florida joe
Well-Known Member
I was able to catch the elusive mandarin bird perched upon a tree limb. And yes that is a RG out of focus in the foreground 
The elusive mandarin bird
- Thread starter florida joe
- Start date
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Pretty. Nice and fat. Would make a nice meal.
A
abeandlulu
Guest
Very pretty!
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Actually Snake you bring up a good point (as usual)
. As those of us that have or are considering a dragonet know.
In the wild they are carnivores that constantly scan live rock for small crustaceans such as copepods, isopods and worms. This is all they eat in the wild, and this is where the hobbyist runs into a problem with wild caught dragonets, or so I thought.
With this rather specialized diet most of the dragonets we see ready for sale at our LFS are in some state of malnutrition so getting them the food required as soon as possible is imperative. Now for the strange part. Most of the literature I have read states that it is extremely hard to wean mandarins off live food and on to prepared frozen food. There is a specific procedure involved. I was resigned to the fact that my mandarin would only eat its live diet provided by my reef tank. This seems not to be true. Without any special training my mandarin one day took a piece of frozen blood worm and eat it. I have since then witnessed it eating frozen enriched brine shrimp. IMO they are a great fish to add to one’s tank. I would state though I would only add them to a tank that has a established population of pods. My reasoning is simply this. They are slow swimmers they do not go after their food rather they hover over rock and substrate sucking in their pray and my not get enough food in a tank with more aggressive feeding fish
below is a pic of my plumped up male manderin
In the wild they are carnivores that constantly scan live rock for small crustaceans such as copepods, isopods and worms. This is all they eat in the wild, and this is where the hobbyist runs into a problem with wild caught dragonets, or so I thought.
With this rather specialized diet most of the dragonets we see ready for sale at our LFS are in some state of malnutrition so getting them the food required as soon as possible is imperative. Now for the strange part. Most of the literature I have read states that it is extremely hard to wean mandarins off live food and on to prepared frozen food. There is a specific procedure involved. I was resigned to the fact that my mandarin would only eat its live diet provided by my reef tank. This seems not to be true. Without any special training my mandarin one day took a piece of frozen blood worm and eat it. I have since then witnessed it eating frozen enriched brine shrimp. IMO they are a great fish to add to one’s tank. I would state though I would only add them to a tank that has a established population of pods. My reasoning is simply this. They are slow swimmers they do not go after their food rather they hover over rock and substrate sucking in their pray and my not get enough food in a tank with more aggressive feeding fish
below is a pic of my plumped up male manderin
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Now that is a picture of a mandarin in prime shape
Bang something interesting happened with my mandarin. Its tail fin was sliced about half way down if you look at the pic I posted is seems like there is a piece missing but actually what grew back was solid blue
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507119
This is my Mr. Paisley from way back when:
Bang something interesting happened with my mandarin. Its tail fin was sliced about half way down if you look at the pic I posted is seems like there is a piece missing but actually what grew back was solid blue
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507119
This is my Mr. Paisley from way back when:
bang guy
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507121
Bang something interesting happened with my mandarin. Its tail fin was sliced about half way down if you look at the pic I posted is seems like there is a piece missing but actually what grew back was solid blue
That's interesting. I wonder if that's permanent like scar tissue or if it will eventually color up to match the rest of the tail.
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507121
Bang something interesting happened with my mandarin. Its tail fin was sliced about half way down if you look at the pic I posted is seems like there is a piece missing but actually what grew back was solid blue
That's interesting. I wonder if that's permanent like scar tissue or if it will eventually color up to match the rest of the tail.
sweatervest13
Active Member
I love the pics guys!!!
Joe,
How would you recommend QT'ing a Mandarin?? Being that most QT setups do not use LR. I have read that Mandarins have a thick slim coat. Do you recommend a QT period at all??
Very cool about yours weening to prepared food!!!
Joe,
How would you recommend QT'ing a Mandarin?? Being that most QT setups do not use LR. I have read that Mandarins have a thick slim coat. Do you recommend a QT period at all??
