Nori everywhere!

Any secrets as to putting nori in the tank without it blowing around everywhere. I use the veggie clips but the tang picks at the top of the clip until the whole piece comes off, fly around and eventually gets sucked into a korilia and chopped into a hundred pieces. I want to keep it well fed, but will my water quality end up suffering from the rotting nori hiding in the tank?

Thanks for any advice

Mark

Hey Mark,

I wondered that years ago and no one had a suggestion. In fact back then most Tang lovers were hanging a big chunk of terrestrial lettuce from the veggie clip. We now know that's NOT what tangs need. They will pick at it but derive little, if any, nutrition from Romaine or any other land based veggie. They require marine based veggies of which Nori is perfect.

So I had to come up with a way to feed without wasting the Nori. The following is a pictorial explanation of what has worked for me over the years.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...DSC_0033-1.jpg

First I cut the Nori into a strip about an inch wide.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...DSC_0034-1.jpg

Then I fold it in half and cut it.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/DSC_0035.jpg

I fold it in half again but, this time I do not make a cut at the fold.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/DSC_0036.jpg

Here I cut the 4 layers into thin strips being careful NOT to cut through at the fold.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...DSC_0037-2.jpg

Then place the prepared Nori as far into the veggie clip as possible.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...DSC_0038-2.jpg

Another view of the veggie clip ready for the Tangs attack. Notice I don't use the suction cup supplied. Super glued to a rock with a tie string, I can place it in various locations.

Dick

Here is a series of pictures showing how effective this method is.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/DSC_0039.jpg

The first attack can be vicious! The silvery stuff around the Sohal Tang's mouth and drifting above him is air bubbles dislodged from the Nori on the strike. BAM!

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/DSC_0062.jpg

Of course, the Desjardini has to get his Nori, too. He's not as aggressive as the Sohal. Notice the air dislodged again.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/DSC_0055.jpg

The Orange Spotted File fish likes Nori, too and doesn't let the size or aggressiveness of the Tangs get in his way.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...DSC_0072-1.jpg

Here is the Orange Spotted file fish in the way of the Sohal and it doesn't even phase either one.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/DSC_0079.jpg

Sohal comes back and nails it again and again.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/DSC_0085.jpg

When the initial onslaught is over, you can see there is plenty of Nori left and little went to waste. They will work on this until only what is left in the clip remains. After awhile, I'll go over to the clip, followed by the Sohal and Desjardini, and open the clip. These two hogs will tear into the remaining Nori until it's totally consumed.

Hope this works for you.

Dick

you are a F*&$ing genius Dick, please take a bow!

I would whole heartedly agree that those suction cup clips totally suck. I have spent a lot of time fishing them off the bottom of my tank because they fell off. Your idea, however, is one I can get behind.

Thank you so much Dick.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the experience there is on this site. For a newbie like me, it is really invaluable.

Thanks again

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by poppin_fresh

you are a F*& genius Dick, please take a bow!

I would whole heartedly agree that those suction cup clips totally suck. I have spent a lot of time fishing them off the bottom of my tank because they fell off. Your idea, however, is one I can get behind.

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OK, picture me bowing. :D But, be careful, Jon. Don't put me on a pedestal, I get hurt when I'm knocked off. Which inevitably happens! :agree:

By the way, I love a good banjo tune, too. One of my favorites is, Jambalaya.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by markmauro

Thank you so much Dick.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the experience there is on this site. For a newbie like me, it is really invaluable.

Thanks again

Mark

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Thanks Mark! TR was set up by a guy, Rob, who set a high standard and we like living up to his standard.

Dick

Hey Dick, I'm trying that with my Coral Beauty. It definitely cuts down on the waste!

However, I've never actually seen this fish try the nori. Maybe she finds some when it blows around the rock, but... <shrug> She eats flake, occasionally strikes at frozen mysis, and is constantly grazing algae on the rocks. She's eating something, she poops out enormous quantities of long green strings... :D But am I wasting my time with nori? I've never seen her try cyclopeeze, or even live brine shrimp. What _do_ CBs eat? What should I try to feed her to keep her healthy long term?

Quote:

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She's eating something, she poops out enormous quantities of long green strings... But am I wasting my time with nori? I've never seen her try cyclopeeze, or even live brine shrimp. What _do_ CBs eat? What should I try to feed her to keep her healthy long term?

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Probably or maybe. Coral Beauty Dwarf Angels eat a variety of things but, their main diet is algae. while foraging around the tank scraping at the algae they ingest all sorts of tiny bugs such as copepods, etc. They also nip at corals although not as often as other Angels. I wouldn't worry about your CB if she's pooping enormous quantities green stuff.

What you don't want to see is thin white stringy poop. That's a sign of a distressed digestive system and occurs mostly in newly purchased specimens. Without proper feeding, that condition can easily lead to death.

Dick

I'll start a new thread on planted tanks.

Dick, thanks for this great tutorial!