429 Kudos: 654 Votes: 0 Registered: 05-Jul-2004	Powder Blues have to be the most amazing fish for the aquarium. I wouldn't (or should that couldn't) NOT have one in my tank.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:28


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