Powder Blue Tang Diet: What Do They Eat?

A Powder Blue Tang is a merry fish to look at. With its blue round body with slender yellow fins, it is a wish of every aquarist to have one in their aquarium. These immaculate species might make your aquarium stand out it comes with high maintenance. It comes in the category of species of fish whose care level is comparably high. Once the thought of getting one comes across one’s mind, one should be ready to give it their full attention. The diet of this fish must always be maintained properly. The water parameters require extra attention for it must not fluctuate as these fishes don’t fancy changes and can get stressed very easily.

These species must not be directly added to your aquarium as well. First, you have to make the ecosystem perfect for these species. Quarantine is necessary for these fishes before adding them to your aquarium. So all this makes it quite tricky and a difficult species to keep and maintain.

In this article, we will clear your confusion about the diet of Powder Blue Tang.

Diet of Powder Blue Tang in natural habitat

The Powder Blue Tangs come from the Indian Ocean. They can be seen swarming shallow waters on coral reefs. Powder Blue Tangs nibble on algae in their natural habitat. They eat different kinds of algae such as green, red, and brown algae.

In their natural habitat, they can get abundant of these algae, which is pretty much enough for their nutrition. These algae come packed with all the necessary nutrients for this fish. They provide them with protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals all that are needed for them to have a healthy life.

So in an aquarium as well you must try to provide them with a similar diet. They need to get everything necessary in their body. If you fail to do so, the sensitivity and vulnerability of this species come into play and can make them stressed.

Why is diet an important aspect of Powder Blue Tang?

Feeding properly and the maintenance of a perfect ecosystem is an absolute must for Powder Blue Tang. These vibrant species come along as one of the most sensitive fish species. If you fail to provide them with proper food and have inconsistencies in the diet they will start to drift apart from eating.

If this circumstance comes about they won’t eat even if you provide them food or even spoonfeed them. This brings forth the derogation from the proper health of the fish. Their health will quickly deteriorate resulting from eating less or not eating at all. They become vulnerable to diseases.

What can you feed Powder Blue Tang?

Algae

While tackling this difficulty of keeping a Powder Blue Tang, you can take ideas from their diet in their natural habitat. They feed on different kinds of algae in their natural habitat, so have an abundance of algae. Provide these species with abundant algae and they will get the necessary nutrients.

Now in an aquarium providing algae at all times might not be easy. As these fishes nibble on them oftentimes during the day.

To provide them with algae you can keep a refugium for algae. With this, you will have your algae reserve. There will be abundant algae for your Powder Blue Tang. You can also let algae grow in your aquarium. Let algae thrive on rocks and walls of the aquarium.

Other foods that you can give your Powder Blue Tang

These species of fish can eat other foods as well. They can eat meaty foods as well, although it might take time for them to start eating them. You can give them brine shrimp, mysid shrimp, bloodworms, dried seaweed, algae wafers, artemia, lettuce, and garlic added flakes.

They don’t instantly start eating these foods. You have to be patient and give them small amounts each time you feed them. These species will eventually get the taste of it and begin eating them.

You can feed them bloodworms twice a week and that should be small amounts. The same goes for lettuce and seaweed. Shrimps you should feed them once a week and provide them with only one piece. Flakes you can feed them twice or thrice a day, and the amount should be how much they can eat in one minute. Pellets you can give them small amounts about thrice a week.

Can you handfeed Powder Blue Tang?

You can hand-feed your Powder Blue Tang. Although you must do it patiently cause they won’t instantly eat from your hand on the first try.

Clean your hands and get rid of any chemicals that can disrupt the ecosystem of your tank. Also, remember to watch out for the sharp end of their tail. Feeding a Powder Blue Tang is not easy. It will take time to handle the diet of this species.

In their natural habitat, they will be able to sustain themselves with the needed nutrients by feeding on different kinds of algae.

Replicating this will be hard on an aquarium and giving them other foods other than algae is difficult. But in time they will begin eating other foods as well. You have to have patience and consist