the two of these together???
- Thread starter hlcroghan
- Start date
aqua_scaping
Member
IMO i would say no
Mandrins are slow and carefree and require tank mates similar to those qualities, now puffers are agressive and not care free so their will be PLENTY of bullying and if the bullying doesnt kill it the stress from the bullying will (my 3 inch sixline did it to me)
Mandrins are slow and carefree and require tank mates similar to those qualities, now puffers are agressive and not care free so their will be PLENTY of bullying and if the bullying doesnt kill it the stress from the bullying will (my 3 inch sixline did it to me)
aquaknight
Active Member
Which puffer(s) are you considering? IME a dwarf puffer should be fine. The two maybe's IMO are a dogface and spiny box. The rest of 'em, Guniea Fowl, Stellatus, Mappy, Stars and Stripes, definitely not, and you will get mixed opinions on Porcupines, but I classify them under no
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by hlcroghan
http:///forum/post/2631134
Could you keep a mandarin with a puffer or is there a problem with aggression there?? I know that puffers are not reef safe and mandarins need lots of rock work with copepods and that groovy stuff. this will be a 150 gallon tank. can these two fish be kept together?
What other fish will be kept and what kind of puffer are we talking about here? The mandarin does need plenty of pods. I am not saying that it cannot be done in a FOWLR, but the pods are more open in that kind of a tank compared to a reef. The mandarin cannot compete with faster and aggressive fish. Do you have a refugium? You will need a safe place for the pods to multiply in high numbers.
http:///forum/post/2631134
Could you keep a mandarin with a puffer or is there a problem with aggression there?? I know that puffers are not reef safe and mandarins need lots of rock work with copepods and that groovy stuff. this will be a 150 gallon tank. can these two fish be kept together?
What other fish will be kept and what kind of puffer are we talking about here? The mandarin does need plenty of pods. I am not saying that it cannot be done in a FOWLR, but the pods are more open in that kind of a tank compared to a reef. The mandarin cannot compete with faster and aggressive fish. Do you have a refugium? You will need a safe place for the pods to multiply in high numbers.
hlcroghan
Active Member
this is going to be a 150 gallon and i know that madarins have special needs. it will be a fowlr tank and i would like to have a dogface puffer, a harlequin tusk, a mandarin and some others. it is mainly my bf who is stuck on having the mandarin because they are so cool. but isn't it true that they are pretty small and shy?? will i really see this fish very much? i don't want a really cool fish that i never see lol.
aquaknight
Active Member
Depending on what 'some others' are, it should 'work.' A large male mandarin will get at least 3", so he should be big enough not to peak the other fish's interest. They are quick enough when they have to be, and I don't see why you have to worry about other fish 'out-competing' it as they usually only eat pods. I would definitely not recommend adding another pod-eater though. However, I myself, have run this equation through my head. I was considering a leopard wrasse for my agressive tank (a large leopard will definitely hold it's own). However I realized how vital the pods are in a tank. They help control nusiance algae (to an extent), and consume excessive food and fish waste. Especially important in set-ups that don't allow traditional CUC's.
I guess my bottom line, is they should be okay, however, this might cause some changes, like having to do larger, more frequent water changes. And prepping the tank for a mandarin. A bunch of small rubble rock piles in the tank and a strongly recommended refugium addition, if not already planned.
I guess my bottom line, is they should be okay, however, this might cause some changes, like having to do larger, more frequent water changes. And prepping the tank for a mandarin. A bunch of small rubble rock piles in the tank and a strongly recommended refugium addition, if not already planned.
hlcroghan
Active Member
i have a 30 gallon fw that i plan to use as a refugium for the pods and other stuff. i will give you a list of the fish that i want.
tusk
mandarin
dogface puffer
coral beauty
longnose butterfly
lawmower blenny
mated pair of false perculas
i was thinking of some kind of small angel or something to go along with that. maybe a school of chromis for some more color. if that list is okay can you recommend some other really colorful fish that would do well?
tusk
mandarin
dogface puffer
coral beauty
longnose butterfly
lawmower blenny
mated pair of false perculas
i was thinking of some kind of small angel or something to go along with that. maybe a school of chromis for some more color. if that list is okay can you recommend some other really colorful fish that would do well?
aquaknight
Active Member
You mean another dwarf angel (you already have the coral beauty listed)? What about a 'medium' angel, a female Bellus would look stunning in there.
aquaknight
Active Member
Here's SWF's pic of a coral beauty....
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
As far as two angels, you can, but it's far from a guarantee, so much so SWF won't sell you two angels for the same tank. Something like a Queen angel, Passer angel, and Maculosus Angel in a 150, I can guarantee you that set-up won't work.