Very cool about yours weening to prepared food!!!
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507141
I love the pics guys!!!
Joe,
How would you recommend QT'ing a Mandarin?? Being that most QT setups do not use LR. I have read that Mandarins have a thick slim coat. Do you recommend a QT period at all??
Very cool about yours weening to prepared food!!!
When it comes to quarantine a fish or not I think there are pros and cons to doing so. In my case and this is just my case and not something I think other hobbyists must do, I feel that a dragnet with its thick slime coat has shown a resistance to ick. The disease we are most afraid of introducing into our tanks. I felt that the chain of custody from capture to my purchase was of a length that my fish was already malnourished. I picked out the one that seemed to be most interested in its surroundings as well as looking for food. With that in mind and knowing my tank has a good population of pods I opted to roll the dice and introduce the fish into my tank without a quarantine period. Now if I wanted to go the QT route or need to wait until I had a sufficient population of pods available I would make sure I could get a steady supply of live brine shrimp. Feed the live brine enriched food. Feed the live brine to the dragonet during QT and wean to frozen in the proses
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507141
I love the pics guys!!!
Joe,
How would you recommend QT'ing a Mandarin?? Being that most QT setups do not use LR. I have read that Mandarins have a thick slim coat. Do you recommend a QT period at all??
Very cool about yours weening to prepared food!!!
When it comes to quarantine a fish or not I think there are pros and cons to doing so. In my case and this is just my case and not something I think other hobbyists must do, I feel that a dragnet with its thick slime coat has shown a resistance to ick. The disease we are most afraid of introducing into our tanks. I felt that the chain of custody from capture to my purchase was of a length that my fish was already malnourished. I picked out the one that seemed to be most interested in its surroundings as well as looking for food. With that in mind and knowing my tank has a good population of pods I opted to roll the dice and introduce the fish into my tank without a quarantine period. Now if I wanted to go the QT route or need to wait until I had a sufficient population of pods available I would make sure I could get a steady supply of live brine shrimp. Feed the live brine enriched food. Feed the live brine to the dragonet during QT and wean to frozen in the proses
kiefers
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507245
I QT'd mine, well left it in an observation tank for 2 months... Never hypo'd or medicated.
I left sponge blocks in my refugium to capture pods and then out them into the QT tank.
you see.... this is why your a Mod...... quick thinkin there!! Lol
Never QT'd mine either. Just threw him in and prayed! Now him and my RG are pals and hang out together most of the day.
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507245
I QT'd mine, well left it in an observation tank for 2 months... Never hypo'd or medicated.
I left sponge blocks in my refugium to capture pods and then out them into the QT tank.
you see.... this is why your a Mod...... quick thinkin there!! Lol
Never QT'd mine either. Just threw him in and prayed! Now him and my RG are pals and hang out together most of the day.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
I have been using the sponge block method for years (ok that is my first hobby lie this year) seriously that is a great idea
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507245
I QT'd mine, well left it in an observation tank for 2 months... Never hypo'd or medicated.
I left sponge blocks in my refugium to capture pods and then out them into the QT tank.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507245
I QT'd mine, well left it in an observation tank for 2 months... Never hypo'd or medicated.
I left sponge blocks in my refugium to capture pods and then out them into the QT tank.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
my new female picked up last night
sweatervest13
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507343
my new female picked up last night
She is a beauty!! This thread has sealed it for me. I need one of these fish!!!!!
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507343
my new female picked up last nightShe is a beauty!! This thread has sealed it for me. I need one of these fish!!!!!
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507346
She is a beauty!! This thread has sealed it for me. I need one of these fish!!!!!
They are truly beautiful fish, one thing I have read you may want to make note of is if you get a pair during their mating ritual they tend to be jumpers
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/394043/the-elusive-mandarin-bird#post_3507346
She is a beauty!! This thread has sealed it for me. I need one of these fish!!!!!
They are truly beautiful fish, one thing I have read you may want to make note of is if you get a pair during their mating ritual they tend to be jumpers