What seaweed/vegetables do you use for your tangs?

[keagan]

What do you feed your herbivorous fish?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

For some reason my tangs won’t touch grocery store nori (even when soaked in garlic, vitachem, selcon, or entice. They do go after the green and purple 2 little fishies nori though. They absolutely won’t touch the 2 little fishies red at all. I know a lot of people that have fish that devour grocery store nori. I also tried growing ulva and ogo thinking fresh is always best. Nope, wouldn’t touch it. Plus the ulva started growing absolutely everywhere! Ended up being a major pita.

 

[winxp_man]

LFS big pack nori, don’t even know the brand, but possibly what @A_Blind_Reefer reefer is using. Selcon added at times, vitachem at other times, and when I have too much going on just plane.

And all mine love ogo.

And the angels I have (3 angels) all join in on the same stuff. Heck I have seen my two cleaner wrasse go in messing around with nori haha.

 

[exnisstech]

I used to feed dried nori but didn't pay the pet tax and bought human.
Now I feed what i harvest from my surf algae scrubber.

 

[keagan]

I used to feed dried nori but didn't pay the pet tax and bought human.
Now I feed what i harvest from my surf algae scrubber.

That's a great way to save money! I'm surprised you have fish that'll eat what you harvest. I had an icecap and the hair algae that grew inside it didn't seem palatable for anything other than hermits and periwinkles.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Dulse is my go to dried product, and they also get live ulva from my refugium.

 

[keagan]

Dulse is my go to dried product, and they also get live ulva from my refugium.

It puts a smile on my face every time I read you saying you feed dulse. It would be nice if more people supported local harvesters buying dulse rather than buying imported seaweed. Having a trusted professional like you using dulse may help convince people it's a viable alternative to nori sheets.

 

[exnisstech]

That's a great way to save money! I'm surprised you have fish that'll eat what you harvest. I had an icecap and the hair algae that grew inside it didn't seem palatable for another other than hermits and periwinkles.

It is nice looking algae compared to what I've seen some grow. I had two running and both grew similar looking algae that the fish ate. Two tangs in one tank tolerate it but prefer nori. The gang in my big tank devour it in seconds fed out of a mesh bag.
I like that it floats so it doesn't take up a lot of space and doesn't need to be plumbed.

 

[exnisstech]

It puts a smile on my face every time I read you saying you feed dulse. It would be nice if more people supported local harvesters buying dulse rather than buying imported seaweed. Having a trusted professional like you using dulse may help convince people it's a viable alternative to nori sheets.

I have never heard of dulse I looked it up and it looks like a great alternative to nori and not priced crazy. Dried not roasted is good. A lot of nori is roasted.

 

[keagan]

I have never heard of dulse I looked it up and it looks like a great alternative to nori and not priced crazy. Dried not roasted is good. A lot of nori is roasted.

The spot I worked at growing dulse on land leases an old air strip to air dry literal thousands of tonnes. I'm not sure why but dulse is all air dried not roasted even at a large scale. Cheap, air dried, and local (compared to shipping from china).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have never heard of dulse I looked it up and it looks like a great alternative to nori and not priced crazy. Dried not roasted is good. A lot of nori is roasted.

It is a species (Palmaria palmata) sold companies such as Two Little Fishies at a premium, $6.58 per 12 g (0.55 per g)

https://twolittlefishies.com/collec...ng-s-seaveggies®-red-seaweed-palmaria-palmata

I buy this, at $53 for a pound ($0.13 per g)

https://www.iherb.com/pr/maine-coas.../147309?gad_campaignid=995653582&gad_source=4

 

[William Sharkspeare]

Any tips on getting my ~3.5 inch Biota yellow tang to start eating his veggies? I have Sprung's green.

 

[Ryan - Serious Reefs]

Seaweed extreme has been the right tool for me. High fiber food that gets fed consistently on an auto feeder.

If I do other solutions the algae ends up being more of an occasional treat than dietary staple.

 

[Subsea]

I will soon purchase 1 pound of live Dulse and pursue cultivation.

Tangs like Bortacladia, Gracilaria Parvispora and Caulerpa Paspoides.

Dulse is a nutrient-rich red seaweed (Palmaria palmata) known for its savory, smoky flavor, high mineral content, and versatility as a raw snack or seasoning. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

 

[Fish Fan]

I use Nori sheets, but I also second Seaweed Extreme, I find that fish really like it.

https://www.hikariusa.com/marine_folder/seaweed_extreme.html

 

[cacas]

Am I messing up by feeding bell peppers?

