Keeping Mandarins!!!

[pinstripes]

I know this is interesting issue because of their eating habits. My next fish I want is a Mandarin. I just setup a 50 gallon FOWLR a month ago. But I know I need to wait 6 months before adding one. So I was thinking I should wait till the end of year before adding those cool fish to my tank. Will the pods population be enough for mandarins to survive in my tank for a very long time? Should I set up a refuge or culture my own pods? thanks

Pin

[RigoSharon]

i dont know much about mandarins....i look for som info in the net and it says.."The diet should consist of a variety of live vitamin-enriched brine shrimp and live black worms. It will eat natural prey off live rock and live sand." "It requires a 30 gallon or larger aquarium with live substrate and plenty of hiding places. It is moderately hardy in reef aquariums if given special care. It is not overly aggressive towards other fish, except for conspecifics." i guess not only pods but giving variaty of suplements like shrimp etc..will sufice his nutritions needs...good luck!!

[reeffreak]

A mandarin can dissecrate a pod population in a hurry.I would wait even longer(8-12mo),maybe try to find one thats already eating frozen mysis or something.How much liverock are we talking about?Aggressive fish will out compete a Mandarin for food.

IMO,if a Mandarin isn't eating frozen already a 50gal. isn't large enough for them.70gal+ and 100lbs+ live rock would be better(a fuge would be a plus) long term.I had a Mandarin in a 72gal./120lbs live rock for 5 years or so,but it started accepting frozen around six months after getting it.

[yote]

I agree with Reef.A Mandrain will wipe out your pods in no time.
In a 50 gallon,either set up a fuge and buy some live pods to give the population a boost.Give that 9 months to a year to mature,and buy a fresh bottle of live pods once a month to suppliment with.
Or,Hold off on getting one untill you can find one thats already eatting frozen foods.There not that hard to find.

[Doc]

Yup, you got good info. You should never buy a fish that is not eating frozen fare. I have lost more fish that way. I tried a manderin, once, I had my tank for 2 years and 150lbs of rock. It lasted 6 weeks. Yes they love pods, but if there is not other food, it will not do well. I don't know if you can stock it fast enough. I suppose if you dedicated a whole crap load of time to just that one fish, you might be able to figure out how. Mine stayed hidden most of the day and did not really give me the pleasure I was looking for. I like watching my fish swim openly and without fear. But, that is just me.

-Dr Marco

[pinstripes]

I think I'm going to set up a mandarin fish only tank so I don't have worry about the mandarin competing for foods with other fishes. I have a 29 i can use to set it up. Thanks for your help.

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[Adrastos]

I have no problem with a Mandarin in my tank. I have an "old" tank with an abudance of live food for them. I also made to sure to find one that was in as good of shape as I could find that I knew was eating prepared foods.

I don't think you need to setup a seperate tank for them. While they will compete for some food - they are very tiny fish. As long as your tank is strong enough - it will produce enough food to sustain it.