Mandarin Dragnet's ratio to LR

[alucardsay]

:help: :help:
Hi fellow fish lovers I have a problem. My friend has set up an awesome 100g aquarium with an unbelievable amount of live rock and some coral and he recently decided to get one of those really cool looking mandarin dragnets. Unfortunately, the mandarin seems to be getting thinner and thinner and he thinks it is because of lack of microfauna. Though I find hard to believe considering that the guy has 50+ lb of LR that has had about 6 months for the copeopods to grow. So I ask, what is the the amount LR needed per Mandarin Dragnet?

 

[guyute]

well, I can tell you what I'm planning.
I'll have a 125 display tank with close to 200lbs of live rock. I'll also have a 55g fuge with probably a 30+ lb of live rock rubble and the rest of the tank planted (pod habitat)
I'll also wait at least a year before even considering a mandarin.
from what I've read, 50lbs over 6months is no where near enough to be the sole food source for a mandarin. see if you're friend can return it. though, sadly, most LFS that I go to stock them too... yet can't sustain them. if they aren't bought then they get thinner and thinner until they magically disappear one day. :notsure:

 

[speg]

You say 50+ lbs of rock.. and you also mention in his 100 gallon tank he has a large amount of rock.. well when I first read the 'large amount' part I figured 300 lbs of rock or so. I have around 60-70 lbs of rock in my 46 gallon tank...
If he only has 50 lbs of rock then it wont be enough.. tell him that there are online places where he can purchase copepods for it to eat.

 

[fishieness]

100 pounds of mature live rock should be enough
and by the way alucardsay.....: sexy no-justu!! love the icon

 

[alucardsay]

Originally Posted by fishieness
100 pounds of mature live rock should be enough
and by the way alucardsay.....: sexy no-justu!! love the icon

Naruto fans rejoice

But onto the pressing subject. Actually I really don't know the exact amount of Lr. I kind of forgot to ask him. But now that I think about it the LR is at the least 75. Sorry for giving bad info. Thanks for what you told me.
P.S.-I would have liked to include a pic of sexy no jutsu as thanks, but I can't figure out how?

 

[kevtheiris]

Originally Posted by Alucardsay
:
P.S.-I would have liked to include a pic of sexy no jutsu as thanks, but I can't figure out how?
here ya go

 

[fishieness]

hahahahahahahaha!! sick

 

[tthemadd1]

Best to figure about 1.5 pounds per gallon.... I have a 55 with around 100-120 pds.
You should also tell your friend to take the manderin back to the pet store before it dies...

 

[alucardsay]

Darn it I tried to get that exact pic on my post for 15 minutes
But its still awesome

I praise your super l33t skillz

How did you do it?

 

[sw65galma]

Min is 100lbs of Mature 6months old Plus LR.
I have 700lbs of LR a 65Gal OVER tank fuge and mine has been up for a year and I'm still waiting on to get my Mandarin.
And my over the tank fuge so pods don't get killed in the pump going to the tank.

 

[mbrands]

Originally Posted by Alucardsay
:help: :help:
Though I find hard to believe considering that the guy has 50+ lb of LR that has had about 6 months for the copeopods to grow.
From what I was told, and this could be incorrect, a tank's copopod population will die off rather than increase if there isn't enough phytoplankton for them to feed on.

 

[sw65galma]

Originally Posted by mbrands
From what I was told, and this could be incorrect, a tank's copopod population will die off rather than increase if there isn't enough phytoplankton for them to feed on.

yes and no...yes you need to feed them, but i don't think it's phtoplankton..

 

[_nix_]

So I guess the 20K question is, what do you feed pods? I am looking to boost my pod count, so I would personally be interested.

 

[fishieness]

macro algae. I have cheato and calputa. they dont go near the calpurta but LOVE the cheater. I always have tons of little amphiopds hanging on to it.

 

[sw65galma]

There are "pod flakes" email me at sw65galma@yahoo.com

 

[carshark]

Special Nutritional Needs of Mandarin Fish
Information by Bang Guy
The success rate with small tanks and new setups is dismal. Copepods, Amphipods, and smallish Isopods are also usually available for Mandarins in established tanks. Refugiums help a lot as far as growing critters to feed Dragonettes.
There are no sure fire frozen foods for Dragonettes. Once in a while one can be trained to eat frozen foods but it's not all that common.
Brine Shrimp are not an acceptable substitute. Dragonettes will eat them but they are nutritionally deficient. Frozen Mysis would be a great alternative if you can get one to eat it.
I would reccomend that you assume a Dragonette will not eat frozen food unless you witness it yourself.
It typically takes 3 - 6 months for a Mandarin to die of malnutrition from inappropriate foods. Typically the clock startes ticking the day they are removed from the wild.
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