Mandarins getting picked on

90reefkepr

90reefkepr

Member
There is something wrong with my mandarins. they have not be leaving the sand. all they are doing is sitting around like they are dead. some fish pick on them but im not sure which.
I will list the fish i have if any one thinks they know who might be picking at them because their fins are a little tared.
2 green mandarins (getting picked at)
3 yellow tangs-- 3-5 inches
3 chalk basslets-- 2 inches
2 false percula clowns-- 1 inch
5 blue green reef chromis-- 1-1 1/2 inches
1 coral beauty--2 1/2 inches
1 flame angel--2 1/2 inches
1 royal gramma--2 inches
1 diamond goby--3 inches
1 sailfin blenny--1 1/2 inches
2 cleaner shrimp
1 coral banded shrimp
5 peppermint shrimp
60 turbo snails
30 hermit crabs ( scarlet and dwarf blue legs)
1 sea serpent star
1 red linka star
1 lettuce nudibranch
 
90reefkepr

90reefkepr

Member
they are not starving i fed them live brine shrimp last night and they ate it.
i may get more today and feed them more.
there is 95 lb live rock
 
smarls

smarls

Member
Well if they are eating then that is a good sign.
My guess would be that the Mandarins are totally stressed out because you have 20 fish in a 90 gallon tank. That is a pretty high bioload for a 90 gallon by any standard.
Personally, I would probably reduce the number of fish in your tank. That would reduce the overall stress between the fish and would allow the remaining fish to act more naturally.
HTH
Stewart
 
blazehok68

blazehok68

Active Member
mandarins usually will not take to prepared food. if you have ones that take prepared food you are very lucky. what mandarins do is they scavenge the lr for pods all day long. ALL DAY LONG!! how long has your tank been up and running?? if it isnt a mature tank then there will not be enough of these pods for the mandarins to eat. this is generally there only source of food. alsoo how much lr do u have in your tank?? mandarins need about 100 lbs plus of lr to be happy.
on another note, 20fish is a lot of fish to keep in a 90 gal imo. maybe u should think about getting rid of some. just some thoughts, take em or leave em.
joe
 
90reefkepr

90reefkepr

Member
i know that it is alot of fish. I have know that and i am going to reduce the number as they all get larger because i am keeping up with the waterchanges and everyone else seems fine.
 
90reefkepr

90reefkepr

Member
if i remove the tangs, chalks, and chromis do you think that the tank will return to normal state?
although i may be tempted to get a blue tang if i do that.
 
smarls

smarls

Member
I would drastically reduce the number of fish. I would not add any more tangs for a while...but that is just me personally. Removing the listed fish will help, but it will take some time for the fish to unstress etc., but it is definately a good start.
To be clear, keeping up on water changes will help keep you water parameters in check with that many fish, but it will do nothing for the stress of the fish due to overcrowding. Really, the only solution for that isd to reduce your bioload...which it semms like you already know.
As mentioned by Blazehok, Mandarins eat copepods...and lots of them...mine grazes on pods ALL day. Depending on the maturity of your tank (suggested 1 year minimum), the amount of LR, and the competition from other fish, there just may not be enough food to keep the Mandarins alive. While giving them live brine will help, you would have to do it several times a day, and make sure each time that the Mandarins got a lot of the food.
Stewart
 
beckzilla

beckzilla

Member
I would get rid of the Tangs. 3 in that size tank is pushing it. I have also had problems with blue-legs. As far as I am concerned they are natural born killers.
 
clarkiiboi

clarkiiboi

Active Member

Originally posted by 90reefkepr
if i remove the tangs, chalks, and chromis do you think that the tank will return to normal state? although i may be tempted to get a blue tang if i do that.
Well that would leave you with nine fish and that is a great start. The hippo would be a bad choice for your tank size, so ignore the temptation (hard to do, but the right thing to do). IMO, you should also be concerned with the 2 angels, pick one (flame has my vote, for looks only) and return the other. Since you realize that your tank is overstocked, have you taken into consideration the gender of your mandys? Do you have a male and female or 2 females? If so, then there would not be any problems. If its 2 males that could explain the fins looking as they do. HTH some
 
townsdp

townsdp

Member
I believe that every website says that mandarins are territorial and should only be kept one to a tank also. Maybe they're biting each other when they get too close. just a thought.
 
melissa1

melissa1

Member
we have a 60 gallon tank with 60 lbs of rock and a blue madarin dragonet who eats all day and looks to be very very FAT and our tank in only a month old!!
We want to know what the quikest way to produce pods is?
We have the zooplex but we are thinking it just isn't enough!!!
Is the mandarin considered a planktivorous fish?
 
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