want a dragonnet

[pjlovesbaskets]

I want a dragonnet. I hear they need pods to live and a new tank will not have enough to feed them. Does anyone have experience with buying a bottle of the copepods and feeding them? My tank is only 5 months old and is a 125g. I have about 80 pounds of live rock. Will be adding 30-40 pounds before getting a dragonnet. I know shrimp brine will work for at least the short term. Anyone have advice on this? I also have a small 6-line wrasse. It is a recent purchase that is still in QT. I know that they also like the pods. Advice please if you have experience.

 

[joebob7]

if you have a 125g tank i think that is enough rock with pods to support a dragonet. Yu might want to wait until the pods population has grown before you bring one in. You could also supplement the population with a few bottles of pods in your fuge so they can repopulate in peace.

 

[tinmanny]

I have one in my 90g DT and he is doing just fine but others are right you should wait till you see pods in the sump so he will never run out and be carefull about how many pod eaters you put in there because ther will depleat the food supply very fast.
I think that if you put 200 pods in the tank and 200 in the sump a mandren will survive very nicely
side note shrimp will not keep them alive for long because they have a poor nutritional value and the mandrin willdie a slow death
Good Luck

ps I love to see mine sneek around a roch and pick off critters I don't even see

 

[pjlovesbaskets]

Okay, do I want to buy those bottles now and then wait a couple months to buy the dragon net so they can get ahead start. By the fuge to you mean a refugium? I am about 5 months new to salt water and am learning.

 

[al mc]

Fuge is a refugium. IMHO, it is a must to have a refugium if you want a mandarin to survive greater than 4-6 months. As you expected, the six line will compete for pods so you still may have to add some pods from time to time if you want to keep them both in a 125g.
It is difficult to get mandarins to eat anything but pods. It is hit or miss as the whether they will touch mysis or brine shrimp. I would not count on it.
If he does eat prepared food you will still have to have some pods as he will not meet his long term nutritional needs with only prepared foods.
Good Luck...great little fish