Mandarin Or Scooter Blenny

[b0bby1]

What do you guys think I would have a better chance of keeping in my 20 gallon: a Scooter Blenny or a Mandarin Dragonette?
I would try and find one that eats frozen food, and don't say neither. I just wanna try it out.

 

[nygel]

scooter, if you go mandarin route, i'd go spotted..... those two I've heard from many (i've done research) to accept easier. I had a green mandarin accept frozen and two scooters, I believe scooters are easier to take care of though. Mine is way fatter than when i bought him, just my suggestion.

 

[renogaw]

I know you don't want to hear it, but why kill a fish when you think your system cannot support either of them just to try it? definitely not a mandarin. they may eat frozen at the beginning, but eventually if you do not have enough pods, live rock, and a refugium setup the thing will most likely die.

 

[reefforbrains]

Scooters are usually easier but nothing sadder than a fish wasting away getting skinnier and skinnier if you fail.
Not trying to jump on any bandwagons or create a mess in your thread, just please do the creature the justice of going in eyes open for what your needs might be and being really ready to provide for it before you get it.

 

[puffer32]

Don't get any fish, just to try it! Takes training to get one to eat frozen, and even then they will need some pods to survive.

 

[b0bby1]

if it starts to get skinny im gonna give it back to my LFS for free, hes in a 300 gallon, the scooter, with another spotted mandarin.

 

[bizkitpug]

Definately the scooter. I have had a scooter, mandarin, and a spotted mandarin. The mandarins are definately harder to take care of. Very pretty fish but incredibly difficult to feed. I learned the hard way!

 

[max22]

Id go with the mandarin. I got mine to eat frozen brine then mysis by mixing in the frozen food in a turkey baster with some live brine slowly lowering the amount of live brine and uping the frozen food. Its important to feed the other fish first then target feed the mandarin. Also turn of your filtration so the food sort of can have some time to sit. I went with a scooter before i got my mandarin but I could not get it to eat.

 

[1journeyman]

I'm going to lock this thread. It's clear Bobby1 you know the difficulties/dangers associated with this.
This thread is not going to produce any useful information. None of the fish you mentioned are suited to the habitat you want to provide. A few people will continue to point to their success, while the majority will state why it fails the vast majority of the time (failure=dead fish).