Mandarin Dragonet
- Thread starter worshrag
- Start date
apos
Member
The main problem with this fish are its food requirements. The issue is less the tank size for the fish, and more the tank size necessary for sustaining a good population of live pods, which it eats almost exclusively, hunting them off your live rock, glass, and sand. The reason tank sizes necessary can vary so much is that other factors control this than just tank size, LR/amount. Pod populations can vary and crash based on a lot of factors. Obviously the more LR and the larger the tank the larger and more stable your pod population will be. And a good refugium system can make up for a lack of tank size: it allows the pods to have a place safe from the predation of the fish so that they can successfully reproduce and spawn new populations.
But even so, this is a difficult fish to keep healthy and well fed. Because they are so pretty, they are very commonly purchased by people who really can't properly care or feed for them, which is really unfortunate.
But even so, this is a difficult fish to keep healthy and well fed. Because they are so pretty, they are very commonly purchased by people who really can't properly care or feed for them, which is really unfortunate.
browniebuck
Active Member
I have mine in a 55 with 80-90 lbs of LR...but we supplement the pod population every time we order from SWF.com. I also look in the tank in the morning to see if I can still see pods scurrying when the lights to on...if no, then I order/go to LFS to get pods. If I do, I know that Ms. Mandarin is a happy camper (plus she eats frozen mysis when I feed my fish). My wife has a 29 gallon and I would never even consider a mandarin in there, there just wouldn't be enough places for pods to reproduce in there.
al mc
Active Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2488401
The main problem with this fish are its food requirements. The issue is less the tank size for the fish, and more the tank size necessary for sustaining a good population of live pods, which it eats almost exclusively, hunting them off your live rock, glass, and sand. The reason tank sizes necessary can vary so much is that other factors control this than just tank size, LR/amount. Pod populations can vary and crash based on a lot of factors. Obviously the more LR and the larger the tank the larger and more stable your pod population will be. And a good refugium system can make up for a lack of tank size: it allows the pods to have a place safe from the predation of the fish so that they can successfully reproduce and spawn new populations.
But even so, this is a difficult fish to keep healthy and well fed. Because they are so pretty, they are very commonly purchased by people who really can't properly care or feed for them, which is really unfortunate.
An excellent explanation/post. I totally agree.
http:///forum/post/2488401
The main problem with this fish are its food requirements. The issue is less the tank size for the fish, and more the tank size necessary for sustaining a good population of live pods, which it eats almost exclusively, hunting them off your live rock, glass, and sand. The reason tank sizes necessary can vary so much is that other factors control this than just tank size, LR/amount. Pod populations can vary and crash based on a lot of factors. Obviously the more LR and the larger the tank the larger and more stable your pod population will be. And a good refugium system can make up for a lack of tank size: it allows the pods to have a place safe from the predation of the fish so that they can successfully reproduce and spawn new populations.
But even so, this is a difficult fish to keep healthy and well fed. Because they are so pretty, they are very commonly purchased by people who really can't properly care or feed for them, which is really unfortunate.
An excellent explanation/post. I totally agree.
mscarpena
Member
I have one in a 75 and one in a 46. I think the 46 would be about as small as I would go. My madarins also eat just about any frozen foods you can throw at them. Ask your LFS to feed them frozen foods and if it does it is much more likely to survive. I have kept the one in my 75 gallon for like 5 years now and have never had to suppli
ment with pods. I fell as long as your tank is healthy, properly stocked, and a good amount of quality LR you should not need to suppliment with pods. It can not hurt I just don't think it is neccassary. Also you should look for pods at night because that is when they are most active. I also run a refugium on both tanks.
ment with pods. I fell as long as your tank is healthy, properly stocked, and a good amount of quality LR you should not need to suppliment with pods. It can not hurt I just don't think it is neccassary. Also you should look for pods at night because that is when they are most active. I also run a refugium on both tanks.
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by alyssia
http:///forum/post/2489703
But remember, most mandarins do NOT eat frozen foods.
Exactly, and even if you do get them to accept frozen they cannot live off of it. Frozen does not supply the nutrition that mandarins need. A mandarin can eat frozen every day and still slowly die from lack of nutrition.
http:///forum/post/2489703
But remember, most mandarins do NOT eat frozen foods.
Exactly, and even if you do get them to accept frozen they cannot live off of it. Frozen does not supply the nutrition that mandarins need. A mandarin can eat frozen every day and still slowly die from lack of nutrition.
apos
Member
The other factor is tank age and stability. The older and more stable the system, the better. Dumping one of these fish in a new system, where pod cultures are likely to bloom and crash no matter what you supplement with, water quality will be funky, etc... far better to wait and have one be the crown of your mature system rather than trying to make it an early addition starting out.
so i could
get a 10 gallon tank and put some lr/ sand and breed pods? what do pods eat? and thank you for your replies!
