Mandiarin Fish

[jerryleejr]

Havent seen alot of info on keeping a Mandarin also would love to know the best way to set up a quarantine tank. looking at starting a 30 gal or less reef set up. Looking for any advice. Especially on what goes together and what doesnt ie coral,brains,mushrooms etc.

 

[bdhough]

Manderins do best with a live supply source like copepods. IE you need a large large tank with lots of live rock. The key, VERY KEY, thing is to get them eating frozen foods. If you can do that then keeping one in a smaller tank is possible. If you can get them to eat frozen you will also have to go out of your way to make sure they eat since any fish that swims faster than them will get the food. Even shrimp and starfish will eat faster than them. Your best bet is the green spot manderin. I've seen them eating frozen lots of times. I've even seen the psychadelic one eating frozen as well. If you can get live brine shrimp ive seen them eating that too.

 

[fishy88]

i dont think you can have a Manderin in less then a 60

 

[cb]

Manderins need a mature tank with a lot of liverock they need a neverending source of pods because trying to get them to eat frozen food is a very "IFFY" situation. IMO they should not be kept in a newly established tank..

 

[burnnspy]

I do not recommend anyone not familiar with reef care keeping a Mandarin goby. They can be very picky eaters and are not aggressive enough to be kept in a community tank. You can get lucky and find one that will eat frozen food, but that is a trial or error situation which a responsible reef keeper would avoid anyway.
On the other hand I had a mandarin in my 29 gal reef for over a year, until i had to move. She was the only fish in the tank and the copepod population was in abundance. I never added any fish food to the tank since it is just a source of pollution in a balanced system. Without nutrient input, I didnt need a skimmer either and I still dont have one on the reef today, 3 yrs later.