Help with Mandarin Dragonette

[opie1202]

I bought the fish not knowing its needs. After some research I rushed to the store for more live rock. I bought some copepods and orderd the large (12" x 6" x 8" high) in-tank refugium with Rio powerhead.
My 55 gal. tank has been established for only a few months. I already poured the copepods in and the refugium is on Its way. Will this refugium be big enough to support the amount of copepods it needs to live. I know i need to order more copepods to put in the refugium.

 

[btldreef]

It should be enough, but it takes time for the copepods to breed, etc.
In the mean time, offer lots of mysis shrimp and baby brine and see if you can convert it to frozen, some are easier than others to do this with.

 

[gilbert]

My scooter blenny eats frozen mysis. Squirt the food (with a turkey baster or eye dropper) as close to it in the sand bed. Mine sees it on the bottom and eats it. I don't know if it's the same with mandarins as scooter blennies, but it works for me. Good luck.

 

[ibanez]

We had the best luck with frozen brine shrimp to start it on frozen because they are much more pod looking and size than mysis, but definately mysis would be the better diet in the long run along with pods imo.

 

[denniscoy420]

thaw out some frozen brine and go get a turkey tool and use it to spot feed him with frozen brine

 

[gill again68]

If it looks like it wont take frozen then keep the pods stocked by adding to the tank. Make sure that you add them when the lights are off so that the other fish wont just munch em up. I assume that you are now reading up on the care of the fish and how to keep your pod population up. Good Luck.

 

[bang guy]

I applaud the effort you have put into making a good home for the animal you purchased. I think that's really great. I'm even more appreciative of the lesson that will come out of this.
On the down side, Dragonettes eat a lot more of the tiny crustaceans than you could believe. With the effort you have made I think it has a good chance but keep in mind that a full grown mature Mandarin will need 4 or 5 times the food that a small freshly caught fish would require.

 

[opie1202]

Thank you! You all been really helpful. It ate some frozen brine shrimp. Im ordering some plants to put In the refugium and more pods. I hope It will live. Im going to read up on all new fish I add and won't listen to the person at the pet store who either don't know about the needs of his fish or fails to tell the customer to make a sale. After learning about the needs of the fish I called the pet store and talked to the guy who sold It to me. I told him I learned that the fish likes to eat pods or copepods and he said he never heard of that. ( I called to see If he knew where to find pods before I discoverd swf.com)

 

[mr. limpid]

You have learned the best leason pet stores are in buisness to sell fish and if it dies they will sell you another one. You are on the right track with the refugium and chaeto good luck. Those are great fish alot of personality and good looking.