 

[keagan]

Any tips on getting my ~3.5 inch Biota yellow tang to start eating his veggies? I have Sprung's green.

Garlic is imo the best additive to help convince finicky eaters to eat. But I'm not sure how you would be able to implement it with dried seaweed if you soak it with garlic in water it'll fall apart. Mabey someone will know a trick.

 

[strich]

It is a species (Palmaria palmata) sold companies such as Two Little Fishies at a premium, $6.58 per 12 g (0.55 per g)

https://twolittlefishies.com/collections/aquarium-foods/products/julian-sprung-s-seaveggies®-red-seaweed-palmaria-palmata

I buy this, at $53 for a pound ($0.13 per g)

https://www.iherb.com/pr/maine-coas.../147309?gad_campaignid=995653582&gad_source=4

How are you feeding flakes? Literally just on to the surface? Do they sink or make a mess?

Currently I feed just dried Nori, and occasionally I harvest a few species of macro from my sump. But I want to expand to buying dulse, wakame and kombu. I refuse to pay the fish food tax though, so I've been searching for cost effective brands here in Australia and it's hard!

I thought this break down of these seaweeds was interesting:

• Nori (Red Algae / Rhodophyta)
  • Protein: Highest (~35–40%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Very thin and soft; rehydrates quickly
  • Unique Advantage: Delivers fast daily calories and bulk protein for rapid mass growth
  • Best For: Daily baseline staple for all herbivorous and omnivorous grazers
• Dulse (Red Algae / Rhodophyta)
  • Protein: Moderate (~15–20%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Leathery yet soft when rehydrated
  • Unique Advantage: High in astaxanthin (boosts red/orange pigments) and natural glutamates (appetite stimulant)
  • Best For: Popping red/orange coloration and enticing shy or newly introduced eaters
• Wakame (Brown Algae / Phaeophyta)
  • Protein: Moderate (~15–20%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Medium thickness with a tender, satiny leaf structure
  • Unique Advantage: Rich in EPA Omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant pigment fucoxanthin
  • Best For: Mid-sized grazers, blennies, angelfish, and general species diversity
• Kelp (Brown Algae / Phaeophyta)
  • Protein: Lower (~10–15%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Thick, tough, and leathery
  • Unique Advantage: High in fucoidan (natural immunostimulant), holds structural form for hours without shredding or clogging filter socks
  • Best For: Large tangs, foxfaces, and providing extended, natural grazing sessions

 

[Ryan - Serious Reefs]

I use Nori sheets, but I also second Seaweed Extreme, I find that fish really like it.

https://www.hikariusa.com/marine_folder/seaweed_extreme.html

My herbivores turn up their nose at TDO now and wait for the SWE :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How are you feeding flakes? Literally just on to the surface? Do they sink or make a mess?

Currently I feed just dried Nori, and occasionally I harvest a few species of macro from my sump. But I want to expand to buying dulse, wakame and kombu. I refuse to pay the fish food tax though, so I've been searching for cost effective brands here in Australia and it's hard!

I thought this break down of these seaweeds was interesting:

• Nori (Red Algae / Rhodophyta)
  • Protein: Highest (~35–40%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Very thin and soft; rehydrates quickly
  • Unique Advantage: Delivers fast daily calories and bulk protein for rapid mass growth
  • Best For: Daily baseline staple for all herbivorous and omnivorous grazers
• Dulse (Red Algae / Rhodophyta)
  • Protein: Moderate (~15–20%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Leathery yet soft when rehydrated
  • Unique Advantage: High in astaxanthin (boosts red/orange pigments) and natural glutamates (appetite stimulant)
  • Best For: Popping red/orange coloration and enticing shy or newly introduced eaters
• Wakame (Brown Algae / Phaeophyta)
  • Protein: Moderate (~15–20%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Medium thickness with a tender, satiny leaf structure
  • Unique Advantage: Rich in EPA Omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant pigment fucoxanthin
  • Best For: Mid-sized grazers, blennies, angelfish, and general species diversity
• Kelp (Brown Algae / Phaeophyta)
  • Protein: Lower (~10–15%)
  • Fiber & Texture: Thick, tough, and leathery
  • Unique Advantage: High in fucoidan (natural immunostimulant), holds structural form for hours without shredding or clogging filter socks
  • Best For: Large tangs, foxfaces, and providing extended, natural grazing sessions

Sorry, the link was a mistake. I do not use flakes, but whole Leaf dulse that is held in a Two Little Fishies magnetic holder. I found the suction cup type unreliable.