Mandarin Goby

[kevvin27]

I just got a Mandarin Goby about a week ago. I've got an algea scrubber as my only filter other than live rock and sand. When I first put her in the tank she was all over the rocks and eating something every 20 to 30 seconds. Today I noticed she was staring at the glass and would move back and forth looking at the same 2 spots for a few minutes and not really eating much of anything. Then she would move a few inches and do the same thing in another spot. Could she be looking at her reflection or just looking for food that she's running out of?

 

[tankedchemist]

pic?

can you see the line running down the middle of her body? if so, she's starving. Mandarins are notoriously hard to keep in small tanks, especially new ones, because they eat a lot of pods and small tanks can't grow them fast enough.

You can add a fuge to grow pods in. You can try to feed sushi roe (get it at an asian market, in the frozen section) or find a friend with a bigger tank that can support her longer term.

 

[RIJohn]

How long has your tank been established?

 

[Bifferwine]

You shouldn't buy a mandarin unless it's eating frozen foods. They will very quickly wipe out all the food in a small tank. Have you tried feeding frozen foods? Soaked in garlic extract?

 

[kevvin27]

My tank has been going for 5 or 6 months now. I was told that an algea scrubber will grow enough pods to keep it well fed. I will try the garlic thing tomorrow if shes still doing the same thing

 

[dcantucson]

If you want to grow your own pods then get a refugium. You can even get a in tank model.

https://www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=46303381

 

[sen5241b]

I've had a lot of luck with Mandarins feeding them 3 things:

1 Ocean Nutrition's Marine Formula One Small pellets
2 Orange sushi row -- in the refrigerator section of Asian markets
3 Live bring shrimp enriched with Selcon

I've watched them quickly gobble these foods down. Turn off flow and drop the food over top the Mandarin.

 

[tlsims]

I had a mated pair of mandarins, i grew my own brine shrimp cause i was scared they were not getting enough pods, and sometimes you just can't get to store or the store is out of what you want etc...You can buy the brine eggs at your LFS store they come in pakage and there dry, get a bucket or old pot anything that will hold water, put them in with a air hose and some food and whola... in about a week you got live shrimp. add some selcon for nutrients and then suck out your desired amount from the bucket and target feed your madarins. my madarins were always fat and happy and so was i cause i did not have to wonder if they were eating.

 

[OmegaOmega]

I had a mandarin goby when i started because it was pretty and the LFS said it was easy to take care of and would be a great sand sifter - lies.

It died shortly after from starvation because it was eating things in my BC faster than they could regenerate.

If you start seeing lines of separation then you're going down the path of a starving mandy.

 

[meshman10]

If I've learned anything from this site its #1 LFS'S are a BUISNESS ie:make $$$ and #2 read up on ANYTHING you plan to put in your tank.I to lost 2 mandrin's the first 1 was on the LFS (got the same sale's pitch) 2nd 1 was on me.I now have a dragon (same specie's different color) but, I watch him eat the frozen mysis and brine I feed the other fish.he won't swim for them but he will pic up the one's that hit the sand..