my yellow tang is eating with my clowns

[jess128]

Recently my usually shy yellow tang has been coming up to the surface at feeding time and eating cyclopeeze and flakes with my clownfish. I do have nori for the tang but he doesn't seem to go for it if it's just floating on the surface. Is my tang eating the clown food because he's starving or is this food ok for him?

[mr_alberta]

From my understanding, Tangs like to nibble. It won't go after a piece of nori that is just floating on the water. You need to clip it to something or elastic band it down to a rock.

The flake food, while not the best, will sustain your fish. It is always best to feed a varied diet though.

[Aquattro]

"clown food" is fine, but the nori should be tied to a holder or some other method of keeping it submerged. Fish don't like going to the top of the water, makes it easier for predators to get them. Tie the mori to a rock and sink it.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

If you use a vege. based flake food (like one based on Spirulina) then that is a very nutritious flake food for the tang. My tangs eat everything.

Anthony

[EmilyB]

If you are not already aware of this, hold a pinch of flake under the water and release it, then it won't be floating on the surface of the water and the fish can get it easier. There are many types of flake good for your tang, OSI spirulina, formula two for example. Your clowns will love those as well. Make sure the tang has nori every day, he'll get used to it on a holder and love it.

[Petcrazy]

Another means of making flakes sink without getting your fingers wet is to let it soak in a cup for a little bit, then gently release it into your tank. That way it's already absorbed water and will usually start to sink....give it a slight stir if it's being stuborn.

Fish figure out that the cup means food and soon learn to go to the cup.
I do this in some tanks for numerous reasons and it works. Sometimes the fish even swim into the cup if they are too excited...it's kind of funny.

[jess128]

I knew the nori should be tied down, just wasn't sure how to do it. The plan was to buy one of those suction cups with a clip on the other end but I never got around to it. I just found it strange that the tang would come to the surface for clownfish food but not the nori. Anyway, I dug up an elastic band and anchored the nori to a rock with that. Thanks for your help.