Mandarin in a tank without a refugium?

pthoma79

pthoma79

Member
I am looking at getting a mandarin, but was wondering if I should since I don't have a refugium to populate pods in. I just have a hob skimmer for right now. I have a 34g tank with about 40-50 lbs of lr, a royal gramma, ocellaris clown and bicolor blenny. Thoughts?
Next question is how often do you have to add pods? Just whenever you notice they are getting scarce?
Thanks!
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
It's not a matter of "adding pods". You need to have a self-sustaining population. Mandarin's eat constantly and it would be very very expensive to try to keep up with the demand by adding pods.
I don't think your chances are very good with only 50lbs of rock and no fuge. I saw one on the verge of starvation yesterday in a mature display tank with a lot more then 50lbs of rock at a LFS.
If you plan on getting a mandarin, do yourself and the fish a favor and setup a fuge.
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
I just wanted to add that my 130lbs of LR in my 90G was completely infested with pods and I still felt the need to add a refugium before I even considered a Mandarin.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member

Originally Posted by tur4k
http:///forum/post/3263723
It's not a matter of "adding pods". You need to have a self-sustaining population. Mandarin's eat constantly and it would be very very expensive to try to keep up with the demand by adding pods.
I don't think your chances are very good with only 50lbs of rock and no fuge. I saw one on the verge of starvation yesterday in a mature display tank with a lot more then 50lbs of rock at a LFS.
If you plan on getting a mandarin, do yourself and the fish a favor and setup a fuge.
A big +1
Pods are usually sold in something like a 500 count. That's the amount of pods a healthy mandarin eats in a single day.
 
bornagain

bornagain

Member
I had a mandarin in a 55g with about 50 pounds of live rock. No fuge. My tank had various plants that could sustain a Pod population. (Caulerpa, Chaeto, Miadens hair)
Some mandarins eat prepared foods.
A Refuge would be ideal
 
fishyscientist

fishyscientist

Member
Originally Posted by Bulldog123
http:///forum/post/3264056
My guess is they ment LR rubble. That is Live Rock rubble.
Ha! That makes sense!! I didn't want to assume anything in case LV stood for something else!!! Well...to answer that question...no. I don't have anything in my HOB filter but carbon filters BUT I did consider putting some macro algae in it. Would this be suitable for establishing a pod population that would allow for a mandarin?
 
clatong

clatong

Member
Typing too fast at work! Yes, I meant LR rubble. I'm very interested as well, since in the future this is something I'd like to set up. When someone answers your question about macro algae, hopefully they can say whether that would work in a canister filter as well.
Thanks!
 
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