Green Mandarin? Fish recommendations?

[cocodonovan]

I have a 29gal biocube that I got about 3 months ago. It has

Lots of rock
Watchman goby
Fire shrimp
Firefish goby
Hawk fish
Torch coral
Snails and crabs

I know this type of fish can be hard to feed, but I'm wondering if they're worth it? And could they do good in my tank? If not, does anyone recommend any other colorful fish that would add life to the tank? Thanks!


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[Sniperhank]

I was able to keep a mandarin alive in my 55 reef for over a year. It took monthly additions of thousands of pods on top of it eating frozen foods. They are quite hard to keep and expensive. The smaller the tank, the harder to keep fed.
If you want something colorful, I'd look elsewhere. Look at the nano section of liveaquaria to see if anything catches your eye.

 

[BLUElobster99]

Skip it. Unless you have a giant fuge or are propagating pods in a dedicated tank.

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[54seaweed]

read this article will help you better understand mandarins needs

...I'd like to buy a Mandarin! | Melev's Reef

 

[Mr. Crabs]

Not saying it can't be done, but it will probably waste away within 3 months in your set up. Massive undisturbed live rock pile to keep reproduction going of their food source is needed for one mandarin.

You can try and find a tank raised Manadarin and pay the premium but it still requires a LOT of work to ween it and KEEP it on prepared foods.

 

[mr_X]

I'm in agreement with the above. Skip it in a 29. I'm going to wait a year or so before I get a pair of them for my 300.

 

[Toffee]

Skip it til u have at least one yr old tank, a sump that the pods can grow, and when the pods populate themselves all over.

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[Raleighfishnerd]

Loved my Mandarin but food was costly and he only last 1.5 years. Just got a citron goby and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite fish. Always swimming around trying to find another place to chill or food to eat

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[Toffee]

I had scooter benney and mandarin at one pt in my 55g tank ,(not at the same time). They both lasted little over 4months.

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[Mr. Crabs]

Mandarins are a heart breaking fish and here's why. They are remarkably beautiful and sophisticated in appearance. They are affordable. They are small and charming. But they like to eat pods...and that's the problem friend. Every time I see one, I am reminded of my own learning curve 10 years ago and pass.

Coolest home "tank" I've ever seen one in that was most appropriate for his needs was a baby pool sump with hundreds of pounds of developed live rock. He was fat, happy, and well taken care of by doing little more than looking at him in the baby pool sump. They watch you watch them which is soooo cool.

If I could pick one fish that would be undiscovered in the hobby and left out of the LFS offerings, this would be it. I'd take a moorish idol or a parrot fish with vacation blocks before I'd take home a Manadarin.

 

[carey]

I have to agree with the above. I did have a mandarin, for a few years in fact but the stress every day I faced if he died or not was just not worth it. I checked the tank several times a day and still fed him like 6 times a day or more, even after he started eating frozen which I must say I was REALLY lucky he did. Most dont convert to prepared foods and then its just a waiting game to see how long he can live with the pods you have in your tank. It's so sad that this beautiful fish has come to this. I wouldnt get another one I dont think. My Mandy has been gone for over a year and I still miss seeing her, but the risks in getting another one are just too great.

 

[Toffee]

How long does it take the pods to populate？I got a can of those red pods from a LFS like 3 weeks ago for my refug/sump. I am starting to see spots of red algae on the side panel.

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[paul87]

I would also highly suggest passing on the mandarin. Suggestions of colorful fish for your tank:
-Tailspot Blenny
-Dottyback
-Royal Gramma
-Pygmy Angel (Can be risky with coral sometimes. Mainly SPS.)
-Swissguard Basslet (Pricey but beautiful.)
-Forktail Blenny (Often overlooked, but a very cool fish.)
-Ocellaris Clownfish
-Yellow Stripped Cardinal

 

[54seaweed]

How long does it take the pods to populate？I got a can of those red pods from a LFS like 3 weeks ago for my refug/sump. I am starting to see spots of red algae on the side panel.

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spots of red algae are not signs of pods
you can sometimes have pods populating in you tank during your cycle
you may also see pods in your tank after it cycles but the question is are there enough to support a mandarin the answer is no
why you may ask it's because the pods you are seeing will die off slowly after your cycle, pods will start to populate over time as your tank matures usually
around 6 months to a year , as you are waiting to add your mandarin you may add other fish some of which may consume pods this will diminish your pod population rapidly in small tanks up to around 30g, pod populations have a better chance on increasing there populations in larger tanks
mandarins can eat from 1500 to 2000 pods a day if not more and can wipe out a large population of pods in a matter of days

I got lucky when I got my mandarin I was able to train hm to eat other foods besides pods ,brine shrimp , pellets , frozen mysiss , also live baby mysiss
it cost me a fortune to buy pods and other foods for him all the time until I started to raise my own food, pods ,brine ,and mysiss , it was a lot of work
just to feed a mandarin
I had my mandarin over 3+ years I lost the poor guy during a transfer over to my 90g tank
will I ever get another mandarin I would love too. but do I really want all that stress of raising all kinds of foods for him to survive it was hard work ,
yes they are beautiful fish but the odds to me getting another I got better odds getting hit with a snowball in july
I had also posted a link in post 4 above that will provide more info

 

[Toffee]

Oh I am not trying to get a mandarian, just trying to raise pods to support species in my tank.

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[54seaweed]

well most of the same stuff apply s

in your early stages you will see pods during cycle even after , those will most likely die off , as your tank matures pods will slowly start to populate , around 6 months in they will start increasing and around a year they'll be a lot , but if you ever add any fish that eats pods your population will slowly decrease