mudplayerx
Active Member
A small mandarin is feasible in a 55 gallon tank with 80 pounds of live rock, but a series of other conditions must be met. The fish load must be minimal, if you keep any other fish at all. Fish with similar mouth structures to a mandarin's are out of the question entirely.
The live rock must be established and the sand bed must deep and established. Beyond this , a good precaution would be sponges placed out of view in the tank to act as breeding grounds for pods.
I've had a mandarin in my 55 gallong tank for over 2 years now. However, I only have one other fish (a small damsel). The rest of the tank is full of corals. It is possible if you have the right conditions.
With that being said, my mandarin has grown little, if at all in two years. He appears healthy, but I am sure that he'd be much happier in a larger tank with morel ive rock.
The live rock must be established and the sand bed must deep and established. Beyond this , a good precaution would be sponges placed out of view in the tank to act as breeding grounds for pods.
I've had a mandarin in my 55 gallong tank for over 2 years now. However, I only have one other fish (a small damsel). The rest of the tank is full of corals. It is possible if you have the right conditions.
With that being said, my mandarin has grown little, if at all in two years. He appears healthy, but I am sure that he'd be much happier in a larger tank with morel ive rock.