Mandarin Goby Vs. Damsels
- Thread starter ClownMan
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
cleantank
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
The mangarin's going to die alway, so why not let him be harassed!!! But to answer
your question, probably not.
steve-
your question, probably not.
steve-
loganj
Aquarium Advice Addict
Mandarin Gobies will only live in a well established, mature (no less than 1 yr old) reef tank. This is because they depend on the pods and other tiny crustaceans that live in the sandbed for food. It takes a while for these populations to become well enough established to support the goby. If they are not, the Mandarin will starve to death. Unless your tank meets these requirements, I would not suggest getting a Mandarin. Actually, I doubt a 30gal would support a Mandarin even if it was a mature tank...just not big enough. JMHO.
flatzboy
Aquarium Advice Activist
how long do you think it would last before it would die off?
revhtree
Aquarium Advice Addict
cleantank wrote:
In my opinion there is a better way to answer someones question than using sarcasim. It does not benifet someone to be sarcastic. Some people, like me, dont know that much about this hobby yet. So IMHO, state the facts of why it would not be advisable to have a madarin in the tank. Don't mean to sound harsh, but this is a peacful community.
In my opinion there is a better way to answer someones question than using sarcasim. It does not benifet someone to be sarcastic. Some people, like me, dont know that much about this hobby yet. So IMHO, state the facts of why it would not be advisable to have a madarin in the tank. Don't mean to sound harsh, but this is a peacful community.
flatzboy
Aquarium Advice Activist
I second you on that revhtree. The majority of the people and advisors are little harsh on how they reply and make people sound stupid. A lot of people think just because they have more posts that they know more and what they say is right.
snapcrackler
Aquarium Advice Addict
It's actually a mandarin dragonet
Mandarins are sort of "invisible" and gentle.... they leave everyone alone and the others don't seem to see them...
But I wouldn't trust Damsels even in that situation. They're just plain unpredictable and snippy.
If you add LOTS of rubble type rock and you see pods on the glass constantly you might be able to pull it off with a dragonet. A rougher substrate also helps a lot (pods populate this type of substrate more than with sand). But as much as they eat you will find that you'l need a large amount of rubble and a fuge would be a good idea too with that smaller tank if you decide to do it.
My way of knowing there are enough pods is that I see copepods and amphipods every day in the rocks and on the glass, plentifully, in my mandarin tank. It has lots and lots of rubble. This way I know the mandarin has enough to eat. It is also important to know the shape of their body, i.e. a healthy tummy curve.
Steve - s had a cool article about this a while back I will have to go digging for it.
Mandarins are sort of "invisible" and gentle.... they leave everyone alone and the others don't seem to see them...
But I wouldn't trust Damsels even in that situation. They're just plain unpredictable and snippy.
If you add LOTS of rubble type rock and you see pods on the glass constantly you might be able to pull it off with a dragonet. A rougher substrate also helps a lot (pods populate this type of substrate more than with sand). But as much as they eat you will find that you'l need a large amount of rubble and a fuge would be a good idea too with that smaller tank if you decide to do it.
My way of knowing there are enough pods is that I see copepods and amphipods every day in the rocks and on the glass, plentifully, in my mandarin tank. It has lots and lots of rubble. This way I know the mandarin has enough to eat. It is also important to know the shape of their body, i.e. a healthy tummy curve.
Steve - s had a cool article about this a while back I will have to go digging for it.
snapcrackler
Aquarium Advice Addict
loganj said:
That's kinda what I was thinking too.
Mine's in a 40g long in the "rubble tank" but I sorta feel like that is about minimum size.
loganj
Aquarium Advice Addict
flatzboy said:
While I agree that sometimes members do answer a bit more harshly than necessary, I think that most of the advisors, if not all, give factual answers or educated opinions for each question they answer. You have to remember that, often, we answer the same questions over and over and over. While we don't have a problem with this, and understand that people are not born knowing about aquariums, answers tend to get shorter and more to the point with references to the search feature on the site and several articles that have been published on the site. This isn't a matter of not wanting to answer as much as it is the callouses on our fingertips from all the typing 8O . The staff here, as a whole, tries to maintain a family atmosphere and keep things as friendly as possible. When the inevitable flare-ups occur between members, we try to handle it via PM in a quiet and friendly way. If anyone feels like there is a problem, or feels that anyone on the staff has been harsh with them, I would encourage them to contact either of our site administrators. Reefrunner or fishfreek...and I promise you they will look into it. Sorry for the off topic post, but I wanted everyone to know that any issues like this need not go unresolved.
In response to the question of how long the mandarin would last, that would depend on the food supply. There isn't really any way to say exactly how long, but it would die from slow starvation. This is why we don't recommend these fish for most folks...they have special requirements.
snapcrackler
Aquarium Advice Addict
The response from THIS thread that generated the hurt feelings was by Cleantank who said this:
Ironically, Cleantank's signature says:
:?
Ironically, Cleantank's signature says:
:?
