Uh Oh.....

[Bifferwine]

The OP has been polite and respectful so far... Anyone that doesn't want to post in this thread any longer doesn't have to post here. Time to move on. :)

 

[little_fish]

+1 Biffy

 

[Bifferwine]

If a mandarin takes to frozen food, they are actually very easy fish to keep. They are considered "expert only" because they can be picky eaters. So if yours is eating fine from the start, then you are in luck -- and the fish is no more challenging than any other that you would have started with. :)

 

[baeya]

If a mandarin takes to frozen food, they are actually very easy fish to keep. They are considered "expert only" because they can be picky eaters. So if yours is eating fine from the start, then you are in luck -- and the fish is no more challenging than any other that you would have started with. :)

Thank you. He hasn't eaten yet. I've offered him Nutramar Ova, PE mysis and fresh hatched baby brine shrimp. I have copepods coming tomorrow. I will keep trying to feed him and cleaning up afterwards. I hope he eats soon. He sure is cute! :)

 

[bjohanson1234]

Many fish don't eat for a few days after being put into a tank. Most snap out of it quickly. You can also contact the seller and find out what they fed him. Sometimes fish are picky and only like to eat what they know.

 

[baeya]

Guys, this is obviously a lost cause, haven't we figured that out yet?

Like I said, the OP is convinced he won't be like every other aquarist out there, and that they're 'special'

Lets help the people that actually want help

Actually, I'm a she.....
You know.....I didn't ask for anyones advice about seahorses. I appreciate all the concern for these lovely creatures and it seems you all take your hobby very serioulsy. But, I feel I'm getting good advice from a different source and will put my trust in them. There are many approaches to everything we do in life and each and every one of us is free to make our own choices. I've heard all your warnings and criticisms and I still choose to take advice about the seahorses from them directly. If I don't succeed, I only have myself to blame.
Please stop beating me up and talking about me like I don't care and I don't respect your opinions. I've seen a lot of your tank pictures and they are truly stunning. This isn't my first saltwater aquarium but, it's my first in many years.
I was just trying to make some new friends that I could enjoy my tanks with. I've pissed a lot of you off and I'm sorry. I will leave your precious forum and won't bother any of you again.

I would like a moderator to please delete this thread as it doesn't really seem to serve any purpose.

 

[baeya]

Many fish don't eat for a few days after being put into a tank. Most snap out of it quickly. You can also contact the seller and find out what they fed him. Sometimes fish are picky and only like to eat what they know.

Thank you. I have contacted the seller and ORA by e-mail as their offices are now closed. I'm hoping to hear back from them tomorrow. The mandarin definately perks up when the food goes in and swims around but, hasn't actually eaten anything yet.

 

[FishyReef]

If possible I'd try to hold off feeding him live food until you find out what the seller fed him and try to feed him the same thing. Mandarins are so finicky and even ones that eat prepared food may not do so again once they've had a taste of live pods! But, if the seller doesn't respond in a timely fashion, then by all means try the pods so that he doesn't starve while you're trying to figure it out. Have you tried cyclopeeze yet?

 

[baeya]

If possible I'd try to hold off feeding him live food until you find out what the seller fed him and try to feed him the same thing. Mandarins are so finicky and even ones that eat prepared food may not do so again once they've had a taste of live pods! But, if the seller doesn't respond in a timely fashion, then by all means try the pods so that he doesn't starve while you're trying to figure it out. Have you tried cyclopeeze yet?

I will try and hold off on the pods then. I don't know what cyclopeeze is but, I will look it up right now. If they carry it at the reef store, I can pick some up tomorrow. If they don't carry it, I will order online and overnight it..... thank you for your help.

 

[FishyReef]

It is a type of frozen food that has smaller particles than mysis, etc. - some use it to feed corals. I am wondering if the food you've been trying for the mandarin is too big and am thinking he might go for the smaller cyclopeeze, which he can also pick off the rock. I could be completely off the mark, but I'm guessing he's still pretty young if he came from ORA?

 

[baeya]

Yes, the PE mysis does seem too large for him. The Nutramar Ova is very small, it actually looks like baby brine shrimp. Here is some detail on it...

Nutramar Ova is made from 100% natural frozen prawn eggs. These eggs are highly nutritious and an ideal size (1/16” diameter) for feeding small to medium-sized fishes, corals, and other invertebrates. Nutramar Ova elicits almost immediate feeding responses from many soft and stony corals and finicky fishes. This food is ideal for Mandarins and other dragonets, seahorses and pipefishes, small gobies and blennies, anthias, and many more.

I looked up the Cyclopeeze and I have seen that before. I'll bet the reef store has it in stock. I will take a ride over when they open tomorrow. I'm new to their store and just found out that they order from ORA, so they probably know what they're used to eating.

 

[Bifferwine]

The Nutramar Ova sounds like the right size. Cyclopeeze is bright red and comes in a red freezer bar. It also comes freeze dried (so you have to rehydrate it) but in my experience, fish like the frozen bars much better than the freeze dried powder stuff.

Oyster eggs are another frozen food that mandarins will usually like. If you have one nearby, you may want to stop by an Asian market. They sell sushi roe, which is really popular with fish such as mandarins. Make sure it's unseasoned.

 

[baeya]

I've read a lot of good comments on the cylcopeeze. I will call the guy at the reef store and see if they have it. I'll talk to him about the mandarin as well.
Thanks for all your help! :)

 

[baeya]

I just received an e-mail from ORA and I thought I would share.

Hi Sharon,

Thank you for purchasing an ORA mandarin.

We feed our mandarins Nutramar ova, chopped frozen Hikari bloodworms, frozen Cyclopeeze, frozen baby brine shrimp, and New Life Spectrum pellets. Our mandarins don’t seem to care for frozen mysis although we offer Hikari mysis to them.

The mandarin may be disoriented from shipping and being put in an aquarium. She has been raised in a production style environment and she may be a little overstimulated by all the new sights, sounds and textures.

One thing you can do to help her would be to confine the food in a feeding jar. Just tip over a glass jar on the bottom of the aquarium and put the food in there so it won't blow around and your mandarin can find it again easily.

Please let me know how you do.

Thanks,

Laura

I like the idea about the glass jar! And I will pick up some of the food choices that I don't already have tomorrow.

 

[Bifferwine]

Good luck!

 

[baeya]

Good luck!

Thank you! I'm gonna need it.....

 

[Bifferwine]

Well, it can take weeks to months for a mandarin to starve to death. And when they are starving, it is very obvious. They become super skinny and their sides cave in. So if you continue to have a problem getting her to eat, just watch her and keep an eye on her appearance. If it gets bad, you may have to give her to someone that has an established, mature tank (or bring her to a LFS).

 

[baeya]

Well, it can take weeks to months for a mandarin to starve to death. And when they are starving, it is very obvious. They become super skinny and their sides cave in. So if you continue to have a problem getting her to eat, just watch her and keep an eye on her appearance. If it gets bad, you may have to give her to someone that has an established, mature tank (or bring her to a LFS).

Yes, I will keep a close eye on her. When I speak with the guy from the reef place tomorrow, I will ask him about taking her. I thought it was very nice of the lady from ORA to contact me so quickly with the information I requested.

 

[Ted]

I just love mandarins...I havent tried one yet. I am hoping that yours is going to make.

 

[baeya]

I just love mandarins...I havent tried one yet. I am hoping that yours is going to make.

Thanks Ted. I hope so too.