How fast does your mandarin deplete your pods?

[beam3er]

My tank was loaded with pods and mysis shrimp. I got a green/target mandarin about a month ago and I can not find anymore pods in my tank or HOB refigum. I am not sure if they are all gone. My mandarin does eat frozen food so I am not that worried. I am just amazed on how much this little guy ate in a month or so. Where do you buy your pods from? Any good sites out there? Thanks.

 

[daugherty]

reef nutrition sells pods. a mandarin can quickly eat all your pods that is why they do better in larger tanks.

 

[dcantucson]

I have read that most Mandarins will eventually die because of starvation in our tanks. :(

 

[fastrd400]

You can try this too. It was recommended by my LFS for mine.

Reef Nutrition - Tigger-Pods?

 

[beam3er]

Thanks everyone

 

[yote]

Mandrines are non-stop eaters.So they'll wipe out the pods real quick.

 

[sen5241b]

I have a 29G and my Mandarin has never depleted my pods. I have huge amphipods all over the place. Damsels, wrasses, dottybacks and certain other fish will decimate your pods quickly. When I had these fish my pods vanished and after they were gone my pods came back in numbers.

 

[parrotchute]

I have read that most Mandarins will eventually die because of starvation in our tanks. :(

I think the key is having a good refugium that can safely breed pods without threat of predation. I've had my mandarin for over a year, and he doesn't take frozen food. And you can see by the pics, that he has definitely fattened up, not gotten thinner.

 

[dcantucson]

I think the key is having a good refugium that can safely breed pods without threat of predation. I've had my mandarin for over a year, and he doesn't take frozen food. And you can see by the pics, that he has definitely fattened up, not gotten thinner.

I have got to get one of those refugiums SOON! I don't know why I keep putting it off. :frustrat:

 

[parrotchute]

I don't have a sump (saving any additions for my tank upgrade next year), so I just made an in-tank fuge with a small acrylic box with holes punched in it and a pump. Then I magnet attached it to the side of my tank, works great.

Could probably do the same in your sump, minimal amount of work! (the way I like it!!)

 

[Gigaah]

a "Pod pile" in the main tank is beneficial as well. a pile or liverock rubble hidden back somewhere so it doesn't look bad. the object is to make a pile of rock the pods can breed and multiply in where the predators cannot get at them.