I was at the local Petco near my work with a co-worker (he just started the whole fishkeeping thing), helping him pick out a good fish to start with and what do you think I see? A green mandarin in a tank, I have been back a few times in the last 3-4 weeks and it is still there. So i asked one of the girls at the store what they feed him, her reply was bloodworms and brine shrimp. Does that seem right? How long does it take a fish to starve? If they have had it for a month, then they must be able to feed it? TIA
Wow! a mandarin
- Thread starter ercfish
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I am not looking to purchase this fish or I would (tank just finishing cycling). Was more curious as to how long it would take a fish to starve to death. They have no LR at this store so, the mandarin would have to be eating for it to have been there this long? Just trying to "bank" away some more knowledge that I may use in the future when I am ready to buy some livestock.
ReefLady
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I think it could possibly live for more than a month ... but with no LR or DSB, I'd guess maybe 3-4 months at the very most. That is, of course, if it is not accepting prepared food. Some mandarins (few) do, but even then, they need live food to thrive long-term.
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
The smaller the fish the quicker it will succumb to starvation, most fish can last a month or so, some more. After about 2-3 weeks with no food, permanant damage is done to the gut and intestines.
For what it is worth, this mandarin was about an inch to an inch and a half, so real small. Am now seriously considering this fish to buy, after 4 weeks in QT tank, he would be ready about the same time I think the tank would be ready.
MT79
Aquarium Advice Addict
how much $. Just curious?
HoopsGuru
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I would seriously consider either allowing the tank to mature more and get a thriving pod population started, or add a fishless refugium. A newly cycled and stable aquarium just won't have the population available to handle the constant feeding of this species.
I would also do as recommended and demand that you see the fish eat first. My LFS swore that my leaf fish ate mollies when I purchased it, and this could not have been further from the truth.
If it does eat, I would quickly attempt to vary its diet to something other than brine. It isn't very nutritious, chopped up mysis and zooplankton would be much better.
Decide on what is best for the fish in your own good judgement, if you don't get it now there will be others.
I would also do as recommended and demand that you see the fish eat first. My LFS swore that my leaf fish ate mollies when I purchased it, and this could not have been further from the truth.
If it does eat, I would quickly attempt to vary its diet to something other than brine. It isn't very nutritious, chopped up mysis and zooplankton would be much better.
Decide on what is best for the fish in your own good judgement, if you don't get it now there will be others.
hoops-i have a lot of pods and a sump with rock and ls,right now my lfs has a green mandarin that he is holding for me and seeing if he can get him to eat other things..if it works out that this fish will accept other food do you think in a 75 if i switch rocks in and out of the sump that i will beable to keep enough of a pod population to have him stay healthy? am a little worried because i have heard they hunt pods day and night do not want him to starve...please any opinions welcome.
two11devan
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Are these fish really hard to keep? I love em and really want one.....I have a 30 gal tank with about 30 lbs of lr....I wanna add some more soon...My tank has been running for almost 4 months now. My sand bed is only about 2.5 inches deep though....I was considering making the bed deeper. Will this fish be able to survive in my tank with its current conditions? What if i witness it taking prepared food?
sillyfishy
Aquarium Advice Regular
I just got a mandarin a few days ago, he was in a tank with no live rock just some fake decorations. The guy said he eats live brine shrimp and he'll find other things to eat in the live rock. He looked nice in the tank but it was kinda hard to get e real good look at him, he was swimming alond the bottom and sides. Anyway, I got gim home and was floating him in the bag I looked up at him from the bottom and his little belly is all sunk in he looks kinda skinny from the top too. I have seen him pickin at the like rock and I've been putting lotsa live brine shrip in for him... what else can I do for him... I hope he has a better chance in my tank, I hope I took him out of a bad place and put him in a better one. 
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
While this is certainly likely, it may not be enough. Mandarins rarely eat anything but pods off the LR and LS, if you have a muture tank w/100 lbs of LR or more with a healthy pod population, the fish may fatten back up and be OK.
HoopsGuru
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Sorry for the delay! I think the 75g with plenty of LR will do fine, I would continue to attempt to feed it prepared foods after you introduce it to the tank. Patience is key, it took me a year to get my leaf fish to eat prepared foods, but now it consumes it readily.
sillyfishy
Aquarium Advice Regular
I just found mine dead, he didn't even make it even a few days in my tank, I feel so bad, the poor little guy
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm sorry for your loss.
Fishboy-from-NY
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Dude I wish you the best of luck with that fish since I was interested in one, but I gave up after the difficulties in feeding.
As of yesterday (10-12-03) he was still there and I actually saw the silly thing eat some flake food, I have never heard of that. Girl at the store told me that he was a pig and would eat anything put into the tank. If he is there when my 2 clowns are out of QT, think I will take a chance on him.
gooyferret
Aquarium Advice FINatic
ercfish,
I see your from MN and so am I what petco you looking at? If you are looking at the "New" one over in the burnsville area and many other petco's in our area you notice they have no LR and no LS or any inverts. This is because the tank is being run with cooper so be careful on your purchase.
I see your from MN and so am I what petco you looking at? If you are looking at the "New" one over in the burnsville area and many other petco's in our area you notice they have no LR and no LS or any inverts. This is because the tank is being run with cooper so be careful on your purchase.
