Mandarin Dragonet - Green

[bowser220]

I ordered the 200 copepods from this site. It this enough food to feed this guy and for how long?

 

[jtrzerocool]

hi

im gonna need some other info from you to properly answer your question.
what size tank do you have? how much live rock? do you have a fuge?

 

[nycbob]

ur tank needs a lot of copepods for the mandarin to survive. i would say at least 75lbs of live rocks plus a tank that has been established for at least 8 months. if ur tank has a shortage of copepods, but at least 3 bags. its best to put the copepods in the fuge.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by jtrzerocool
hi

im gonna need some other info from you to properly answer your question.
what size tank do you have? how much live rock? do you have a fuge?
Great questions.
Profile says 72 gallon tank. Is that the one we are referring to?

 

[slomo]

What do copepods look like and how do you know if you have them?

 

[nycbob]

they r really small. if u shine a flashlight inside ur tank at night, u will see some white dots swimming around, assuming u hv enough pods.

 

[bowser220]

The tank is 72 gallons, three years old, and I have 80 pounds of live rock. No fuge

 

[bakers_dozen]

This may sounds silly but what is a fuge?

 

[1journeyman]

fuge=refugium. A seperate body of water, free of predation, where you can raise pods, macro algaes, etc. that is plumbed inline with your tank.
200 pods will feed a Mandarin for a time, but unless they are reproducing in your tank it won't support it for long.

 

[bowser220]

How do you know if their reproducing? How do make sure ther reproducing?

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by bowser220
How do you know if their reproducing? How do make sure ther reproducing?
Provide the proper habitat and they will reproduce. When you start seeing millions of them you know

 

[bowser220]

How do you see those little guys? It that the stuff you see when it looks like your sand is moving?

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by bowser220
How do you see those little guys? It that the stuff you see when it looks like your sand is moving?
no i think that's a side effect of LSD.

they're really tiny white looking bugs smaller than a grain of rice. they move around the sand and in and out of your live rock. i see some stuck on the bottom of my magfloat and i guess just a few of them live there and hang out

 

[shrimpi]

copepods: little critters that reproduce like rabbits when given a safe place to call home
See the pic below
also check this site I found helpful when I first got my mandarin.
AND if you can find a mandarin that eats prepared or frozen foods, then you are in the clear!
Good Luck

you can make a soapdish fuge

check this link
heres mine

Check this link too.

 

[skipperdz]

add in some phytoplankton for the pods to eat...helps with reproduction and growth!

 

[michaeltx]

shrimpi please do not post links to other sites its against the board rules
thanks
Mike

 

[bowser220]

Where do I get phytoplankton?

 

[keri]

Soapdish fuge! I love it!

 

[buckeye88]

Originally Posted by bowser220
Where do I get phytoplankton?
You can get phytoplankton at just about any pet store. The kind I use is made by Kent Marine and it's called PhytoPlex. It's in a green bottle and I think it cost me about $9.00.