Tristan
Detritus
Besides copepods, what might an aquarist feed a green mandarin?
Green Mandarin Diet
- Thread starter Tristan
- Start date
Hiker4twenty
Reef enthusiast
Tristan
Detritus
i read on that site that they will eat plankton. would this be the same kind of plankton that my coco worm would eat?
Hiker4twenty
Reef enthusiast
I belive so, but I'm sure Mandarin's rarely eat plankton. They primairly eat pods and they usually have to be alive. They will sometimes eat frozen pods or even brine shrimp, but that's a big MAYBE. Also, your tank needs to be very established and have excellent water conditions.
Melosu58
Reef enthusiast
That`s mostly all they will eat is pods. I`ve known a few folks that got them to eat mysis shrimp after some time but mostly pods is all they will eat.
Tristan
Detritus
ohh. so you kind of have to train them slowly to eat other stuff, huh
I have a small colony of copepods growing in my aquarium, but ill probably be cycling out rocks so i can get them faster. makes sense?
I have a small colony of copepods growing in my aquarium, but ill probably be cycling out rocks so i can get them faster. makes sense?
yote
In Memoriam
9 times out of 10 a mandrine will starve to death before they'll take any kind of prepared foods.Their too dang picky for their own good.
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
I've fattened two Mandarins on a diet of orange flying fish row (the sushi eggs on a california roll) and also on "Ocean Nutrition Marine Formula 1 Small Pellets". My MDs will gobble both these foods up the moment I drop them in my tank. I also have a good population of pods and on occasion I've seen an MD eat a bristleworm. I get my fish roe, refrigerated, at an Asian market and ensure it doesn't have vinegar or additives in it.
Hiker4twenty
Reef enthusiast
Wow Sen...you're lucky they eat that stuff for you. I've been wanting a Mandarin very bady, but shy away because of their eating. It just seems like they're too hard to be successful in keeping. Maybe I'll reconsider once my tank has been running longer and I get my fuge set-up w/ a good population of pods.
Tristan
Detritus
cool i actually use Ocean Nutrition small pellets. i was also wondering if they eat that since it falls to the bottom pretty quickly. my other fish go crazy for it.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
It's best if you make sure the mandarin is eating prepared foods before you buy it. If you see one in a store, ask the salesperson to feed it in front of you. That way you know if it eats frozen/pellets for sure.
They aren't hard to keep if you have a large, mature tank with a refugium. This provides them with a constant source of live food. But they are tough to keep in small, young tanks or tanks without fuges.
They aren't hard to keep if you have a large, mature tank with a refugium. This provides them with a constant source of live food. But they are tough to keep in small, young tanks or tanks without fuges.
Tristan
Detritus
My tank has been up and running for a couple of years. i bought the whole set up as is. i see copepods running around at night, but how would i know if it would be enough to keep a mandarin happy?
yote
In Memoriam
Do you have any other fish that eat pods?Stuff like wrasses,some blennies,chromis,damsels and such?
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
1+ Those types of fish will decimate your pods. I used to watch my 6line hunt them.
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
There is a little more to it than just dropping them in. I usually have to drop them in one corner of the tank and distract other livestock while I then drop more pellets or sushi in front of the MD. Sometimes I get lazy and just drop a mass of food in there so the MD can't miss it.
dcantucson
Reef pro
Tristan I would guess you would have plenty of pods in a 55 gallon tank provided as the others have said, that there aren't other fish competing for food. Also if you have plenty of Live Rock.
EliWhitney314
Phish Head
I want a mandarin and a 6 line wrasse, I guess I should choose between the two.
Tristan
Detritus
i have a sailfin blenny, fire fish, and a maroon cown, but im looking into finding a new owner for my maroon clown
yote
In Memoriam
I think a mandrine would be alright with your fish Tristan.Even they will eat pods,they dont actually spend the day hunting them and picking em off the rocks.
I say get it shot.
I say get it shot.
EliWhitney314
Phish Head
what do you think about my fish list? 1 tailspot blenny, 1 green mandarin, 1 six line wrasse, 2 tomato clowns. Too much people hunting pods?