ScurdOfCychlidz
Aquarium Advice Regular
i think some of you might be over-sensitive
8)
8)
quarryshark
Aquarium Advice Addict
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I don't have a mandarin but I have 2 scooter dragonets. I must be lucky because both of them have taken a liking to the angelfish preparation I feed my Maculosus.
Of course I need to target feed them, they are way to slow to compete with the angel and my Yellow tang. That combined with the pods in my tank, they seem to get plenty.
Of course I need to target feed them, they are way to slow to compete with the angel and my Yellow tang. That combined with the pods in my tank, they seem to get plenty.
snapcrackler
Aquarium Advice Addict
ScurdOfCychlidz said:
To what degree would you propose that rudeness may be used in place of courtesy, ScurdofCychlidz?
We don't come here to get slammed. That happens enough during the day.
loganj
Aquarium Advice Addict
snapcrackler said:
I realize that it might not have been the best answer, but please folks, lets not get any further into this on the forum. At the top of each post is a button labeled "report". If you see a post that you think violated the user agreement or is in poor taste, click the report button and it will be reviewed by the staff. If you see something you think is a serious problem, contact fishfreek or reefrunner. But lets keep the forums friendly and fish related.
This one is about Mandarin Dragonets (which was a good catch on the proper name by snapcrackler 8) ) Both of these fish, the Scooter and the Mandarin depend on live foods to survive long term. According to Robert Fenner, most don't live more than a month after capture due to lack of proper foods. Also, according to Fenner, although they may take prepared foods, they can not live solely on this diet. According to what I have read about these fish, 30g is the absolute minimum that will sustain them and that assumes a well established reef tank with a refugium and no other fish that will interfere with the dragonets feeding. A well populated reef tank should be at least 150g to support a dragonet. I have a Scooter in a 180 reef that has been doing well for about 6 months now. How long have you had your scooters, quarryshark, and have you noticed them hunting for pods?
quarryshark
Aquarium Advice Addict
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I have had them since December, they are doing just fine and eat very well. I do target feed them daily. The larger fish are just too fast for them.
I watch them a lot, they are probably the most interesting fish in my tank. They constantly pick the sand I assume in search of pods.
When I clean out my polyfilter, I always have a dozen or so pods caught in it. I gather them up and drop them back in the tank. My scooters are all over them in a matter of second.
So far no problem with them. I didn't know until after I purchased them, all the problem associated with them. So I probably give them more attention because of this. Actually I think I have a male and a female. They are always together and the larger one lately is "showing off" to the smaller. He will jump in front of her and flare up his fins doing a little "dance". I assume this is a courtship ritual.
I just order this on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4305587266
With the hopes of beefing up my pod population some more. Am also going to evict one of my sand sifting stars to help keep the pod population up.
Great fish, I really enjoy them.
But I would not suggest them for someone unless they are commited to properly care for them and have a large enough tank with a good pod population.
Here is a pic of the larger (male I think).
I watch them a lot, they are probably the most interesting fish in my tank. They constantly pick the sand I assume in search of pods.
When I clean out my polyfilter, I always have a dozen or so pods caught in it. I gather them up and drop them back in the tank. My scooters are all over them in a matter of second.
So far no problem with them. I didn't know until after I purchased them, all the problem associated with them. So I probably give them more attention because of this. Actually I think I have a male and a female. They are always together and the larger one lately is "showing off" to the smaller. He will jump in front of her and flare up his fins doing a little "dance". I assume this is a courtship ritual.
I just order this on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4305587266
With the hopes of beefing up my pod population some more. Am also going to evict one of my sand sifting stars to help keep the pod population up.
Great fish, I really enjoy them.
But I would not suggest them for someone unless they are commited to properly care for them and have a large enough tank with a good pod population.
Here is a pic of the larger (male I think).
jennymit21
Aquarium Advice Freak
he's sooo adorable. i love them b/c they have such personalities. i recently went to the boston aquarium (visiting my family) and fell in love (sigh) someday when i have the funds i will finally get my reef tank sorrry about hijacking the thread.... just wanted to comment on the cute lil guy.
quarryshark
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Yes, he is a sweetheart. First up to the glass when I come to the tank. No matter where is is, he always makes his way over and will swim up and down the front, kinda like saying "hi".
loganj
Aquarium Advice Addict
The Scooter in the 180 has a similar personality. Everyone who sees him usually has the same comment...something along the lines of "He's so cute!". Anyway, perhaps others can add their comments or experiences with these fish...either Scooters or Mandarins. The best way to avoid disappointing experiences with fish that have special needs to to get the info out there.
quarryshark
Aquarium Advice Addict
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loganj said:
Agree, this is a good thread. They are cool, but do require some work. Do you target feed yours?
loganj
Aquarium Advice Addict
Nope, he gets whatever scraps fall to the bottom + whatever pods he can round up. I tried dropping some carnivore pellets in for him at one time...they were too large for the scooter and the hermits were faster than he was anyway. The tank he's in has a good population of pods though.
