Green mandarin

[Lowsdime]

Any one have one of these?? They look awesome but everywhere I look says they're difficult to keep but doesn't give a reason why they are difficult? Any body have any insight??

 

[Fischerman45]

They aren't difficult so long as you have plenty of pods. You gan buy triggerpods from the store so they reproduce in your aquarium. That's all they eat. I own a female green mandarin and bought a bottle of pods for $20 put 3/4 in the tank towards the bottom by LR & 1/4 in my sump.

 

[Biocube14]

They are hard to keep because they usually starve to death because lack of copepods in the tank.. You can dose the tank with cultures or train them to eat frozen or pellet foods.. Wild caught are way less likely to eat these foods so get a tank bred if you have the option.. I won't buy one till I dose my tank..

 

[carey]

I picked up a blue ORA tank bred mandarin a few weeks ago and to be honest she picks at prepared food at best. It's very common for them to revert back to pods even if they were raised on regular food.

if you have some serious live rock thats established you should have enough of a pod population to support one MAYBE. Thye can eat through an entire tank in a few weeks. A refugium helps too.

Just things to consider, as most do starve in aquariums.

 

[Lowsdime]

Are Copepods hard to keep living once added to the tank

 

[Biocube14]

Carey-you having trouble with one? I was gonna order one on Wednesday but I think imma pass now..how much did u pay for the blue??

 

[carey]

It depends on your tank. Under the right conditions they will multipy to a consistent level at some point. I'm still seeing flucuations in my 125g even with a refugium. Some weeks I literally have thousands on my glass some times nothing on the glass.

Alot of live rock thats well established will help your pod populations as well

 

[carey]

Carey-you having trouble with one? I was gonna order one on Wednesday but I think imma pass now..how much did u pay for the blue??

Mine was $45 and it';s barely eating prepared. I happen to have a fuge in my biocube so I have pods but she's not eating as advertised. :-(

I know she's eating though, she's still pooping like a little fiend. lol

 

[Biocube14]

I think before I get one, I'm gonna build a fuge and build up some copepods.. A lot of work for one fish. I lost one already not knowing what I was buying.

 

[Biocube14]

They're asking 60. I'm gonna pass and put it towards my new clowns.. Maybe later after I see pods everywhere..

 

[Dbrown4u]

That was the first fish I bought for my tank and he's doing great, I got him for 20 bucks and all they said I need to feed him is brine shrimp and it seems like that's working pretty good

 

[ezy33]

If you have a LFS have them feed some live Brine Shirmp to them. I had a pair that would eat Mysis Shrimp after starting on live Brine. Also no tank mates that eat Pods like a Scotter Blenny (my first mistake).

 

[ezy33]

BS

That was the first fish I bought for my tank and he's doing great, I got him for 20 bucks and all they said I need to feed him is brine shrimp and it seems like that's working pretty good

Brine Shrimp are like candy, they hold little nutrition, try to wean them on to Mysis Shrimp or other foods. Of course Pods need to be in there too.

 

[ezy33]

P.S. your Blue Tang will need a 180 gallon aquarium.

 

[Dbrown4u]

Oh, they didn't tell me that lol I don have any pods...that I know of? Do they live on live rock by any chance? Cause the mandarin loves the live rock, and I'll try the mysis out soon

 

[Dbrown4u]

I heard that before, but until I get a larger tank which should be pretty soon, he's gonna have to live in small ocean lol

 

[Lowsdime]

How much do the tank raised go for I imaine they're more expensive??

 

[ilostnemo]

How much do the tank raised go for I imaine they're more expensive??

at my work they are usally 59 straight from ora

 

[Lowsdime]

Ora? sry still a newb?

 

[rive1404]

I've had one for about 2 years now. They're the easiest fish to keep (provided you keep their food source in healthy supply). I re-seed my tank with copepods every 4 months. Keep the tank healthy and your livestock peaceful, non-aggressive fish and you'll be able to enjoy your mandarin for years to come. I let my tank mature for around 6 months before even thinking about adding one.