sailfin tang eating the macro and more

[shcrimps]

just picked up a small sailfin
little backstory about two years ago i got one that was well established and coming to me it was in a 150 gallon and would devour any algae along with the scopas and hippo tang
scopas and sailfin were 3-4 inches so still pretty small but the hippo went in less than an inch and immediately took to algae (maybe by watching the other tangs?)

this new sailfin is only meant to be temporary since it’s in a 65 to eat all my red macros
it’s about 1 1/2” at most but isn’t really taking to macros, ive been breaking off small pieces of bubble algae to get it interested and it does occasionally but hasn’t touched the red flat branch macro (that i’ve seen)
anyone have this issue?
if so how did you get it to eat them or did it just have to settle in?
it’s eating pellets and frozen fine
i don’t have much experience with tangs since i’ve never had a tank i felt was big enough to keep them long term

anything helps!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

There are several things to consider, and one you've already mentioned: 'just have to settle in aka time. Given enough time, it will be eaten. However, depending on how tough your red macro algae is, you could be waiting for your sailfin to physically be bigger aka stronger. Red ogo is suitable for tangs of all sizes, but some of the other pretty reds can be too tough for the small fish (dragons tongue, etc). You MAY also be fighting a learning curve, which you also mention above. There is no way to know if your sailfin realizes it is for it to eat.

Interestingly, my flame angle taught my yellow and sailfin tangs to eat algae on a clip! I don't know that the flame angel every ate much/any but it was a compulsive picker, so then the tangs had to go see what the angel was picking/eating. I've even had neon blue goby try to eat nori.

Try clipping some nori (green or red) with the red macro you want the small sailfin to eat. Once the fish starts to bite at your macro, you'll get a sense if it is just a fish learning curve or a toughness to overcome. Once your sailfin is larger, you'll be amazed at its strength (and the amount of food it eats! Like a Hoover vacuum at 6")

I have faith it will work its way out, given some time. Keep us posted (and more info).

 

[shcrimps]

There are several things to consider, and one you've already mentioned: 'just have to settle in aka time. Given enough time, it will be eaten. However, depending on how tough your red macro algae is, you could be waiting for your sailfin to physically be bigger aka stronger. Red ogo is suitable for tangs of all sizes, but some of the other pretty reds can be too tough for the small fish (dragons tongue, etc). You MAY also be fighting a learning curve, which you also mention above. There is no way to know if your sailfin realizes it is for it to eat.

Interestingly, my flame angle taught my yellow and sailfin tangs to eat algae on a clip! I don't know that the flame angel every ate much/any but it was a compulsive picker, so then the tangs had to go see what the angel was picking/eating. I've even had neon blue goby try to eat nori.

Try clipping some nori (green or red) with the red macro you want the small sailfin to eat. Once the fish starts to bite at your macro, you'll get a sense if it is just a fish learning curve or a toughness to overcome. Once your sailfin is larger, you'll be amazed at its strength (and the amount of food it eats! Like a Hoover vacuum at 6")

I have faith it will work its way out, given some time. Keep us posted (and more info).

thank you and will keep posted most of my fish primarily eat meaty foods but will take to algae pellets no problem will definitely pickup some nori next time i’m at the lfs to see if that’ll help

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

the red flat branch macro (that i’ve seen)

What kind of red algae is it? Any pics of it? Is it hard or soft?

 

[shcrimps]

What kind of red algae is it? Any pics of it? Is it hard or soft?

it’s flat branch gracilaria

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Do you have a Food Processor? Chop some up with a little tank water added, and feed it to the fish. This will give it an appetite for the Red Algae, and it should start picking at it.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

it’s flat branch gracilaria

Is it calcified/stiff at all?

 

[shcrimps]

Is it calcified/stiff at all?

not stiff at all
however upon my morning inspection of the tank the tang was no longer alive
it was the first new fish in a while, no fighting that i ever saw and it was eating

i found it on my nero 3 which has a fish/nem guard (both of them do) the pumps are really low flow at night so i think it died over night and ended floating around till the pumps picked up speed enough to hold it to the guard
gotta look into this and try to find out what happened : /