New Green Mandarinfish

[ReNNie]

HI,
I just bought my fist green mandarin and I just want to get some outside information. From what I have read they are hard to feed?! I have recently purchase live brine shrimp eggs and I was told by my LFS that I can just sprinkle them into my tank, but I was under the impression that you have to have a separate hatchery? Also is there anything thing else (i.e Blood worms) that I could try feeding him?? Thanks alot for all you help. Matt

[austinsdad]

Most only eat pods in a mature tank with decent populations of them. How much rock you got and what sized tank? Very few are lucky enuf to get them to eat prepared food. Usually, year old tanks wit plenty of rocks and maybe a fuge for pods to breed have any luck with them. Otherwise they starve and die.

Good luck.

[Brenden]

As Ray said you need pods. You can also purchase them to help populate your tank.

[lando]

To be honest, this fish really does require a prolific pod population and over a 100lbs of very mature LR. A fuge helps as well. Mandarins do not readily accept prepared foods and having a large pod population will help. You can buy cultivated pods but the price is ussually more then the fish itself over time. Check out www.reefermadness.us

[TheRealFF]

I have a scooter blenny at home at many peoples have told me to return it since i don't have much pods for it to eat. I really like this fish so i would like to know where to buy pods from. I think i'll just get a small tank and raise a few.

[ntswift]

i have a scooter blenny also and he eats the pellets that i feed my clowns with (bio-blend). he also LOVES mysis shrimp. give them a try. they are cheaper than pods, but some are pickier than others.

[ReNNie]

Sorry for the delay, I have a 55G with about 60 lbs of rock. I had a 33 gallon for about 2 years and I switched it over to the 55g about 5 months ago. Not sure what pods look like but he seems to be picking stuff of the rocks. I put a bunch brine shrimp eggs in my tank last night, not sure if that will help and also put a little mysis frozen shrimp near where he is hidding. Hopefully all will be well. Anyother tricks I could try to get him to eat food?