Tang and body fat

[iwishtofish]

I've had a Kole Yellow-Eyed tang in QT for about 2-1/2 weeks. It has plumped up nicely and is showing no signs of problems. Appetite is great. Its poop is consistent, and is never stringy.

Its belly is ever so slightly pinched. It's sometimes not noticeable unless I look at the right angle. Is this normal, or should the fish be uniformly fat top-to-bottom?

 

[SDguy]

Should not be pinched at all, eventually. What do you feed, and how often?

Here's my fat tomini, as an example.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Your fish went thorough at least a couple of days of not being fed 3 weeks ago or so when it was caught and shipped (maybe up to a week), and then it had a bacterial infection and scrapes on its sides the past 2 weeks that it had to fight off. In addition, it had ammonia in the QT water while you got that under control. It is active and eating well. Given all of this, I wouldn't worry about whether it is fat yet.

I would just keep the water quality high and keep feeding it small meals 4-5 times per day, including meaty foods and algae (spirulina flakes or nori) and NLS pellets if it will eat them. It should fill out just fine in a month or so.

 

[iwishtofish]

Maybe it's just early. I feed him Instant Ocean Seaweed Blend (LOVES it), nori, mysis (usually soaked in Selcon), and NLS small meaty pellets.

Behavior is great. Gorgeous tang you have, btw!

 

[iwishtofish]

Oh, feed 3-5 times daily.

 

[Mock]

go another 2 weeks and feed it well.. It should pull out of it.. I have a hippo that I am nursing... It had Ich and looked like a bone fish.. Now it happy as ever and looking to go into the DT very soon... She was so poor I had to save her and glad she pulled out...

The fish shouldn't have a sunk in belly though... if its eating right it should always stay symmetrical.

 

[iwishtofish]

Your fish went thorough at least a couple of days of not being fed 3 weeks ago or so when it was caught and shipped (maybe up to a week), and then it had a bacterial infection and scrapes on its sides the past 2 weeks that it had to fight off. In addition, it had ammonia in the QT water while you got that under control. It is active and eating well. Given all of this, I wouldn't worry about whether it is fat yet.

I would just keep the water quality high and keep feeding it small meals 4-5 times per day, including meaty foods and algae (spirulina flakes or nori) and NLS pellets if it will eat them. It should fill out just fine in a month or so.

go another 2 weeks and feed it well.. It should pull out of it.. I have a hippo that I am nursing... It had Ich and looked like a bone fish.. Now it happy as ever and looking to go into the DT very soon... She was so poor I had to save her and glad she pulled out...

The fish shouldn't have a sunk in belly though... if its eating right it should always stay symmetrical.

Edit: Ok, I will stay the course. Thanks!

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Tanks seem to have high metabolisms that cause them to get skinny when starved for a while (more so than other fish), and they fill out with just feeding a reasonable amount of good food.

 

[SDguy]

IME, tangs are skinny when first imported. While they are basically vegetarians, I like to feed pellets and flakes HEAVILY at first, to get them fat. I don't even bother with seaweed.

 

[snorvich]

I initially feed PE mysis which seems to help new fish acclimate and put on weight.

 

[Mock]

IME, tangs are skinny when first imported. While they are basically vegetarians, I like to feed pellets and flakes HEAVILY at first, to get them fat. I don't even bother with seaweed.

Just for what its worth I agree with this statement... I feed three times a day if not more of just a pinch of pellets to my tangs... I currently have 5 n my display. I add other frozen and nori about every other day. They are all fat and happy... My Sohoal is thick!

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I agree also. While they may subsist primarily on vegetation in the wild where it is continuously available, they seem to put on weight better in the aquarium if offered a lot of meaty foods and pellets in addition to greens.

I wonder if they get skinny from capture and transport without food or whether the skinny ones are just easier to catch.

 

[iwishtofish]

I really appreciate everyone's advice. This fish could eat all day long, judging from the way he reacts whenever food is put in the tank. I'll ramp up the meaty stuff, yet make sure the veggies are available, too.