Mandarin dragonet tank size

lucy puffer

lucy puffer

New Member
Hi I am new to the forum, and would like to set up a tank for one, possibly a pair of mandarin dragonets. I would purchase ORA aquacultured fish that would be trained to eat foods other than pods. I know the recommended size of a tank for "wild" dragonets is quite large, but if these ORA cultured guys can rely on foods other than the pods, could I get away with setting up maybe a 20 gallon long for one or two or what would be a minimum size tank? Any suggestions will be appreciated! I do have years of experience with fresh and brackish tanks...
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Welcome!
Even the ORA mandarins still hunt for pods throughout the day. I wouldn't put an ORA in anything less than a 55, established tank, and try to have a refugium attached to it, or seed the tank with pods.
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
who told you they can live on anythig besides pods?pods have a fat tissue that cannot be man made and a mandarin needs this for survival long term.they will eat hundres of pods a day.so having two would make it very tough to feed both.
and by established it is recomended for a 1 year old+ tank .yes seeding the tank with pods is a good idea but one bottle without a breeding safe area would not last very long for a daily feeder.unles you want to spend a hundred bucks a week on them.
good luck
 
peasofme

peasofme

Member
150g is the recommended size with 50g being the lowest people get away with. really this fish needs 100g+ year old tank full of pods and refugium. ora would be the way to go since you can suppliment their diet. there are much easier fish that are just as cool such as blennies and gobies.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
The issue arises because of what ORA is claiming of their mandarins:
"In a major breakthrough for Marine Ornamental Aquaculture, ORA recently introduced captive-bred Mandarin Dragonets, also known as Mandarin Gobies, to the commercial aquarium market. Mandarins are exquisitely beautiful and highly desired by aquarists, but the wild-caught specimens have a reputation as being difficult to feed and maintain. Those concerns are resolved as ORA Mandarins have been raised on a variety of prepared foods. Hobbyists of all levels can now own and enjoy these easy to keep Mandarin Dragonets thanks to the research and production efforts of ORA.
ORA’s captive bred mandarins will accept a variety of prepared frozen and dry foods upon acclimation to their new tank. They may be offered Nutramar Ova, finely chopped Hikari Frozen Blood Worms, fish roe, frozen or live baby brine shrimp, frozen daphnia, and New Life SPECTRUM Small Fish Formula pellets. Some have also shown interest in Cyclopeeze."
I don't know of anyone that's having long term success with these guys without offering pods.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
My opinion differs slightly I guess. I see no reason why a pair of Dragonets could not thrive in a 10 gallon tank as long as the tank was receiving an adequate supply of live food. I think a 29 gallon refugium could supply that food source if the setup was well thought out. Maybe even a 20 gallon refugium.
 
lucy puffer

lucy puffer

New Member
Thank you for your opinion, I have not purchased anything yet, just researching a little. You say "good luck" like I already have the fish stuffed into a bare 20 gal tank....Just asking for help and constructive opinions, without the sarcasm, thanks
 
lucy puffer

lucy puffer

New Member
Also, I should thank those who gave me good advice. I do not want to keep a fish that I may not be able to take care of properly; I am very fond of critters and would not risk their lives. I can rethink plans on getting dragonets. I have read a great deal of good advice on this forum and will continue to read and learn things.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucy Puffer http:///t/389158/mandarin-dragonet-tank-size#post_3437191
Thank you for your opinion, I have not purchased anything yet, just researching a little. You say "good luck" like I already have the fish stuffed into a bare 20 gal tank....Just asking for help and constructive opinions, without the sarcasm, thanks
I don't think his intent was to be sarcastic, that's not really deejeff's nature. Sorry about that.
Kudos for you for doing your research ahead of time on these guys. A lot of people have been complaining that they're just not lasting long term (even more than 6 months) without pods being offered constantly. It's great that they eat other foods, and I think that in this way the pods last longer in the tank, but bottom line, and something ORA fails to mention, is that mandarins NEED pods in order to thrive.
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
have to laugh i read the part about saying good luck and didnt realize it was me who said it.i sure didnt mean good luck in the way of saying whatever do what you want .
yea it is frustrating to see all the sweet things we can buy for our tank then find out we cant have half of them.reef /fish only is a big difference when it comes to stocking a tank.i have a pretty big tank and sometimes think i would have liked the non reef safe fish .but i made my choice.i would think if you get a mandarin that will eat other foods and have a refuge for pods to breed it would be ok.i know there are hang on refuges that can be filled with rock rubble for this purpose.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/389158/mandarin-dragonet-tank-size#post_3437195
I don't think his intent was to be sarcastic, that's not really deejeff's nature. Sorry about that.
Kudos for you for doing your research ahead of time on these guys. A lot of people have been complaining that they're just not lasting long term (even more than 6 months) without pods being offered constantly. It's great that they eat other foods, and I think that in this way the pods last longer in the tank, but bottom line, and something ORA fails to mention, is that mandarins NEED pods in order to thrive.
What would be of interest to me is "What does ORA feed their breeding Mandarins?"
 
peasofme

peasofme

Member
one mandarin eats thousands of copepods a day. and they will only eat certain sized ones. even people who have huge thriving tanks need to replenish them.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I also think that a well planned out system could house a couple of mandarins in a small tank. If the tank was a 20g long for the mandarins, a 20g long sump with a live rock and macro fuge in the bottom and a large algae scrubber to breed pods,...I think it could work pretty well. The pods would take shelter in the macroalgae and you could probably shake them off in the display tank every now and then. Also, if you put the tank on a continuous live phyto drip to breed the pods as well - that would be a pretty amazing tank. A challenge... hmmm.....
 
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