I currently have a Blueface angel and Potters angel in my 125, they get along good, and I have plans for more. The thing is, you have to research the angels, and learn not to choose 'top-tier' angels, Queen's, Passers, etc. The best chance of success is mixing a non-aggressive large angel with a dwarf angel. A Bellus angel or any of those Genicanthus genus angels are about as non-aggressive as you can get. Even then it's still not a guarantee and you should have backup plans, temporary 'prison/hospital tanks,' someone willing to take the fish in, etc.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
As far as two angels, you can, but it's far from a guarantee, so much so SWF won't sell you two angels for the same tank. Something like a Queen angel, Passer angel, and Maculosus Angel in a 150, I can guarantee you that set-up won't work.
I currently have a Blueface angel and Potters angel in my 125, they get along good, and I have plans for more. The thing is, you have to research the angels, and learn not to choose 'top-tier' angels, Queen's, Passers, etc. The best chance of success is mixing a non-aggressive large angel with a dwarf angel. A Bellus angel or any of those Genicanthus genus angels are about as non-aggressive as you can get. Even then it's still not a guarantee and you should have backup plans, temporary 'prison/hospital tanks,' someone willing to take the fish in, etc.
hlcroghan
Active Member
sorry for not clarifying. i know what the coral beauty looks like but what does that bellus look like? they don't have one of those here on this site.
another angels i like are the flame, flameback and koran angels. i am not extremely interested in any others that i have seen so far.
another angels i like are the flame, flameback and koran angels. i am not extremely interested in any others that i have seen so far.
aquaknight
Active Member
The first one is a female Bellus and the second is the male. To be honest, you could do both if you wanted. Add the flame first and then QT and add the male/female Bellus together.
Of the ones you listed, the flameback is by far the most easy going, and they actually school in the wild. I would him before the flame if you go that route. I think a Koran and flame (flame added first) would work out. Though a 150 might not eventually be enough for a big Koran (btw, you do realize they change colors as they mature into adults?)
Of the ones you listed, the flameback is by far the most easy going, and they actually school in the wild. I would him before the flame if you go that route. I think a Koran and flame (flame added first) would work out. Though a 150 might not eventually be enough for a big Koran (btw, you do realize they change colors as they mature into adults?)
hlcroghan
Active Member
yeah the koran are absolutely amazing. that bellus is pretty too. so you think that i could put a coral beauty with a koran if i add the koran later? i definitely do not want to overload my tank. i probably wouldn't do too many others together. i have been thinking about some smaller colorful grouping fish but i don't know about the chromis....too may horror stories about people saying that they can't get them out later.
aquaknight
Active Member
I would think you're okay load wise. Depends upon what skimmer you have, other filters, etc. Most of your fish are pretty light load, (with a monster load in the dogface lol). The Koran and coral beauty should work. Keep in mind, that's should work not will work. Like I mentioned, I feel once the Koran reaches about 7"-10" he's going to need a larger home. Personally, I haven't seen a chromis act aggressive to other fish. Usually they are known to pick each other off. The best chromis IMO, is the Blue Reef Chromis (not the blue-green, very common chromis), they tend to not kill each other and are great community fish. I use chromis in all my QT's as dither fish to get the other fish accustom to tank life.
hlcroghan
Active Member
so then this list is acceptable for the most part?
koran angel
coral beauty
longnose butterfly
lawnmower blenny
mandarin
harlequin tusk
mated pair of false percula
dogface puffer
any other fish that are okay to put in there??
i like the snowflake eel but i think he might pick off the mandarin or the blenny?? i would like to have some more movement and color.
koran angel
coral beauty
longnose butterfly
lawnmower blenny
mandarin
harlequin tusk
mated pair of false percula
dogface puffer
any other fish that are okay to put in there??
i like the snowflake eel but i think he might pick off the mandarin or the blenny?? i would like to have some more movement and color.
el guapo
Active Member
In the past I kept a manderin in with dog faced puffers and humu,bursa,niger triggers there was even a fair size SFE in the tank . They actually paid it no attention at all . He was always out and about eating chasing things around in the rocks . He lived for about 2 years with them .
aquaknight
Active Member
Again, without knowing specifics of your tank, I would say yes. If you only have a bak-pak on there, no. If you have an Euroreef RC500, yes. Also depends upon your water change schedule, etc.
Yea, I might worry about the mandarin and blenny with a SFE. IME, a SFE wouldn't add much in terms of color or movement. In a properly sized aquarium with enough rocks/cover, you wouldn't see him much. However, once that Harlequin Tusk establishes himself, he should provide all the movement and color you want
Hopefully someone else will chime in to give you a 2nd opinion.
Yea, I might worry about the mandarin and blenny with a SFE. IME, a SFE wouldn't add much in terms of color or movement. In a properly sized aquarium with enough rocks/cover, you wouldn't see him much. However, once that Harlequin Tusk establishes himself, he should provide all the movement and color you want
hlcroghan
Active Member
okay then the sfe is out. i wasn't set on an eel anyway. just though it might be cool. anyway, what is some more i could add?.......and to answer the question of what the specifics on the tank are...i don't have it yet. i am choosing the fish i will have first, researching them and then will decide what to put on the tank so that i am adapting the tank to fit the fish, not the other way around.
