Mandarin Dragonet...........

[nerissa]

I have 2 spotted mandarin's and one green mandarin. The two spotted are doing fabulous. They have plenty of copods and rockwork. The Green Mandarin doesn't seem to be eating and looks very thin. I've had them for about a month and this is just now happening. Anything I can do??

 

[rlablan]

the first things people will ask
how old is the tank?
how big is this tank that they are in?
do you have a canister set up? or are you running a sump? Do you have a refugium?
If so- what is in that refugium
Also, what other livestock is in this tank with the mandarins?
What are you parameters at (nitrate, amo, nitrites, salinity, temp)
Is this a reef tank or a FOWLR
I can say right off the bat that mandarins do not thrive in FO systems. They do better in a reef tank, and a LARGE reef tank, at that.
Once you give this info, it will be easier to diagnose. Also, pic would be helpful too.

 

[nerissa]

The first tank is 6 months old and 35 gallons. Filter no refugium. I have other fish which are difficult and are doing great. Not sure how old the fish is, hes about 2inches long. I put him in my 20 gallon tank, which has rock work and I keep the copods in so they are everywhere. It is ran off a filter as well and is also 6 months old. There are no other fish in this one just invetabrates. He wont come out from inside a cave thing. But he is moving around more just not eating.

 

[meowzer]

I realize that some places list minimum tank size at 30G's, BUT NO way should there be 2 in the same 30G.
ALSO, with a tank that size a refugium really should be a MUST....I think the problem with the one in your 20G is it is starvingto death, adn I hate to say this, but the other 2 will probably follow
IMO you should find them another home until you can set up a bigger tank with a refugium...and then keep just 1

 

[nerissa]

Its not starving to death now. I just put in in the 20g. Thats all that is in it is copods. Thousands of them. Thats where I feed the larger tank from. He's doing a little better in there. The other two still in the big tank are doing fabulous. Nice and fat they eat all day. There are plenty of copods for them. Thats why I don't know whats wrong with this one.

 

[hunt]

as long as you are supplying the tank with display tank you keep them in with alot of pods, they should live, Most mandarins eat themselves out of house and home usually withen the first month. If its not eating pods then somthing is wrong. You also shouldnt have 2 in one small tank like that.(you shouldnt even have one) Try to train them onto mysis shrimp. Its improtant in such a small tank to have tons of pods constantly. I would get rid of the fish.(but thats just me, if you want to raise or buy pods for its survival go ahead.)

 

[nerissa]

Thanks. Yeah I bought alot of reefpods, so theres no issue about them not having enough food. I just put it in the small tank because there are so many copods and I was scared that it would die in the middle of the night. But i'm going to give it a chance it's color looks a little better and it's moving a little more then yesterday. I don't think it will make it but I will give it a chance. The 35g is a corner tank so it's deep and theres alot of rockwork and plenty of food. The 2 others are doing fine. One stays at the bottom looking around and the other at the top of the rocks.

 

[hunt]

If i were you i would ween it on to mysis shrimp.