8" Naso Tang Not Eating (since Feb 14)

Tszat

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Please help. This is our 8-9" Naso Tang that we bouth on Feb 14th for Valentine's day (enter sweet sigh here..). Anyhow, the LFS said he wasn't eating so well, if anything while he was there for 1.5 weeks and they really didn't want us to buy him for that reason. We bought him anyway, and he hasn't eaten since.
This is my husbands project and I'm learning, so bare with me with on the details. Here's what I know as of 2/22, Alk-2.97,Lgl-500, Mag-16HO, Nitrite-0, Nitrate-0, PH-8.2, Am-0, Salinity-1.023, I'm not sure on the lighting. The tank is 500gal with aprox 100 gal in the mechanical room.
Over the period of time here's what has been fed to the tank and he doesn't like anything (of course this was not not all at once and not in an abundance). Brown pellets, Brown pellets w/garlic, Flake, Flake w/garlic, Formula 2, Mysis, Mysis w/garlic, Rod's Reef, Lifeline Herbivore Minced, Dry Seaweed, Broccoli, Lettuce. I've secured what I could to rocks in case he prefered picking off the rocks. He's comfortable in the tank with his mates, he wants to eat, he picks off the rocks, he's taken bubble algae skin in several times in attempts to eat it, but he doesn't. I have everything ready to quaranteen him and try to force feed him, I can't stand just watching him die, which is what I feel like I'm doing. His stomach and face are now concaved. I feel like it's only a matter of time..... And, his eyes seem like they're foggy and there's a white line across the bottom of them? Any help is appreciated, I don't want him to die. Sorry for such a long post :)
 
Try spirulina brine shrimp...the little arms and tentacles on these little guys waving around are sometime enough to spark interest and get them to eat. I am going through the same issue right now with the same fish. At the moment, it's all he will eat. I do not think that brine has a bunch of nutritional value, so I would absolutely be soaking it in omega's or selcon.
 
Good suggestion above. Live brine may get him started but as mentioned it has little nutritional value. Nutramar Ova seems to often work with difficult fish. Capelin fish roe may work.
 
I would try treating him with Prazipro I had a tang that was super skinny and dying and I finally found something that worked. After about five days in treatment he started eating and gaining weight. I would just leave nori in there all the time. Also you could possibly try Maracyn Two for saltwater fish it boosts their appatite. All this should be done in a qt tank and you can't use these together.
 
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I got him to eat...... just kidding, I thought it was funny. The cleaner was just doing his job when I was taking pictures of the Naso to try and figure out what was going on with him...
 
I agree that HUFA or spirulina enriched brine may be more appealing. Finicky fish will go after brine when all else fails for me. I had an orangespine unicorn die on me for no apparent reason a couple years ago. Client told me after the fact that it stopped eating regularly. Wish they told me beforehand so i could be more help for you.
 
I would try treating him with Prazipro I had a tang that was super skinny and dying and I finally found something that worked. After about five days in treatment he started eating and gaining weight. I would just leave nori in there all the time. Also you could possibly try Maracyn Two for saltwater fish it boosts their appatite. All this should be done in a qt tank and you can't use these together.

+1 on Prazi-Pro for possible flukes. It's as reef-safe a treatment as any IMO.
 
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