Another Mandarin question

[gobygal]

This may have been asked before..but I didn't want to go through hundreds of posts to find an answer.
I have a 120gal tank that has been running since Dec. 11th 2012. We have amphipods up the arse at night. I know we have some copepods too but I don't see much of them. When I do...they are pin-head small.
My LFS said that since I had so many amphipods, a mandarin would be alright. Well.....the amphipods only come out at night as far as I can tell. And I do not see copepods swarming all over my LR during the day. I am assuming the only way I know if he is eating enough is by the size of his belly. I don't think he is eating enough. He is quite large in size...almost full grown male. He was the most healthy one I have seen at any store and had to get him.
Question is #1 ..........how would a mandarin eat amphipods if amphipods only appear at night, and mandarin hunts in day?
(I decided I need to pick up two bottles of copes this coming Saturday...one for tank and one for the culture bucket I have going. )
Second Question #2..........I read that Tisbe copes are the ideal copes. I know I need glass/sand dwelling copes and not free swimming. If what I have in my tank are Tisbe.....are they always so small?? I can barely see them and my mandarin is quite large....how could he possibly get full? Plus I have a sand-sifting goby that puts sand all over rocks...how could he even see them?
I have no refugium .....gonna do a culture in a five gallon bucket. (no fuge, no skimmer, no sump...and my tank is pristine!! Regular water changes and no overfeeding....I have a great balanced, healthy ecosystem...no need for any of that stuff or chemicals)
Have plenty of amphipods....not sure if I have enough copes. Was told they eat the amphipods...but I just don't see how that can possibly work out since mandarin does not hunt at night when the SWARMS of amphipods are out. If he did...he would be a tubby little guy!!

 

[bang guy]

1 - Although you don't see the Amphipods swimming around in the daylight, they are in the cracks and crevices looking for food. This is where Dragonets hunt. They have the ability to suck an Amphipod right out of a hole in the rock.
2 - Most Copepods are tiny, Dragonet eyes are situated to provide them with stereo vison close up. They can see the Copepods even if you can't. They will eat hundreds a day, this is how they sustain themselves. If you watch them hunt it is rare that you will actually see what they are pouncing on when they strike but you can rest assured that your Dragonet can see its food.
They will also eat Bristle Worm larvae, Ostracods, Isopods, and may other rock infauna. I'm not saying that your tank, for sure, has enough to keep an adult Mandarin fed but it most likely does. I agree with you that a sunken belly is the indicator that it is not eating enough. It doesn't need a bulging belly to be healthy, just not concave.

 

[jay0705]

Nutramar prawn roe. I feed my Mandy it. Its a great additional food source

 

[bang guy]

I'll second the Prawn eggs for nutritious food. My Mandarins would not eat it but I know many people have had success feeding frozen foods. I've had excellent success using Prawn eggs for fish fry. Although I was never able to raise Mandarin fry past a week.

 

[mx#28]

Agreed on all. And I always preach that supplying food frequently (4 times a day) is also very important (for mandarins and most other fish, too). Mandarins are especially slow eaters, but the large majority of reef fish eat all day long in their natural habitat and will benefit from it. The more the better. Remembering to keep an eye on water quality, of course…

 

[jay0705]

Agreed. The nice thing w prawn eggs is most fish will eat them. I put a qrt sized piece in for my Mandy and what he doesn't eat the fox or clowns usually do.

 

[mr. limpid]

I would like to add one thing, you need to provide a refuge for the copods and amphipods to multiply or the mandy will soon depleted its food source. This can be done with an additional tank connected to DT with drain and pump or refuge cages inside your DT.
I'm more concerned with your goby the reason its sifting sand is to find the fauna living in the sand. If you didn't by the live sand from Florida wholesalers, but the bag stuff then it doesn't have the live fauna he's looking for.

 

[gobygal]

Thank you Bang Guy for your info.....I have so many amphipods I was hoping to see this fish get a nice round belly...but he is not. He is concave.
I have some Roe prawn eggs.........I am not sure how to administer it. When I put a little piece in there ALL my other fish are gulping it down before the mandarin has a chance......meanwhile, as soon as my hand goes in the tank, the mandarin gets shy and hides for five minutes. I tried thawing them in water and using a syringe to dose sections of rock....but I can't tell if mandarin is eating eggs or not. I know my six line wrasse is enjoying them!!
On Saturday, I am gonna pick up the two bottles of copes.......for the bottle that goes in the tank, do I just pour it right in there at night?

 

[gobygal]

Mr. Limpid......My banded sandsifting goby/ dragon goby doesn't concern me at all.......he is huge and eats well. He chows on all the foods I offer to the tank. He eats flake food out of my hand (along with my tang, 2 clowns, and the occasional damsel) and chows on brine, mysis, sinking pellets and the roe that I try feeding the mandarin. He looks like a round cigar. In fact...all my fish are nice and round (except mandarin), so I am unclear as to where the concern lies with my goby.
I am gonna breed copes in buckets....not a fuge. I believe that I don't need a fuge to breed and harvest pods.......If I am wrong, I will be the first to let you know that I failed and then you can tell me that you told me so, etc.... In the meantime I will buy bottles of copes for the main tank.....every other day dose the sand and rocks with phyto.

 

[jay0705]

My Mandy doesn't spook at all lol. He comes up to my hand lol but try putting the eggs in a corner where only he can get at them or in a glass jar

 

[mr. limpid]

Quote:
Originally Posted by GobyGal http:///t/395356/another-mandarin-question#post_3519685
Mr. Limpid......My banded sandsifting goby/ dragon goby doesn't concern me at all.......he is huge and eats well. He chows on all the foods I offer to the tank. He eats flake food out of my hand (along with my tang, 2 clowns, and the occasional damsel) and chows on brine, mysis, sinking pellets and the roe that I try feeding the mandarin. He looks like a round cigar. In fact...all my fish are nice and round (except mandarin), so I am unclear as to where the concern lies with my goby. Great to hear good job

Always want our fish pump.
I am gonna breed copes in buckets....not a fuge. I believe that I don't need a fuge to breed and harvest pods.......If I am wrong, I will be the first to let you know that I failed and then you can tell me that you told me so, etc.... In the meantime I will buy bottles of copes for the main tank.....every other day dose the sand and rocks with phyto. not here to say told you so just giving helpfull suggestions. Goal is to have healthy fish and long life.

 

[gobygal]

I understand Limpid......I didn't meant to sound Bi@#$%y....I am not a mean little GobyGal!! It's hard to communicate without misunderstandings over the computer!! I appreciate your thoughts....absolutely!!