Mandarin takes frozen after 9 months

[SkinnyPete]

Just a quick post of excitement. My female mandarin FINALLY took frozen mysis after 9 months in my tank. I tried a different strategy. Lately, I've noticed when I shut my pumps and sump off during feeding, she climbs to the top of the rock structure, since the crazy top current is calm, and picks at pods on the top rocks. She's NEVER up there normally. Since she spends so much time on one particular rock, I fed my tank then when I was sure fish were done eating, I used a turkey baster and made sure a bunch of mysis were just scattered on that flat rock. While she was searching the rock for food she ate all of the mysis. They are the big ones, so she spit one out that she just couldn't swallow. Now that I have a strategy and she seems interested - I'll buy smaller ones. Anyway I'm psyched and just thought I'd share. Shared with the wife, but I don't think she understands the magnitude of what I just witnessed

- Skins

 

[Lance M.]

Great to hear! I'll have to try that out with mine. I just fed them today so I'll try it in the next couple of days.

What type of mandarin is it? I have a spotted mandarin.

On a side note- How do you tell if they are female or male?

 

[SkinnyPete]

Spotteds will usually accept frozen a little easier than the Green Mandarins. I have a female green mandarin, which is hit or miss with frozen (USUALLY miss). I've been trying all kinds of things that just haven't worked. I've got 170lbs of live rock and a 20g fuge loaded with pods, so she's healthy but I wouldn't mind if she were a little fatter. Plus, I'd love to get her a male. I don't want to take the chance without getting at least her on frozen.

I'm not sure about sexing the spotted, but the male green mandarins have an extra trigger-like fin. See the attached picture. The first fin close to the head has a trailing trigger-like fin. Females do not have this.

 

[flanque]

That's great to hear. It can be hard to get these ones to take frozen feed. I'd love to have one but don't want to risk a death.

 

[melosu58]

That is great news. That is one less worry you will have.