Feeding Tangs Fruit?

[Fretfreak13]

I work at a LFS and yesterday a woman called asking about what too add into the variety she feeds her tangs. They already get pellet, frozen, flake, AND vegetables! Not like just nori either, I'm talking cucumbers, peas, carrots, etc. She called to ask me if she could feed them fruits as well. Honestly, I didn't know the answer, but I told her I would do a little research and get back to her.

The only problem I could think about her feeding fruit would be that it has soooo much water in it and I would think it would foul water quickly? What are your thoughts on this, guys?

 

[xxtriggermanxx]

My thoughts are, we are trying to recreate their enviorment in our tanks. Not many reef fish dine on strawberrys and peaches. I would not reccomend it

 

[kyocera]

If they will eat it in a short period of time then why not. They don't eat it in there natural environment but really if you break it down its only foods that are made up of the same things found on the reefs. vitamins minerals etc etc

 

[HumbleFish]

The issue I would have with feeding fruits (and even certain vegetables) is fouling up the water. The food we normally feed our fish is (supposedly) specially formulated not to do this. For example, most frozen foods point out they are made with only RODI water; nori is "toasted" which dries out any impurities.

Now, I don't see a problem maybe mixing it up with something light, like a pea or some spinach every now & then; but I wouldn't start chucking apples & oranges into my tank. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Fretfreak13]

Thanks guys!=)

 

[jazzman7838]

Seems like the sugar in fruit might present some problems. There is not a lot of sugar in the foods we normally feed. May see some cloudiness to the water similar to an overdose of ethanol.

 

[MrTuskfish]

My thoughts are, we are trying to recreate their enviorment in our tanks. Not many reef fish dine on strawberrys and peaches. I would not reccomend it

Spirulina algae and PE mysis are probably the top selling foods for SW herbivores and carnivores. They are both FW products.

I feed tangs a little banana sometimes, they love it.

 

[SDguy]

My concern would be with them being terrestrial plants. What's the goal? What's the reasoning? If it's just for variety there are plenty of other options.

 

[o2manyfish]

My dad steals from my grapefruit tree all the time for his koi. You just tear the grapefruit in 1/2 and the koi suck all the meat out of it.

When I had my fish only tank I had large tangs (Naso, Sohal, Purples, Yellows) I gave them a 1/2 grape fruit a couple of times. The Naso tore at it pretty good.

I never had any issues from putting the fruit in the tank for an afternoon. System volume was around 300g

Dave B

 

[MrTuskfish]

My concern would be with them being terrestrial plants. What's the goal? What's the reasoning? If it's just for variety there are plenty of other options.

Herbivores were raised successfully for many years before all the nori type products came along. I kept many tangs for many years with turnip greens, spinach, and romaine lettuce as their primary diet. No algae from LR either.

 

[humaguy]

Herbivores were raised successfully for many years before all the nori type products came along. I kept many tangs for many years with turnip greens, spinach, and romaine lettuce as their primary diet. No algae from LR either.

lol, the good ole days...lettuce on a clip...

 

[jjk_reef00]

I think certain species of tangs will eat just about anything you threw in the tank (Acanthurus xanthopterus first comes to mind since I use to have one). I also think that tangs can adapt to different diets as long as they are getting the proper nutrition from the food they eat. My Naso tang right now is living on 90% meaty food because that is what I feed my butterfly fish (pe mysis,raw shrimp, scallop, etc). He is very healthy, fat, and is growing like a weed. At this point he prefers meaty foods over Nori and pellets. I tossed all 3 in the tank and the same time to prove this to a friend of mine who didn't believe I had a meat eating Naso.

I see no problem trying out fruits as long as the fish eats the food in a reasonable amount of time and these specialty foods are fed in moderation.

 

[SDguy]

Herbivores were raised successfully for many years before all the nori type products came along. I kept many tangs for many years with turnip greens, spinach, and romaine lettuce as their primary diet. No algae from LR either.

Ok... I know all this too. But even though I grew up listening to cassette tapes doesn't mean it isn't time to switch to digital downloads again I ask what is the point? Variety? You just said so yourself... nori products now available.

There are so many amazing foods now available to every hobbyist. I just don't see the point of feeding questionable items (no proof of good or harm).

 

[MrTuskfish]

Ok... I know all this too. But even though I grew up listening to cassette tapes doesn't mean it isn't time to switch to digital downloads again I ask what is the point? Variety? You just said so yourself... nori products now available.

There are so many amazing foods now available to every hobbyist. I just don't see the point of feeding questionable items (no proof of good or harm).

No point at all that I can see; just some interesting chit-chat...like many threads on this forum. But, FWIW, I give many of my fish very thin banana slices once in a while simply because most of the fish in my tanks love them. I'm just sharing what I consider a bit of interesting info that is directly related to the OP's question. Part of his question regarding green foods didn't seem to say " Do you have to feed fruit", he asked if you could. No big deal. Back to golf on the tube.

 

[jnc914]

Seems like the sugar in fruit might present some problems. There is not a lot of sugar in the foods we normally feed. May see some cloudiness to the water similar to an overdose of ethanol.

My concern would be with them being terrestrial plants. What's the goal? What's the reasoning? If it's just for variety there are plenty of other options.

+1

Are we completely certain fish can properly digest the sugars in fruit? What, in their natural environments, would mimic the type of foods that would have the same levels of fructose in it? I would think this could be detrimental to the fish on a long term basis, much like liver issues with long term garlic use.

 

[jazzman7838]

I feed broccoli to herbivores simply because it's less messy than nori. Holds up really well in saltwater and lets them work on it all day long.

 

[SDguy]

No point at all that I can see; just some interesting chit-chat...like many threads on this forum.

Sorry if I wasn't clear.... I didn't mean, what was the point of this thread... I meant, what was the point or goal of feeding fruit. The old saying seems quite appropriate here... just because you can doesn't mean you should