How do I know copepod are present?
- Thread starter wrassecal
- Start date
predator
Active Member
You need a ample amount of live rock that has enough time to really establish a population and/or have a refugium. I would say your tank should be months into producing pods. This way the manderin can not only eat, but the pods can keep up with his appetite. Fish are very gluttoness eaters. Do you have a refugium? If not you might want to look into getting one set up. It will really pay of for you if you plan on keeping one healthy.
I'v got a Manderine and love the little guy. His color is diffrent than any other I'v seen. His body is bright blue with bright red lines going threw him. Thats it, just bright blue and red. Anybody else seen one like this? Know a name? <a href="http://hometown.aol.com/flmeangl44/index.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO SEE MY REEF.</a>
I'v got a Manderine and love the little guy. His color is diffrent than any other I'v seen. His body is bright blue with bright red lines going threw him. Thats it, just bright blue and red. Anybody else seen one like this? Know a name? <a href="http://hometown.aol.com/flmeangl44/index.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO SEE MY REEF.</a>
wrassecal
Active Member
55gal, 50lbs LR, sand, cc bed, 3 months set up so far. No refugium, been looking at how to set one upbut don't know if I will or not. I'd like to get a mandarin for my birthday in July, I'd be 6 mos into it by then, (not 6 mos into my life but into my tank) but how do I know the pods are there? Can I see them? So far I only notice the ones that are on the glass.
predator
Active Member
I usually see mine in the morning right when I cut on my lights. They are everywhere. It's like a stampede when I cut them on. Plus in my refugium. I have really got a huge population in there. Some are like small coch roaches. <a href="http://hometown.aol.com/flmeangl44/index.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO SEE MY REEF.</a>
joe's reefer
Member
very nice tank predator
DAB, your 55 will not support a mandarin. Unless you setup a large pod refugium to supplement feeding. Mandarins are continuos grazers and will quickly deplete the pod population. In a stand alone tank with no supporting ecosystems, you would need a well-established [18 mo] 150 gal tank with a lot of LS and LR.
IMO, you can not do well by this fish with anything less thank that size tank.
IMO, you can not do well by this fish with anything less thank that size tank.
chainsaw5vent
Member
so that's what the little bug like things are. i was kind of wondering what those things were in my tank. made me worry a little about having a bug infestation. <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" /> i only see these things in the early morn before the lights come on. <img src="graemlins//yeahright.gif" border="0" alt="[yeahright]" />
chevron tang
Member
DAB pods come in all different sizes and shapes. you can also see them at night after your tank lights have been off for about an hour. if you get a flash light and shine it on the tank you can sometimes see them running around on your lr. the more the merrier. predators right i would look into setting up a refugium if you expect to get a mandarin and keep him alive for a good while. predator you finally got a mandarin?
bammbamm74
Member
Before my Mandarin died of Ich, he would eat brine shrimp as well as pods in my 29 gallon. I'm going to wait about 3 or 4 months to put another one in there, but I'm going to do like last time, watch the mandarin eat brine at the pet shop!!!
broomer5
Active Member
DAB,
What may appear as "ample" pods will quickly turn to "insufficient" pods in a 55 gallon tank with 50 lbs of live rock, after you introduce a single Mandarin dragonette.
Some madarines will take other foods like brine shrimp or blood worms and survive, most will not.
They are such a beautiful fish, and many people buy them for this quality, but unfortunately, most do not live to see a year.
I know from experience - with a 55 gallon tank with what I thought were TONS of pods.
There WERE tons of pods - were
The fish eventually starved and died.
I will never keep this fish again, and advise others not to as well. My opinion - my experience.
What may appear as "ample" pods will quickly turn to "insufficient" pods in a 55 gallon tank with 50 lbs of live rock, after you introduce a single Mandarin dragonette.
Some madarines will take other foods like brine shrimp or blood worms and survive, most will not.
They are such a beautiful fish, and many people buy them for this quality, but unfortunately, most do not live to see a year.
I know from experience - with a 55 gallon tank with what I thought were TONS of pods.
There WERE tons of pods - were
The fish eventually starved and died.
I will never keep this fish again, and advise others not to as well. My opinion - my experience.
wrassecal
Active Member
Hey Broomer5 what if I start up a refugium? think I can produce enough with that as well as main tank? Knew I should have just started with a 125 in the first place. <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" /> Mandarin fish is what I really wanted most, wanted a pair actually!
predator
Active Member
Joes reefer, thank you for the compliment. I really worked hard at it.
And yes goodlookin'(Chevron Tang) I did get one. He's a little diffrent than most. He is only red and blue. But not spotted, he is lined like the mandeinr????And I got em' from that death trap across the street. But he's in good shape and is still trying to get use to having all that space <img src="graemlins//mischievous.gif" border="0" alt="[Mischievous]" />
And yes goodlookin'(Chevron Tang) I did get one. He's a little diffrent than most. He is only red and blue. But not spotted, he is lined like the mandeinr????And I got em' from that death trap across the street. But he's in good shape and is still trying to get use to having all that space <img src="graemlins//mischievous.gif" border="0" alt="[Mischievous]" />