Green Mandarin

[ercfish]

I have a simple question regarding the mandarin. If a pet store has one that you have seen readily eat frozen foods, is it still a fish that you should avoid purchasing? Are there other negative facotrs to this fish other then it's poor survival rate in captivity? Would your tank still need to be "matured" before getting such a fish? TIA

 

[reefrunner69]

Even though it is eating frozen foods (very rare), your tank should still contain some LR and be reasonably mature. I have been looking for one that eats prepared foods and have yet to find one :? When feeding this fish, you should make sure a quality zooplankton is part of the diet (like SweetWaters).

 

[ercfish]

Well I got 80 lbs of LR in a 45 gallon, tank is new so I am not even remotely considering any fish much less a mandarin. I always thought of it as an "untouchable" fish until I ran across one at a LFS. Store owner claimed it would eat prepared foods, and was willing to demonstrate it to me, but as I said, I am no where near ready for fish. Just wanted to know if this was an option If you found that appeared to eat prepared foods. I have heard of a few people on this board that claim that they have mandarins that will eat frozen foods.

 

[kidafius]

Go for it! I always recommend against it, but if he's eating shrimp, and you have 80 lbs. LR, I think you are in a very good position to have a healthy goby. IMO you should soak the shrimp in a good supplement, though. Good luck. I can't wait to see some pics.

 

[alrmc4]

ok now i have a mission will continue to go to fish stores until i find one

 

[specialk]

I have a Spotted Mandarin & Scooted Blenny that eats Live Brine & Frozen Brine.
They Love it. But frozen brine is the only frozen they will eat. I soak their food in supplements also.

 

[stephenray75]

I have recently bought a madrin and the owner of the LFS said that when they get them in they trick them into eating frozen foods. After not eating and seeing something floating in the water (brine shrimp) the madrin will start eating. I bought one and it is doing great. Besides that any brine shrimp that ends up on the rocks will be picked off. The madrin will look in the holes and crack and eat what ever is in there.

 

[MACATUA]

The only suggestin I have heard on a Mandarin is if it is not feeding, keep a close eye at its favorite rock or space to explore, and seed the rock with a little frozen food for him to pick. Doesn't seem very reliable though.

 

[pm64971]

anybody have a picture of this fish?

 

[kidafius]

Check out my avatar....its the spotted, or Pyschedelic. I will be posting a pic of the Red soon, which looks alot like the green, just slightly more red than green. Kinda funny.

 

[scuba_steve]

tried all your ideas a year or so a go and although they eat some they still dont get the diet they need !! now im on my 2nd but have a healthy refugm with tons of copods which they like the best ! great active fish if live foods are there imo other wise they will slowly starve !!! might have a better chance if hes the only fish in the tank they are very selective eaters and wont compete for food like other fish do !!