Nori: why is it the food pariah in my tank?

Crotalus

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I don't use a clip. I use herb scissors to chop up a sheet into small strips. About 1/4" x 1". Then I just throw it in and let the flow carry it around. The fish go crazy and the entire sheet is gone in way less than 2 minutes. Everyone gets an equal chance. No squabbles.
 

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I’m curious what the difference is in nutritional value of nori/dried seaweed vs different macroalgaes. Suppose that also depends on if the fish will eat it though.
 

SHINYSuccubus

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Hey Everyone,

Bit of a weird one here; have a mixed reef 100g and none of my 2 herbivores will touch Nori (or lettuce, or zucchini) and I’m concerned because I’d like them to have a great, varied diet.

Current fish list:
1x McCosker’s flasher
1x Canary Wrasse
2x Snowflake clowns
1x Lawnmower Blenny
1x Purple Tang

All introduced over the last month and a half. They’re all getting on great, they are all fat fishies now and the Blenny and Tang are punishing the diatoms and brown algae. The tang also goes wild for mysis, fish roe, Rotifers and artemis.

But: neither the Blenny nor the tang will touch any sort of nori or any other vegetable I clip in the tank.

Should I be concerned and if so how did you guys and gals get your fish to go after nori instead of everything else?
i don’t know why your tang & blenny don’t want nori, but it sounds like they’re really well fed to me! my regal tang is a nori fiend, my midas blenny won’t go near it. they’re both fat and happy, the tang is 12, the blenny is 5. i think you’re doing really well! i’m no expert, but i’d say don’t overthink it - just enjoy!
 

natfka

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Sometimes your fish simply don't recognize it as food, especially when they are eating other foods regularly. The first few times I put nori in my tank it had to be removed after sitting for such a long time.

I finally got a couple of new of tangs for my tank, and when one of the them starting nibbling at the nori during dt tank introduction, it showed the others and now everyone eats it!!!
 

TNreefer123!

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I had the same issue with my naso. My sailfin would eat it but my naso turned his nose to it. After about 3-4 months my naso “learned” from the sailfin and they both go to town on it now. My raccoon butterfly does as well lol
 

carbasaurus

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In my experience nori is pretty irresistible to tangs and rabbit fish, but occasionally I’ll get a batch they don’t like. If they are ignoring the nori, i will switch to a different flavor (green to brown to purple, depending on what they are ignoring). Also, the nori will turn pretty fast, easily within a day (take a whiff when you change it out and you will know what I mean) If it’s been in more than a day they won’t eat it. Finally the clip location may be the problem. I keep mine on the side down near the sand so they can bolt into the nearby rock work if they get nervous
 

carbasaurus

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I have done wafers in my QT tank while acclimating new fish and trying different foods to see what they will eat. The wafers have been hit/miss depending on the fish
 

Crotalus

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I’m curious what the difference is in nutritional value of nori/dried seaweed vs different macroalgaes. Suppose that also depends on if the fish will eat it though.
This is the only kind my fish will eat. They won't touch the green. Maybe having garlic in it has something to do with it, but all my fish, not just tangs, go crazy for it.
 

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Spare time

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Mine go nuts for ocean nutrition red nori. They don't really like any other kind.
 

Spare time

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This is the only kind my fish will eat. They won't touch the green. Maybe having garlic in it has something to do with it, but all my fish, not just tangs, go crazy for it.

Same my melanarus wrasse DEVOURS that stuff. None of them really care for other nori even when I add garlic to the nori so I think it is something about the red nori in particular.
 

Crabby48

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Never had a problem with fish not eating nori. I use mostly lrs nori. File fish, wrasse,tangs, shrimp and others eat nori. Most non nori eaters eat in a day or two. My potters wrasse ate it in under 30 minutes of being released in the tank with nori. Only fish I haven’t seen eat it is copper band. Monkey see monkey do
 

c_johns89

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Has anyone tried algae wafers instead of nori?
My tomini tang wouldn't eat nori for a while but loved algae wafers! I'm pretty sure the tang only started eating nori after watching the foxface go to town on it. I still give them wafers to pick at too.
 

jt8791

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I’ve also tried the hikari algae wafers, never saw fish go for it. Cuc would pick at it but never finish a whole one
 

MnFish1

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Hey Everyone,

Bit of a weird one here; have a mixed reef 100g and none of my 2 herbivores will touch Nori (or lettuce, or zucchini) and I’m concerned because I’d like them to have a great, varied diet.

Current fish list:
1x McCosker’s flasher
1x Canary Wrasse
2x Snowflake clowns
1x Lawnmower Blenny
1x Purple Tang

All introduced over the last month and a half. They’re all getting on great, they are all fat fishies now and the Blenny and Tang are punishing the diatoms and brown algae. The tang also goes wild for mysis, fish roe, Rotifers and artemis.

But: neither the Blenny nor the tang will touch any sort of nori or any other vegetable I clip in the tank.

Should I be concerned and if so how did you guys and gals get your fish to go after nori instead of everything else?
No - its not a concern. You can also soak it in water before putting it in the tank. As long as they re eating other things - it makes no difference
 

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