Mandarin Goby @ 6 months ?

[kevinsimons]

My tank is 6 months old, and the last fish I'm planning on putting into it is a mandarin goby - pending establishment of a good, healthy copepod population.

I think I'm there - I see 'em everywhere - on rocks, at the base of corals, in the hair algae (which thanks to Marine SAT is diminishing)... I feed rotifers to the tank 1x/week - which I understand feeds the copepods...

Anybody have any thoughts on whether its too soon, or is the tank ready for the mandarin? I'd prefer to get the damn copepods OFF THE GLASS - as they're kinda ugly...

[bobby]

I think it sounds safe to add one, but I'm no expert on these fish. I would add one and then if it does eat the pods too fast you can by pods by the bottle.

[Bifferwine]

An important question is: do you have a refugium. If you don't, then the mandarin will quickly eat any pods in your main tank. They eat a lot. In any case, you should only buy a mandarin that will eat frozen food. Make them feed it frozen food in the store, and make sure that it eats. This is the singlemost important thing when buying a mandarin, in my opinion.

[ReefKeeper]

i agree with Biff. make sure it eats frozen foods too.

[MikMcgyver]

I alwyas make sure the fish is eating before it leaves the store, especially a mandarin... If hes eating frozen then you are good....

[yote]

Sound advice.
A mandrine will starve pretty quick if it wont eat frozen foods.

[kevinsimons]

Thanks for the always-good advice, everybody. I'll let you know when I find the frozen-food eating critter and get him acclimated. happy thanksgiving, everybody.

[Doc]

I tried one about a year ago and it lived about 2 weeks. They are tough buggers to keep unless they are eating frozen food AND do not have a lot of competition for food. They tend to be slow eaters.

-Doc

[reeffreak]

I've been hesitant to make a comment.Here's my experience with mandarins,which I been successful with since the mid 90's.I had one for over 6 years.

First try to find one that is eating frozen.In all my years,I've only seen one at the LFS.The only reason it was eating because someone brought that one back from their system.Everyone I bought never took to frozen,it took nearly a year for the mandarin to learn to take frozen.This was in a 72g with about 120lbs of live rock,no refugium.I don't measure success with those fish after 3,4 or even 6 months.It takes them that long of time to starve to death.

If you have have 100+ lbs of live rock and your system has matured 8-12 months then by means try one.Of course a refugium would be an added benefit.Not only look for one thats eating....look for a fat but small one.Your have better odds that way.I have a trick to get them to train to eat but thats for another time.

[kevinsimons]

He's in the tank now - an extremely beautiful and interesting animal. NOT eating frozen, but did mow down on live brine, and is grazing on the pods that are present seemingly everywhere... I think adding rotifers to the tank is keeping those pods happy...I'm going to buy pods at the LFS tomorrow just to make sure I keep the guy fat and happy... Reef - I'm ready to hear about your secret trick!