Blue Hippo Tang

[bigmoe21]

Hello,
I've been noticing that my blue hippo hasn't been eating any of the seaweed ive been clipping. I clip green and purple seaweed. He use to eat it but lately all he wants is Rod's food. What is good to clip to entice him to eat that, so he gets some algae and not just meat, although he does sometimes eat the algae in rods food. Don't want him to get too fat or sick, even though tangs have fast metabolisms right?
thanks
moe

[MissT]

what size tank? how long have you had him? water parameters?

[bigmoe21]

29 gallon, water parameters good, had him for 3 months now i think...i know..29 too small, im not saying hes sick or looks too fat i just want to make sure that doesnt happen..

[MissT]

Not mentioning anything about the tank size-
As long as he'd still eating, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Juvenile Hippo tangs are pretty much strictly zooplanktivores, and it's not until they reach adulthood that the algae is so important. Not saying you should stop trying, but it's natural for him to want to eat brine, cyclops, etc. while still young (under 3" or so)

[bigmoe21]

oh ok thanks..well yeah hes just at about 3 inches..

[copperband]

you could try ripping the alqae up and adding it to the brine and stuff. i feed my fish brine shrimp with spiralena its all frozen and then i soak it in garlic

[copperband]

also when you say water parameters are good that doesnt really give us any info we need the specific ppm that will help alot. because when you purchase a fish or a coral if they ask you about your water you cant say its good for a fish only with live rock depending on how hardy the fish are a nitrate level of 60 ppm is ok but in a reef tank you do not want the nitrates above 20 ppm in it. so just remeber to always know your numbers not trying to be rude just trying to help a fellow aquarist

[bigmoe21]

yeah i feed brine with spirulina too

[copperband]

ok well that means he is getting some herbivores material in his diet and your off to a good start just remeber he cant stay in that tank forever

[captexas]

Sounds like a lot of pets. Feed a dog dry food for awhile and then start offering it a great tasting canned food, it's going to favor the canned food. As long as you keep feeding the canned food every day, the dog will ignore the dry food unless it gets really hungry.