It's a bit simpler and more complicated than that. You wouldn't need LR, or necessarily even sand. You might not even need a tank: some people just use one or a series of soda bottles with airline to bubble and a heater to maintain temp. Search for DIY pod farm and you'll find a bunch of different sorts of setups ranging from ultra cheap to pretty sophisticated.
so i could
get a 10 gallon tank and put some lr/ sand and breed pods? what do pods eat? and thank you for your replies!
It's a bit simpler and more complicated than that. You wouldn't need LR, or necessarily even sand. You might not even need a tank: some people just use one or a series of soda bottles with airline to bubble and a heater to maintain temp. Search for DIY pod farm and you'll find a bunch of different sorts of setups ranging from ultra cheap to pretty sophisticated.
cars&sharks
Member
id would say 30 gal min.
sepulatian
Moderator
The fact is that these fish will slowly starve to death without a constant supply of pods. They eat hundreds in a day. It is best to have 100+ lbs of very mature rock and a refugium or some other area for the pods to breed in.
stdreb27
Active Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2488401
The main problem with this fish are its food requirements. The issue is less the tank size for the fish, and more the tank size necessary for sustaining a good population of live pods, which it eats almost exclusively, hunting them off your live rock, glass, and sand. The reason tank sizes necessary can vary so much is that other factors control this than just tank size, LR/amount. Pod populations can vary and crash based on a lot of factors. Obviously the more LR and the larger the tank the larger and more stable your pod population will be. And a good refugium system can make up for a lack of tank size: it allows the pods to have a place safe from the predation of the fish so that they can successfully reproduce and spawn new populations.
But even so, this is a difficult fish to keep healthy and well fed. Because they are so pretty, they are very commonly purchased by people who really can't properly care or feed for them, which is really unfortunate.
That is about what it boils down too.
http:///forum/post/2488401
The main problem with this fish are its food requirements. The issue is less the tank size for the fish, and more the tank size necessary for sustaining a good population of live pods, which it eats almost exclusively, hunting them off your live rock, glass, and sand. The reason tank sizes necessary can vary so much is that other factors control this than just tank size, LR/amount. Pod populations can vary and crash based on a lot of factors. Obviously the more LR and the larger the tank the larger and more stable your pod population will be. And a good refugium system can make up for a lack of tank size: it allows the pods to have a place safe from the predation of the fish so that they can successfully reproduce and spawn new populations.
But even so, this is a difficult fish to keep healthy and well fed. Because they are so pretty, they are very commonly purchased by people who really can't properly care or feed for them, which is really unfortunate.
cars&sharks
Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2490534
The fact is that these fish will slowly starve to death without a constant supply of pods. They eat hundreds in a day. It is best to have 100+ lbs of very mature rock and a refugium or some other area for the pods to breed in.
very true.
http:///forum/post/2490534
The fact is that these fish will slowly starve to death without a constant supply of pods. They eat hundreds in a day. It is best to have 100+ lbs of very mature rock and a refugium or some other area for the pods to breed in.
very true.
terasparrow
Member
I have mine in a 55g, with about 40 lbs of live rock, he readily accepts frozen food, mostly mysis shrimp...definitly ask your LFS guy to feed him frozen food to make sure he is accepting it...I convinced my little guy to eat by squirting the shrimp with an old baster shallowly into the sand bed....do it in places you see him commonly hovering around...and try to place them shallowly enough that they can are partially visible,...eventually my guy just started eating them from on top of the sand bed and he now snatches them up like my other fish...I rarely shoot him food, but do just to make sure the little pig is getting his fill....hope that helps
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by TeraSparrow
http:///forum/post/2490697
I have mine in a 55g, with about 40 lbs of live rock, he readily accepts frozen food, mostly mysis shrimp...definitly ask your LFS guy to feed him frozen food to make sure he is accepting it...I convinced my little guy to eat by squirting the shrimp with an old baster shallowly into the sand bed....do it in places you see him commonly hovering around...and try to place them shallowly enough that they can are partially visible,...eventually my guy just started eating them from on top of the sand bed and he now snatches them up like my other fish...I rarely shoot him food, but do just to make sure the little pig is getting his fill....hope that helps
How long have you had the fish?
http:///forum/post/2490697
I have mine in a 55g, with about 40 lbs of live rock, he readily accepts frozen food, mostly mysis shrimp...definitly ask your LFS guy to feed him frozen food to make sure he is accepting it...I convinced my little guy to eat by squirting the shrimp with an old baster shallowly into the sand bed....do it in places you see him commonly hovering around...and try to place them shallowly enough that they can are partially visible,...eventually my guy just started eating them from on top of the sand bed and he now snatches them up like my other fish...I rarely shoot him food, but do just to make sure the little pig is getting his fill....hope that helps
How long have you had the fish?
terasparrow
Member
I have had him for approx 1yr and a half or so
