Mandarin Goby
- Thread starter tvukan
- Start date
S
saxman
Guest
It depends on the condition of the fish...if it's healthy and fat, it will live longer than a specimen that hasn't been eating at the collector, wholesaler, and the LFS, and how long it has been in the "chain of custody". Also, some specimens will "shut down" before others. Your question isn't one that that can really be answered, IMHO.
tvukan
Member
The only reason I asked was because I got a Mandrian Goby two weeks ago he was the biggest goby I've ever seen he was about 3 or 4 inches and very plump. Not very active which I was thought really weird. I noticed yesterday he was dead and all of his colors were still there. I think he was just not right from the get go. Because I've read and heard they will starve to death and he didn't look deprived from food.
xxbionewbyxx
Member
Dragonet*** and try spot feeding frozen foods or buying a bottle of copepods
tthemadd1
Active Member
They are hard to keep. If you don't have a large tank that has been up and running for a long time they usually die. They eat pods and usually will eat the tank dry in a short time. You need a lot of rock work, refugium, and even then lucky if they adjust. I had one years ago and it lived well for about six months but died afterwards. You can try again but I would recommend at least 100 gallons with a ton of rock work and the tank be at least a year old.
tvukan
Member
I'm getting my refugium set up this week. I ordered some pods they should be here today. What are the pods in the bottle called? My LFS store said the bottled ones arent good because u put them in the refrigerator then into a warm tank. I love my goby too I just think the big one that died was just sick from the get go he was huge he didnt stare himself to death thats forsure I only had him for two weeks and he wasnt slim in anyway
mr. limpid
Active Member
You need tisby, not the refrigerated type called tiger. Those are cold water pods and will not reproduce.
jburgi
Member
I took a HUGE gamble last july. My LFS went out of buisness, and as an afterthought I bought their last sad, underweight, little mandarin. I didn't add any copepods, and it was so little and skinny I didn't expect it to live long. Now its huge! Colors are super bright, its about 4 in., and has a fat little belly
Constantly grazing and happy. Also one of my most personable fish! I have been very very lucky!
kind of an older pick
kind of an older pick
Shrimpzoo
New Member
hi, I can help out with dragonet care a little bit.
I have been breeding marine and freshwater fish for about 15+ years now.
Most pet stores that carry these fish do not provide any live copepods or actively train them on live foods. Which is the root problem why they don't survive or won't eat.
All mandarinsin the trade are currently wild caught, as my company ( ShrimpZoo currentlyis the only one actively breeding them.
The wild caught fish are either poisoned to stun them ( cyanide)
Or they are caught with mini spear guns, harpooned into the side or fins.
In the case of poison as the previous member stated his fish was lathargic and wouldn't eat, yet nice and fat. That is how the poisoned fish act.
Sadly they tend die shortly after this.
The speared fish are usually okay unless the were harpooned in the spine, in which case they can suffer from spinal injuries but usually still eat and are active, however they die sooner rather than later.
In my experience 80% of wild caught mandarin gobies will die very soon.
Unless you see your Lps training their fish to accept frozen shrimp or have a large copepod culture don't buy your fish at that store.
When I first started to breed them, 8 out of 10 died within a day or two.
I have tried many Lps and online sites, but quality mandarins are extremely hard to find. most experts say they are the marine fish with the heaviest die off in the trade.
Hopefully more companies will Aqua culture them in the future, as the current trend is devastating to these fish. It's sad because Aqua cultured mandarins are very hardy and easily eat pellets and frozen foods.
You can check my YouTube videos or website for more info on how to train them to accept frozen foods and tips to care for them.
ShrimpZoo
I have been breeding marine and freshwater fish for about 15+ years now.
Most pet stores that carry these fish do not provide any live copepods or actively train them on live foods. Which is the root problem why they don't survive or won't eat.
All mandarinsin the trade are currently wild caught, as my company ( ShrimpZoo currentlyis the only one actively breeding them.
The wild caught fish are either poisoned to stun them ( cyanide)
Or they are caught with mini spear guns, harpooned into the side or fins.
In the case of poison as the previous member stated his fish was lathargic and wouldn't eat, yet nice and fat. That is how the poisoned fish act.
Sadly they tend die shortly after this.
The speared fish are usually okay unless the were harpooned in the spine, in which case they can suffer from spinal injuries but usually still eat and are active, however they die sooner rather than later.
In my experience 80% of wild caught mandarin gobies will die very soon.
Unless you see your Lps training their fish to accept frozen shrimp or have a large copepod culture don't buy your fish at that store.
When I first started to breed them, 8 out of 10 died within a day or two.
I have tried many Lps and online sites, but quality mandarins are extremely hard to find. most experts say they are the marine fish with the heaviest die off in the trade.
Hopefully more companies will Aqua culture them in the future, as the current trend is devastating to these fish. It's sad because Aqua cultured mandarins are very hardy and easily eat pellets and frozen foods.
You can check my YouTube videos or website for more info on how to train them to accept frozen foods and tips to care for them.
ShrimpZoo