Two Spot Bristletooth Tang HELP Please Won't Eat!

[fredro]

About 3 or so weeks ago I bought a two spot Bristletooth Tang. He refused to eat flake, pellets or Nori when he got home. Literally just swam past it all like it wasn't there. The nori was on the clip and tied to a rock, both didn't phase it. I tried brown and green, neither worked. Tried frozen mysis. No dice. The entire time he is watching the other fish eat everything that goes into the tank. He isn't intimidated or shy around the other fish, as he is the biggest fish in that tank, at about 3.5". The tank is a 80g deep blue RR. I'm really worried because he has been picking at the rocks, the glass and all inverts shells throughout the tank. He has also been eating diatoms that he scours from the sand. He picks at everything except food and nips at the sand all day, but he's losing weight and getting thin. I've tried everything imaginable so far and picked the brains of every LFS employee to no avail. Any insight would be greatly appreciated and if anyone happens to think that he may thrive in their tank, if there is enough detritus and diatoms to feed him better than mine, I would gladly consider moving him to another tank, better suited to his survival, as my main concern is the life of the fish. Thanks

 

[thirty6]

Keep trying may get lucky

My tangs both eat ocean plankton, mysis, lrs, and frozen worms

 

[frag apple]

when was he introduced?

 

[frag apple]

ok so went back to read the post! righr so tangs are grazing fish mate! most of their day is spent nipping and picking at rocks for filament algeas and some slimes! your tang isn't the only one that doesn't eat processed foods! my orange shoulder won't eat anything only want to pick on rocks sounds strange but he's not thin trust me! 3 weeks is a short time owning yet dude just be patient and keep an eye on him!

 

[Kworker]

This is one of the reasons I feel QT is real important.. It allows you to focus on getting the fish to eat prepared foods without much distraction. I feel it's possible in your display he sees all the live rock and grazes as natural and swims right by the food because he does not see it as a food source. I also would think if he were starving he would at least start exploring.. But who knows.

Try getting a acclimation box to float him in the tank and try to feed him prepared up there.. Soak the nori strips in the juice of mysis shrimp.

If it keeps suffering, I would take him in and try what I can in QT. Just PM me if you like and we can possibly figure something out.

 

[dacaptain78]

Try some raw clams on the half shell. If it eats that, then dice up the clam and feed. If it eats it diced, start mixing in some mysid, flake, pellets or whatever and hope for the best.

Good luck.

 

[LongIslandAndy]

Can you post a picture of the fish, if he is thin on top(over the lateral line) it may be too late. Once a fish has passed a certain point of starvation he literally starts to use his own muscle and tissue to sustain himself. I have found that once that process starts it is almost always irreversible.

 

[Potacka]

Try some live food, to get him started. Black worms, live brine etc

 

[fredro]

He's not as thin as that other one.

 

[fredro]

I would like to get this poor guy into a tank that he could have more natural algae to graze on, or into someone's QT that thinks they can teach him proper eating habits. Again, I'm very appreciative of everyone's help and my number one concern is for the life of the fish. Thanks again!

 

[Reef lover24]

someone help this guy out. great guy, very concerned about the fishes health.

 

[fredro]

Thanks buddy, I'm hoping I can get this little guy on some... heck, I want him to eat ANYTHING. I'd get him whatever it is that he wants, as long as he eats it, that's all that matters.

 

[knutez24]

Make a paste of some nori mysis or whatever you have and find a small piece of rock or something to take out of the tank and smear it onto the rock. Hopefully it will graze on this food until it learns to eat what you feed others. Something with small cracks or crevices or coral skeleton work.

 

[Kworker]

Try to pick up some live macro algae from the LFS.

 

[fredro]

The biggest meal I've seen him enjoy lately is a full turd of barely digested Nori, directly from the **** of my pig of a solar wrasse. Eww, but at least he ate... And loved it

 

[fredro]

Btw it ignores ALL macros... Tried a handful of kinds from a few LFS '

 

[fredro]

Well, it looks like he's not long for this world. He had a few small pieces of mysis today, but it's clearly too late. He isn't acting normal and is quite thin. I tried my best to get him eating and tried EVERYTHING, but he just wouldn't eat. I feel horrible, period.