Mandarin in NANO?

[nano reefer]

I noticed in a photo thread a guy had a green mandarin dragonet in his 29g JBJ nano, he had Live Rock in it, but i thought they needed atleast 100 lbs of rock to survive... I have pods all over my glass, and i am getting tired of pushing them off with the mag-float, could i put one in my 14???

 

[renogaw]

no. goodness no. they would be eaten in a day.
unless you're cultivating pods by the thousands in a DIY setup, have a HUGE fuge with thousands of pods in it. don't starve a mandarin

 

[grubsnaek]

i would say no too. sorry but there just to hard

 

[mcbdz]

What fish do you have in there. Most fish like them. Many of the small gobies.

 

[sepulatian]

I agree with all of the above posters. A 14 gallon is FAR to small for a mandarine. The person with the 29 gallon may have had over 50lbs of mature rock with a fuge.

 

[nano reefer]

the guy with the 29 was just baby sitting the mandarin for a while, but he was worried about the poor thing, the mandarin is back in his home now...

 

[texasmetal]

Originally Posted by Nano Reefer
the guy with the 29 was just baby sitting the mandarin for a while, but he was worried about the poor thing, the mandarin is back in his home now...
That's good. My LFS won't sell one to anyone that has anything smaller than a 100 gallon with 100lbs of live rock. Very good policy.

 

[renogaw]

that's an awesome lfs

 

[toodle]

lol and how do they know the person just isnt lying?

 

[texasmetal]

Originally Posted by toodle
lol and how do they know the person just isnt lying?
They don't, but someone not knowing this policy is probably going to answer honestly. Then if they get one anyway, they know they are going against good advice, and not only most likely wasting their money, but wasting a fishes life as well, just for the sake of being selfish and stubborn. Lessons don't have to be learned the hard way.

 

[nycbob]

i hv a mandarin and a scooter blenny in my 72 for the past 2-3 months. they r doing fine. no need for a 100 gallon, just alot of live rocks!

 

[texasmetal]

Not saying it can't be done, but there's certain requirements that must be met, and a whole lot of live rock is one of those requirements. A lot of people just don't understand that.

 

[nygel]

Originally Posted by TexasMetal
That's good. My LFS won't sell one to anyone that has anything smaller than a 100 gallon with 100lbs of live rock. Very good policy.
what about the ones that eat frozen? i've got 5 dragonets to take to frozen. I only have 1 left (some i gave to relatives, a few died) but my current dragonet has been in tank for well over a year. I am in no way advocating this user to go out and put a dragonet into a 14 gallon, but the 100g/100lbs rock rule is slowly getting outdated.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by TexasMetal
That's good. My LFS won't sell one to anyone that has anything smaller than a 100 gallon with 100lbs of live rock. Very good policy.
I'll give 1000 to 1 odds that this lfs is not a *****!

 

[texasmetal]

Originally Posted by srfisher17
I'll give 1000 to 1 odds that this lfs is not a *****!
And you would be correct. I've never seen a Mandarin at a ***** though.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by nYgel
what about the ones that eat frozen? i've got 5 dragonets to take to frozen. I only have 1 left (some i gave to relatives, a few died) but my current dragonet has been in tank for well over a year. I am in no way advocating this user to go out and put a dragonet into a 14 gallon, but the 100g/100lbs rock rule is slowly getting outdated.
Mandarines will sometimes accept frozen and will appear fine for 6 months to a year. Without enough pods, they will not survive. The tank does not have to be a huge tank, but you have to have a stable pod population and very mature rock. The mandarine will eat hundreds of pods per day. If your tank is mature and you have quite a bit of rock and rock rubbel in your fuge for them to breed, then you do not have to have 100+lbs of rock in the display. This is not a fish to get on a whim. Plan ahead. You will have to have a large population of pods before you get this fish for the breeding to keep up with the eating.

 

[texasmetal]

Originally Posted by nYgel
what about the ones that eat frozen? i've got 5 dragonets to take to frozen. I only have 1 left (some i gave to relatives, a few died) but my current dragonet has been in tank for well over a year. I am in no way advocating this user to go out and put a dragonet into a 14 gallon, but the 100g/100lbs rock rule is slowly getting outdated.
That is just a safer suggestion than telling a novice saltwater aquarist "Sure, you can put one in your nano tank."
We have one and he eats frozen, luckily. This isn't always the case, and that scenario should never be depended on.

 

[nygel]

well you cant assume it does, thats stupid, but all but 1 dragonet i've owned has gone on to frozen, and pods replenish if you have areas it can, like rock rubbles piles are ideal for those who cant get fuges. I just hate the way dragonet are portrayed in aquaria, they ARE hard, but not impossible as most make them out to be

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by nYgel
well you cant assume it does, thats stupid, but all but 1 dragonet i've owned has gone on to frozen, and pods replenish if you have areas it can, like rock rubbles piles are ideal for those who cant get fuges. I just hate the way dragonet are portrayed in aquaria, they ARE hard, but not impossible as most make them out to be
Who is making them out to be impossible? I have not read any posts from people claiming that they are impossible to keep. They have requirements, that is all. Those requirements need to be met.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by TexasMetal
That is just a safer suggestion than telling a novice saltwater aquarist "Sure, you can put one in your nano tank."
We have one and he eats frozen, luckily. This isn't always the case, and that scenario should never be depended on.
I agree. I always readily admit to being someone who will try many difficult fish without guilt and I tend to stock heavier than most. That said; there are difficult and demanding fish that have a good chance in captivity (IMO), if the hobbiest does his homework, knows his tank (More than it sounds), knows his supplier, and has the means (not talking $) to give that fish the best possible chance. If these requirements are met, I'll get any fish I want; if I can't or won't....then I don't. I think the advice on this thread is great, and its given as suggestions and opinion; and should be taken as such. They're not insults or commands.