mandarin question

[jja]

I was thinking of adding a mandarin and am sure I have enough liverock and pods but was wondering what type of fish or inverts would bother it if any. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[bdubbya]

I can't think of anything in a reef tank that would bother a mandarin. I wouldn't keep it with an anemone they're not strong swimmers. Good luck

 

[fishman830]

when i get my lr for christmass (thats realy all i want) i think im gonna buy a mandarin.. once i have enough lr

 

[jja]

I thought I had read that they were supposed to be with a "quiet" tank. I was wondering about my bi color blenny and hermit crabs. I also bought an arrow crab the other day and am now debating on keeping him after reading some previous posts. Am I thinking too much or have you all had good luck with them with an ample supply of lr and pods? I hate to lose a fish so I am usually pretty careful.

 

[foulbrew]

There aren't many things that will bother a mandarin. I wouldn't worry about your hermits, shrimp or fish bothering him too much (i have no experience with an arrow crab). The real issue is what do you have in your tank that will compete for it's one source of food. Crabs, especially a sally lightfoot can consume alot of pods. Shrimp as well. If you have an active fish that eats pods, like a fourline wrasse, the mandarin will not be able to compete and will slowly starve. Mandarins are cool, but they need alot of pods and cannot compete with most active foragers. Hope this helps.

 

[jja]

As far as fish I have 1 medium yellow tang,1 small blue surgeon,1 bi-color blenny,1shrimp goby,1 coral beauty and 2 false percs. I also have 2 scarlet cleaner shrimp, 1 arrow crab,scarlett hermits,snails, lots of corals and l.r. and an active fuge and sand bed.

 

[ekclark]

Mandarin are poisonous, so not many fish give them any hassle. If you think you have enough lr and pods, then wait another few months and add one. My 75 with 100+ # of lr at six months old was not enough to feed one. I learned the hard way and felt terrible for it.

 

[foulbrew]

Hmmm, in the literal sense? Actually, poisonous sounds right to me (as in: if you eat it you're in trouble). Perhaps you're thinking of venomous., which is what I belive Lion Fish are.

 

[ireven]

how many live rocks do you need for a mandrain? or the tank size ?
I have 30 gl tank with 35 b live rocks, it runs almost 1 year. Is this enough for a mandrain?
thank you

 

[bang guy]

I once saw a Lionfish slurp up a Mandarin. It was spit out very quickly unharmed. Methinks they do not taste very good.
I too have heard that their skin is poisonous.

 

[beaslbob]

I tried a madrin in my tank. I witnessed my banded coral shrimp pinch him right between the eyes. The wound never healed and the madrin only lasted a week longer.

 

[jbstuart]

You can buy a turkey baster and feed your mandarin blood worms, and he will be as happy as can be.
thanks
jarod

 

[foulbrew]

Actually, I have seen what JB's saying work. as the blood worms come out of the baster they role in the current like they're alive. The fish, whose natural prey includes small worm, scarf it up. I used this to wean a scooter blenny onto dead food to supliment his live diet. I am not sure if it would work on a mandarin and certainly wouldn't count on it (actually I was supprised it worked on 'Scooter'). I am not sure 'Scooter' was all that happy with the taste either, because he won't touch em any more. He's a flake fish now.

 

[jbstuart]

I know 2 people who've used this method with success, however, there is no telling how many have used this method without success.
thanks
jarod

 

[smuvcrmnal]

I have tried mandarins in both applications, fish only and reef. The only thing to really concern yourself with is how many you will have at one time. Two male mandarins will fight, like beta's, until one dead. If I remember correctly, the long antennae, on the dorsal fin, indicates female and the short antennae would be a male. I've had two in a tank at one time and only one would survive, needless to say, that I learned the hard way about them myself. Remember, two males will fight, but two females will be alright....

 

[bang guy]

Males have the long fin but I agree with everything else you said

 

[fishman830]

wow bang, thats beautiful!

 

[smuvcrmnal]

Well trained....Bang!

 

[bandcamp]

my lunatic wrasse has been nipping at the fins of all my fish, including our mandarin