Pods without a fuge

[Mcmcoker]

I've done some reading and have seen that pods can be successfully established without a fuge. My question is do I need true uv lights led/t5 etc for this to work or can I get away with just using the aqueon full spectrum light that I have now. I plan on getting some LEDs very soon but I want a dragonet soon also and know that if I'm going to have any success with the pods and no fuge that I need to get them established in the dt before I get the dragonet

 

[Sniperhank]

You can establish pods anywhere, but the reason for a refugium for pods is providing then a safe place to reproduce. Mandarins consume a ton of pods and can destroy an entire population in a day. You would need a large tank in the 100 gallon range full of pods for this to work IMO. And that would be with one dragonette.

 

[Mcmcoker]

From what I read you just need some small piles of chunked live rock, a place for the pods to hide where the dragonet couldn't get to them. But more importantly to my previous question, would they be fine or thrive without LEDs or t5s

 

[Sniperhank]

Light doesn't matter. And I've read that about rock piles, but I've watched my mandarin pick through my piles without much issue.

 

[Mcmcoker]

Ahh good to know thanks

 

[Sniperhank]

To think outside the box, even a torn apart HOB filter would work with some rock rubble or growing macro algae to provide a safe haven for them.

 

[Mcmcoker]

I have a puffer and damsel in the tank currently, would I be able try to establish pods in the tank now or do you think the current fish eat them

 

[Sniperhank]

Yeah those guys don't care about pods.

 

[CaptainJugz]

A damsel will decimate a pod population just the same, watch them. As they pick constantly at any passing particle from the water column, they will keep the populations to a minimum. Just one cardinal in my fuge was able to clean it free of all visible pods of many kinds. A predator free fuge or main tank is the only way to give the buggers plenty of room to grow into swarming clouds of tasty live treats....

 

[carey]

I wouldnt think of adding a mandarin to a tank with a puffer and damsel. The dragonettes are somewhat hardy but I think a damsel might be too too much for it. My mandarin is constantly hunting, every single minute of the day. Rock in the DT wont be enough to keep a pod colony going for a mandarin.

BUT if you get an ORA mandarin you have a better shot at it eating prepared foods. My ORA one did not eat pellets or flakes or anything but pods though, at least for the first month. Thats where the pods and fuge came into lay. If I hadnt had the refugium set up I guarantee the mandarin would have starved in the month that it took me to get her eating prepared foods. They can decimate an entire pod colony in days, they do nothing but hunt and eat all day/

 

[Mcmcoker]

I wouldnt think of adding a mandarin to a tank with a puffer and damsel. The dragonettes are somewhat hardy but I think a damsel might be too too much for it. My mandarin is constantly hunting, every single minute of the day. Rock in the DT wont be enough to keep a pod colony going for a mandarin. BUT if you get an ORA mandarin you have a better shot at it eating prepared foods. My ORA one did not eat pellets or flakes or anything but pods though, at least for the first month. Thats where the pods and fuge came into lay. If I hadnt had the refugium set up I guarantee the mandarin would have starved in the month that it took me to get her eating prepared foods. They can decimate an entire pod colony in days, they do nothing but hunt and eat all day/

Good to know thank you, yes I forgot to mention that I'm basically starting over. The damsel and puffer will be going back to lfs so I can start a non aggressive reef tank.

 

[carey]

ahh good, thats a start. Is there a reason you dont or cant have a refugium? Thats really the best bet when wanting to get a pod population going.

 

[Jaketit]

I just went to a lfs yesterday and the guy recently set up a 120 and put a pile of rubble in the the back of the tank then built his rock work over and around it for a pod population. Looks like it will work pretty good. Maybe try that. I have a 20 long fuge on my 55 and I really don't have a good population in the DT or the fuge. I find few in my filter sock weekly and see some monsters in my fuge but not enough to sustain a fish that would rely on them. I have a couple peppermints in my fuge, I'm not sure if they snack on them. Maybe ill put a small hob with rubble in my sump and see if I can get some population.
Stock: 6 line wrasse, hawk fish, yellow striped maroon, fire shrimp and a royal gramma.

 

[Spechty37]

Your wrasse is probably eating all your pods. A few months back I had a large pod population and I got a wrasse and now in a months time when I turn out the lights to look for pods I see less then a quarter of what I had just saying

 

[Jaketit]

Your wrasse is probably eating all your pods. A few months back I had a large pod population and I got a wrasse and now in a months time when I turn out the lights to look for pods I see less then a quarter of what I had just saying

Oh I'm sure. That dude is always picking of the rocks but my sump to is pretty low.

 

[Mcmcoker]

ahh good, thats a start. Is there a reason you dont or cant have a refugium? Thats really the best bet when wanting to get a pod population going.

I do have plans to set up a sump at some point but I need lights first. I don't have a huge budget for this hobby so I'm going slow, one piece at a time but I still want to have as cool a tank as possible in mean time, ya know

 

[Mcmcoker]

I just went to a lfs yesterday and the guy recently set up a 120 and put a pile of rubble in the the back of the tank then built his rock work over and around it for a pod population. Looks like it will work pretty good. Maybe try that. I have a 20 long fuge on my 55 and I really don't have a good population in the DT or the fuge. I find few in my filter sock weekly and see some monsters in my fuge but not enough to sustain a fish that would rely on them. I have a couple peppermints in my fuge, I'm not sure if they snack on them. Maybe ill put a small hob with rubble in my sump and see if I can get some population. Stock: 6 line wrasse, hawk fish, yellow striped maroon, fire shrimp and a royal gramma.

Yes I was thinking of just building a substantial rubble pile under all my live rock, adding pods and seeing what their population looks like after a month

 

[mr_X]

What size tank are we talking here?

 

[Mcmcoker]

36g bowfront

 

[mr_X]

I doubt you will be able to keep a mandarin in a 36 gallon tank. Not unless it's eats prepared foods. A single mandarin will empty a tank like that of pods in about a week.