Feeding a purple tang

[Reeffreak]

I have had tangs in the past and have fed them a variety of different foods, however I was wondering what would be the best thing to feed a Purple Tang? I know the diet consists mainly of vegetable matter in the wild but it is hard to completely replicate this in the aquarium. Currently I have been feeding him/her nori (freeze-dried seaweed from the grocery store). Should I be feeding Romaine lettuce or any lettuce for that matter? Any other type of vegetable matter?

Steve

 

[naesco]

Nori is the best as it is seaweed. Soak it in selcon from time to time and feed a variety of other foods including romaine lettuce if you would like to.

 

[Anonymous]

Mine also likes to gobble down the meaty foods I feed the other fish. Some cheap, but quality foods I use are fresh or frozen table shrimp, scallops, and clams.
If frozen, I thaw them in hot water.

Tear off small shreds and drop them in the tank. You can let them soak in vitamins (I use Kent's Zoecon and Zoe) for a while. Usually I put a few drops of Zoe into the baggie that holds the leftovers.
Just don't over-feed. That'd cause your tank to foul. I think good recipes are outlined in either Robert Fenner's or John Tullock's books. Probably Borneman's too.
These meaty foods are a good way to supplement the nori and roamine that Naesco described above. The vegetation should be the mainstay of the tang's diet.

 

[danmhippo]

Ditto to the above, except for thawing, it is best NOT to thaw in hot fresh water. Instead, I thaw frozen food in tank water. Normal feeding portion only takes about 5 minutes at most to thaw.

 

[Something Fishy in NY]

Hi. You may want to try spinach leafs as well. Put one in the freezer for about 15 min. Thaw under warm water and its good to go. I have read somewhere that Spinach and Broccolli are particulatly good since they contain vitamin C which benefits the fish.
However, there are many members who are very much against feeding fish terrestrial foods . I do not have a problem with it.

Good Luck

 

[Bodine]

I like to give my tangs their veggies with Formula 2. I can only get them to eat so much Nori.
I like to fill `em up on Formula 2 and nori then as a treat, frozen brine or bloodworm which they prefer.

 

[naesco]

I zap the broccoli in the microwave and drop it in the tank. It will eventually sink to the bottom
Tangs like to forage on it during the day. The next day I remove the stalk part.

 

[Reeffreak]

Thanks for the info. Has anyone ever heard of feeding tangs cooked broccoli? I am trying to be creative as to what I am feeding so all and any suggestions are welcome.

steve

 

[Anonymous]

You don't have to cook the brocolli. Just throw it in the freezer, then thaw to feed. When it freezes, the cells walls burst making it more digestible but it's not soft and squishy like when it's cooked.

Glenn

 

[JohnD]

I mainly feed my purple tang Seaweed Selects and nori. He also gets a daily ration of either Formula 1 or 2, Angel Formula, etc.

He gets live food, either blood worms or brine shrimp soaked in selcon on occassion. To add a little more variety, I feed terrestrial food once or twice a month. I blanch the broccolli and spinach.

HTH