Little help...who feeds Wakame?

[Matt_Wandell]

Anybody know where to find dried wakame in SF?

I know, I know, Chinatown or Japantown, but I need specific places. I went on a hunting mission and it's easier said than done. Most everyone offered up nori or gave me puzzled looks.

Thanks in advance!

 

[GreshamH]

Not SF, but in Oakland Pusan Plaze always has it

Pusan Plaza
(510) 986-1234
2370 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Hey, that's right near a BART station too. You know everything! Thanks Gresh!

 

[FishAreFriends2]

whats the difference between dried nori?

 

[GreshamH]

Other then it being a totally different algae, nori is much thinner and usually chopped up/shredded. Wakame is a thicker algae and usually comes either whole are just barely chopped up. It's better for soups and such then nori

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Wet wakame has a thick, tough consistency like kelp. Nori falls apart rather quickly and becomes a big mess when you get it wet.

 

[cwolfus]

Nigiya market in japantown has chopped wakame.

The good stuff is in a green plastic package all in japanese. on the back there is a nutritional facts label that says (fueru wakwmechan)

It maybe your accent that is throwing them. So write that down and show it to them.

C

 

[tonggao]

Does tangs like this more than Nori, and does it have more nutrient for the fish? In chinese market, they always sell partially dehydrated fat seaweed preserved in salt, is it the same thing?

 

[nashorn]

My tangs doesn't seem to like it as much as the nori. They would eat all the nori before touching the Wakame. Anyone tried the fresh seaweed? I seen it a few times at the Japanese markets.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11657267#post11657267 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cwolfus
Nigiya market in japantown has chopped wakame.

The good stuff is in a green plastic package all in japanese. on the back there is a nutritional facts label that says (fueru wakwmechan)

It maybe your accent that is throwing them. So write that down and show it to them.

C

Thank you for the help!

I ended up finding it at this store pretty quickly. Funny thing is that when I lived in Davis there were 2 stores about a block from my house that had wakame. I come to SF and I can hardly find it anywhere! :lol:

 

[Matt_Wandell]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11657332#post11657332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonggao
Does tangs like this more than Nori, and does it have more nutrient for the fish?

IME tangs (and angelfish, rabbitfish, etc) that are trained on nori will eat it quite readily. Whether it's more approriate for the fish is a tough question to give you a yes/no answer on. My safe answer is that both should be considered part of a well balanced herbivore diet along with Spirulina wafers, live macroalgaes (like Ulva, Gracilaria, and Chaetomorpha), and the occasional terrestrial veggies (broccoli, spinach, cabbage). As you may know almost all surgeonfish have preferences for certain types of algae and are not just generalized grazers in the wild, and these preferences should be taken into account when feeding your exact species. Wakame is a brown alga (kelp), while Nori is a red alga (Poryphyra). Both are very rich in nutrients and minerals from what little reading I have done. Wakame in particular is reported to be high in omega-6 fatty acids. (Disclaimer: I'm not a fish nutritionist.)

The point to take home is that I do not recommend anyone go out and replace their nori with wakame.

In chinese market, they always sell partially dehydrated fat seaweed preserved in salt, is it the same thing?

Not sure! I've seen that seaweed before but I have no idea. I can't imagine there's any harm in trying it out, although I would rinse it in freshwater thoroughly first to get rid of the salt.

 

[africangrey]

While we are on the subject , what do you guys used to hold down the of nori and kelp for continuous feeding, I used the seaweed clips from Ocean Nutrition but the suction cup provided doesn't have much grip, and after 2 days the thing would fall off and get blown to somewhere behind the rock work.

 

[Paradox009]

Maybe you can glue a clip onto a cheap tank cleaning magnet

 

[rleechb]

I superglued my suction cup to a magfloat.

Feeding nori is pretty easy, just let the magfloat half float to the top, clip seaweed, and then reattach.

 

[Nukeproof]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11660235#post11660235 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by africangrey
While we are on the subject , what do you guys used to hold down the of nori and kelp for continuous feeding, I used the seaweed clips from Ocean Nutrition but the suction cup provided doesn't have much grip, and after 2 days the thing would fall off and get blown to somewhere behind the rock work.

I just use an old Mag Float that I have lying around. Works way better than those suction cup IMO. I still have a clip in the rocks that I can't get out.

 

[africangrey]

great idea, thanks guys.

 

[Kinetic]

rubber band the nori/seaweed to a small rubble rock and let them graze it all off

 

[Matt_Wandell]

I prefer to clip it to a piece of eggcrate that's suspended above the water (or clip it to a center or euro brace).

1) When they are done eating the remaining bits of seaweed in the clip are out of the water and not rotting in your tank.
2) It's aesthetically more pleasing when they're done eating (it disappears)
3) Your hands don't need to get wet every time you feed.

 

[africangrey]

Thanks Matt for the suggestion, I got two types of kelp (large leavy type and wakame) from Ranch 99 market, can't beat $1.29 each.
Fish got scared and went hiding after I place them in the tank, kelp invasion.

Wakame

These are the kelp with much larger and thicker leaves.

After they are hydrated in RO/DI water soaked with a few drops of Kent Zoe

 

[Kinetic]

coool!!!