Mandarinfish question?

[scrapman]

I have started a new 20 gal refugium. It has been going for two months without fish.
Right now: only lots or LR (from rearranging my DT tanks, lots of macro algae, deep live sand bed, and an addition of copecods that I bought from my LFS in a green watery package. Nothing alive was visible, but they assured me that it was OK!! I still don't see anything after two weeks.
Anyway.... I'd like to introduce a gorgeous spotted mandarinfish in that tank.
Is it OK?
Will he/shee have enough to eat?
Will he/she be happy?
Thanks

 

[bang guy]

It will have plenty to eat for several weeks. That's about it.

 

[scrapman]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/381251/mandarinfish-question#post_3319964
It will have plenty to eat for several weeks. That's about it.
Thanks Bang Guy

 

[peasofme]

they eat frozen hakari bloodworms and brine pretty easily

 

[beth]

Just to add to what Bang Guy said in case there is any misunderstanding. He said that with what you have going, the fish will only have food for a couple weeks, and, after those couple of weeks, there will be no more food and the fish will starve to death after that time.
. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/wiki/mandarin-fish-special-nutritional-requirements
Also, if you want your refrugium to take off with whatever critters are in there, I suggest adding a bit of fish food every other day or so.

 

[gill again68]

Have you ever introduced or stocked your main DT with pods? Do you ever do a flashlight check to see if Pods are in your DT? I say flashlight cause I can see mine better that way. I think most say have a tank going for a year before you even try a Mandarin. Thats so the populations have a chance to get to levels that can take predation. I had my tank about 7 months with a refugium and it is doing well with a Mandarin but I did a lot of stocking to help things on the way. If you do decide to stock do so when lights are out so that the critters have a chance to get to some good hiding spots.

 

[bang guy]

Just so I have the big picture, how much live rock in the display tank? Any inaccessible piles of reef rubble where the pods can hide in the DT?

 

[spanko]

Have you checked out the ORA aqua-cultured mandarins? Supposedly reared on prepared food so perhaps a better chance at surviving in our tanks?
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/ORA_c_294.html

 

[levinjac]

ya i thin it is nice that they can breed fish so we dont have to rely on the ocean...................... but they are supposed to eat frozen i think

 

[meowzer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/381251/mandarinfish-question#post_3320216
Have you checked out the ORA aqua-cultured mandarins? Supposedly reared on prepared food so perhaps a better chance at surviving in our tanks?
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/ORA_c_294.html
WOW....ORA sure is proud of them....$60 compared to $13 or $23.....for non-tank bred

 

[levinjac]

but its worth it cause we are not taking that many fish from the ocean every bit counts and to tell you the truth i would pay it

 

[meowzer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by levinjac http:///forum/thread/381251/mandarinfish-question#post_3320224
but its worth it cause we are not taking that many fish from the ocean every bit counts and to tell you the truth i would pay it
SURE you would....LOL
I'm not saying it's not worth it.....just saying it's a BIG price difference

 

[levinjac]

no i wouldnt IMO to much money for a mandrin haha i would if i could but i cant

 

[cranberry]

It's hard to recoup money put into captive breding mandarins (and any other fish). They aren't getting rich off that price tag.
I would pay it for the better odds of getting them to eat frozen.

 

[peasofme]

i hope if u get the ones shipped directly from ora that they are disease free.

 

[smartorl]

Kind of off the subject but......why are mandarins so cheap? My son asked me and to be honest, I never thought about it before but now it's rattling around in my mind.

 

[peasofme]

i wouldn't say they are cheap. there are many cheaper fish. i would say they are mid range.

 

[smartorl]

They are $14 here, about the only thing I see cheaper are damsels.

 

[bang guy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by smartorl http:///forum/thread/381251/mandarinfish-question#post_3320375
Kind of off the subject but......why are mandarins so cheap? My son asked me and to be honest, I never thought about it before but now it's rattling around in my mind.
They are extremely easy to catch, very hardy, and small. meaning you can put a whole bunch of them in a bag and they'll arrive alive in the US.

 

[jstdv8]

not to mention they can be captive bread like clownfish.
My mandarin was not bought from ORA or anywhere like that but he ate my frozen food that I feed all my fish.
He was really fat (when i bought his he was very very thin and had eaten all of the pods in his 10g holding cell that I could see.
he ate frozena dn i'd see him nipping at pods as well.
Not sure what happened to him but after about 4 months he was gone. I never did find him.