Mandarin

[Illusion4]

So here's my question-- I'm gonna move into a dorm shortly that allows small fish tanks. The largest I could get is a 20 but I could possibly convince them to let me do a 30. I've always wanted a mandarin, so do you think I could put JUST a mandarin in one of those? Plenty of live rock and with prepared foods/live brine shrimp of course. Would this work?

 

[Gboy66]

If you get the 30, yes you could. But they are definitly not easy fish to keep. Most wont eat prepared foods, so in order for you to have enough time to teach them to eat prepared, you need alot of pods. If you wish to buy them, youll be spending tons of money on them every week. If you choose to grow them, it will take about 8 months to grow enough. Your choice!

 

[Mpfaff77]

Not right away. Need to let tank mature a lot. I'd say minimum 6 months. Really should have a refugium too. Could do HOB refuge

 

[Illusion4]

What's refrugium? Sorry, new to that term

 

[Mpfaff77]

What's refrugium? Sorry, new to that term

Search this forum. Tons of info. But in short it is a separate tank with live rock and macro algea with no predators and it allows pods and other beneficial organisms to flourish and supply main tank. Almost mandatory for a mandarin.

Most of the time they go in the sump. But without a sump they have hang on back or even in tank refugiums.

 

[mr_X]

I would have to disagree. Unless it's eating prepared foods, which was mentioned above, you won't be able to keep a mandarin in a 30 gallon.

 

[AquaRick]

If it's just eating pods...a 30 won't cut it. Not enough volume to support a pod population for 1 mandarin.

 

[Gti_Leo]

agree with doug, or atleast once a week you need to buy it a bottle of pods for it to eat.

they are a beautiful fish but are extremely picky eaters

 

[Mpfaff77]

My mandarin loves frozen blood worms. Took him 2 months before he even tried his first bloodworm tho