how to feed mandarin fish live brine shrimp?

moneylaw

moneylaw

Member
Before I ask my questions, I just want to explain my situation so that I won't get flamed for feeding only brine shrimp to mandarin (no offense to some of you who tried to educate beginners, I do appreciate your advices). I realize that brine shrimps should not be the primary food for mandarin. I do have 100 lbs of live rock and refugium for the pods to grow, and the tank has been set up for more than 6 months and I do have lots of pods i can see in refugium and display tank (before I added cleaner shrimps to the tank, those guys hunt down pods like crazy). On top of that, I have added Reef Nutrition tiggerpods to the refugium to increase pods population.
Having said that, I bought a mandarin fish and she is a bit thin. and I want to feed her live brine shrimp until she is fat, then she can go on hunting pods all day long.
Does any of you feed your mandarin LIVE brine shrimps? If so, how do i feed it? I meant should I pour in brine shrimps while the light is on? I am afraid that my other fishes will eat them before mandarin gets to them. Do I put brine shrimps in at night while the light is out so that the mandarin can hunt them down in the morning? Will brine shrimps be able to survive a couple of days in my tank for the mandarin to hunt? While I am putting brine shrimps into the tank, should I turn of the return pump so that they won't go into the refugium? Is there any diseases from the water the brine shirmps are in that I should worry about? Please share your expereince. Thanks in advance.
 
S

swalchemist

Guest
It's rare that they eat brine I have seen it though you will have much better luck with Cyclopeeze. In the future avoid impulse buys, we are responsible for the animals we keep and as such we should educate ourselves enough to know what can and can not be done no matter how bad we may want it.
 
moneylaw

moneylaw

Member
how do u feed cyclopeeze to make sure ur other fishes don't get them all before mandarin gets to it? Thanks for ur reply.
 
lesleybird

lesleybird

Active Member
You don't. That is why nobody around here tells you to get a mandarin...and why even though I would love to have one I did not buy one. If there is not a big demand then less will be collected from the ocean to starve in our tanks. Lesley
 
puffer32

puffer32

Active Member
I have a mandrin and scooter blenny in my 150. They both eat live brine. I give it to all my fish about once a week as a treat. If you see your mandrin in a corner squirt hi directly and he will snatch up afew, but thats about it cause they are slow eaters. You simply cannot depend on the shrimp to fatten your mandrin up, he just won't catch enough before your other fish devour them. I sometimes mix with mysis and mine go after either, and are better for them. That being said, I would return the mandrin unless he starts eating the mysis and you have lots of pods because they need them to survive.
 
S

swalchemist

Guest
When you put in cyclopeeze everyone gets it, that's why it's a great source. I'm not against Mandarins at all, I'm more against the lack of education surrounding them. Just like any other marine animal that is on the difficult list, mandarins have specific care requirements. Number one thing is a big well established reef tank with many pods. If you really want a mandarin get a refugium, it ensures a steady supply of food for them. If you can't get a big refugium get your self an aquaclear HOB filter. Remove the media and replace it with chaeto, place a small clip-on PC light over it and you will have live food in no time for your small tank. Mandarins can indeed start eating mysys, or brine but it does not mean they will, that is why it is important to have what they need to survive from the start.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
You can spot feed with a turkey baster. Put the baster in very slowly the first time so that the mandarine does not get scared. Don't put it right in front of the fish, but be sure that the pods or cyclopese will be squirted in front of the fish (depends on where the fish is and where the flow is).
 
nrr15

nrr15

Member
i have had a mandarin for 2 years. I have an aqua clear HOB filter and 170+ lbs of live rock. He may eat pods but mine has always fed as aggressive with brine shrimp as the other fish in my tank. (since about week 2) I also have 2 cleaner shrimp. Mine is fat and sassy i hope you have the same luck!
look up my thread on new hobbyists to pics of mine living the high life!
Also i would totally agree with Aqua Clear HOB filters they are like mini Fuges for critters. I left the foam in mine and clean it about every 4 - 6 months to find Brittle stars, amphipods, Sea slugs and the occasional bristle worms
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by NRR15
i have had a mandarin for 2 years. I have an aqua clear HOB filter and 170+ lbs of live rock. He may eat pods but mine has always fed as aggressive with brine shrimp as the other fish in my tank. (since about week 2) I also have 2 cleaner shrimp. Mine is fat and sassy i hope you have the same luck!
look up my thread on new hobbyists to pics of mine living the high life!
Also i would totally agree with Aqua Clear HOB filters they are like mini Fuges for critters. I left the foam in mine and clean it about every 4 - 6 months to find Brittle stars, amphipods, Sea slugs and the occasional bristle worms
Realy? I got one free from my distributer and did not like it at all. I used it on the 5 gallon, that I have, a couple of times. The last time was to house a misbehaving cichlid that was moving anyway. I was not impressed. It does have very slow flow, so I can see where that would work for a mini fuge. I am glad that they are good for something.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
Realy? I got one free from my distributer and did not like it at all. I used it on the 5 gallon, that I have, a couple of times. The last time was to house a misbehaving cichlid that was moving anyway. I was not impressed. It does have very slow flow, so I can see where that would work for a mini fuge. I am glad that they are good for something.

It seems like it would work to me.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by stdreb27
It seems like it would work to me.
Eh, I had this filter running for awhile (yep, I keep FW qt's too
) and was not at all impressed by it. I guess if you don't want it for filtration purposes it would work, but it is a FILTER. I guess it could serve a purpose though.
 
nrr15

nrr15

Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
Realy? I got one free from my distributer and did not like it at all. I used it on the 5 gallon, that I have, a couple of times. The last time was to house a misbehaving cichlid that was moving anyway. I was not impressed. It does have very slow flow, so I can see where that would work for a mini fuge. I am glad that they are good for something.

Thats just it, they flow slow and there adjustable. I run two of them on my 125. (the big ones rated for 110gal) I bought them because i like there cases also there clear and allow light from the hood to help grow anything that needs it
 
waterlogged

waterlogged

Member
Originally Posted by moneylaw
Before I ask my questions, I just want to explain my situation so that I won't get flamed for feeding only brine shrimp to mandarin (no offense to some of you who tried to educate beginners, I do appreciate your advices). I realize that brine shrimps should not be the primary food for mandarin. I do have 100 lbs of live rock and refugium for the pods to grow, and the tank has been set up for more than 6 months and I do have lots of pods i can see in refugium and display tank (before I added cleaner shrimps to the tank, those guys hunt down pods like crazy). On top of that, I have added Reef Nutrition tiggerpods to the refugium to increase pods population.
Having said that, I bought a mandarin fish and she is a bit thin. and I want to feed her live brine shrimp until she is fat, then she can go on hunting pods all day long.
Does any of you feed your mandarin LIVE brine shrimps? If so, how do i feed it? I meant should I pour in brine shrimps while the light is on? I am afraid that my other fishes will eat them before mandarin gets to them. Do I put brine shrimps in at night while the light is out so that the mandarin can hunt them down in the morning? Will brine shrimps be able to survive a couple of days in my tank for the mandarin to hunt? While I am putting brine shrimps into the tank, should I turn of the return pump so that they won't go into the refugium? Is there any diseases from the water the brine shirmps are in that I should worry about? Please share your expereince. Thanks in advance.
Do cleaner shrimp eat copepods?
 
moneylaw

moneylaw

Member
my shrimps do. I have two cleaner shrimps and I saw them jumping onto pods and rip it apart with their claws. I used to see lots of pods on the glass even during day time. But that was before I put mandarin in my tank.
 
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