Back when I had a FO tank I tried a mandarin twice. Both times, they would eat other things such as brine shrimp, but they still wasted away, got skinny and died. I didn't know what it was they needed to eat. Now that I know they need pods, I'm going to wait til my current tank has been running for maybe 1 year and then I might try another one. Just wanted to let you know that mine did eat other things, but still wasted away and died. Just didn't get them the right nutrients.