How do you QT a Green Mandarin?

[Claw Atticas]

My tank is about 8 months old now, with plenty of "bugs" swimming around at night, so I think it's ready for a Green Mandarin. The thing I'm wondering now, is how do you QT it? I know most only eat copepods (There's an LFS near here that feeds them bloodworms), and usually a QT tank doesn't have a good supply of those. Would I have to buy reef pods? (My LFSes either don't stock them, or are always sold out) Could I put a piece of live rock from the main tank in the QT that might have 'pods in it? Use water from the main tank for QT water changes?

 

[austinsdad]

Ya know, maybe it's just me but I wouldn't QT a mandarin. Not one of the ick prone species IMO. Plus the feeding issue makes it a sure thing for me to put him directly into the main.

 

[pat8you]

Agree with austinsdad. I would watch one in the LFS for a while keep an eye on him there. Make sure you get one they have had for a little bit and not freshly shipped. If you are planning on putting the mandarin in the 44 SW hex i would probably reconsider. I don't think that will be a big enough tank to support thier requirements for natural food supply.

 

[melosu58]

Yes I think Ray might be right. I would ask the LFS to feed them and see if it hopefully will eat prepared foods. Not all will though.

 

[Ziggy953]

I absolutely agree with Austinsdad!

My LFS will put theirs directly into a fuge system when they get them to fatten them up off the pod population. As Ray mentioned they are not one of the ich prone fish. I would make sure to acclimate them for a bit longer then you would other fish and then get them in your system.

As a word of caution this fish is very difficult to keep alive. They pretty much rely on live copepods for food and if you don't have a refugium on your system then you are going to have to buy some form of pods to help them out. I would not suggest this fish to anyone with less then a 55g tank and a very well established refugium and LOTS of LR in the main.

 

[heidi]

I had a mandarin, they are really hard to keep, you really do need a well established tank at the very least a year old if it has any chance of survival they will eat brine if they have too but his natural food is copepods and as it is near immposible to tank breed mandarins that will be what he wants and what he is used too, they are very sensitive and if not happy will starve themselves to death so that is why the more established the better