To Manderin or Not to Manderin **UPDATE** with PICS!

[revhtree]

My new friend that owns the lfs offered me a beautiful Manderin yesterday for $10. It is a nice size, is fat, and looks healthy. The only thing that keeps from getting it is ich concern for not putting it in qt, and it's diet. Couple Q's:

1. Do you think I could handle one? Check my signature for my tank specs. I have pods of all kinds and sizes running all over the tank. I can see them anytime I want. All I have to do is look in the tank.

2. Will the Manderin deplete the population quick, or will they continue to reproduce as he eats some of them?

3. I just got over an ich problem, and put the crew back in the tank a few days ago. They are all doing great. Do I have a big ich concern with the goby? Should I qt it?

4. I have a 32g sump. I am thinking of putting a 10g tank in the middle of it, and putting in it some live sand and plants. The water will just run over ther top of this. What do you think about this idea? (PODS)

OK, TIA!

PS. My tank is about 10months old.

 

[afilter]

From what I have read Mandarins are not as prone to ich as other species and QT can actually be detrimental to them because you are essentially starving them during the QT period because they are unlikely to eat any prepared foods.

If you have the Pod population to support it I would say go for it. These are one of my personal favorite fish and I wish I could get one, but alas I do not have the right environments for one as I tragically found out early on.

Good luck,

 

[c0mf0rt]

Finally I get to give you some advice... ... The mandarins are definitely not prone to getting ich.... if you ever notice a white spot of two don't freak out because I've got a psycho goby and they get little pieces of sand stuck in their slime coat ALL the time..... I can't speak for the mandarin but the psycho is great about eating prepared foods he eats up any kind shrimp I put in there and I've had mine for about 5 months now and he's doing great.... I think he's probably my favorite fish....

On that note you might want to spend an extra ten bucks and get a small pyscho... that's how I bought mine and I'm guessing that probably helped getting him to eat the prep food.... I don't know if a LARGE mandarin is a good way to start...

 

[lando]

I think you have plenty of LR to support a mandarin. I would no QT this fish, but be very careful not to get any of the water from the LFS into your system. Maybe a hypo dip before adding it? Go for it! Lando

 

[EL Diablo]

I am building a refuge just so I can keep one.

good luck and keep us posted on how it goes

 

[seaham358]

We have talked about this before on the site and I don't think anyone has ever seen a mandarin with ich. I use methyl blue during the acclimation and it has worked with me so far keeping my fish healthy.
You have a ton of LR so the pods finding places to reproduce should not be a problem. Adding a mini fuge is a great idea for pods and helping control nitrate.
I would have your buddy hold that guy for a week and just watch him and if he is healthy I would toss him in. Good luck.....

 

[cmor1701d]

I just got one a couple of weeks of ago. It sounds like your tank is mature enough and has enough LR to sustain one. I say go for it. You won't be sorry. They are amazing to watch as they hunt.

 

[alrmc4]

rev mine is in a 75 with a sump i rotate rocks back and forth for him and he is still as fat and happy as the day we got it i did not qt him because of what i read and had no problems good luck you will love watching him they are constant hunters you will get to see it often throughout the day

 

[revhtree]

Well I have been watching this mandarin for a few days now. Nothing in the tank showed signs of ich, and tonight I was helping him feed his fish at the lfs and I fed the tank with the goby some flake. He went after the flake. He didnt eat it but he did go after it. He looks great and healthy.

I bought him! He's acclimating right now.

 

[afilter]

Keep us posted.

Good luck,

 

[revhtree]

Ok, he is in the tank, and I can see him no more. Do these gobys come out front when they get used to the environment?

 

[ellisz]

Mine does not come out a whole lot. You can see him swim by while foraging around the LR. Not like most fish that will come out to feed. Mine does his own thing

 

[scuba_steve]

yes they will but like ellisz said it not long ! think about it were will be most of the pods ?
hiding in the dark back part of the tank so where the food is thats were they will be looking!
i love to watch them eat the looks like a steam train ! they'll puff sand out the top of their gills looks cool

 

[quarryshark]

I have had a scooter dragonette for a year now and the odds were stacked against me since I put him in a newer tank. I am happy to report that he is thriving, even swims (as good as he can) around with the others at feeding time grabbing what he can get. I had to target feed mine for 6 months, he finally started accepting frozen foods after about a month and started feeding without the target feeding after about 6 months.
He had survived a velvet and Ich treatment in qt as well.
I guess what i'm telling you, is if you are willing to put in the time, they can learn to eat prepared foods and can be tougher than advertised.
Good luck and congrats.!!

 

[c0mf0rt]

My psycho goby (dragonette) is awesome.... he's always swimming around the LR and around the tank .. really fun to watch... I too put my in a not so established tank but mine will eat brine and mysis....

 

[RocketSeason]

I hear they are timid at first but quickly get used to the tank. My Purple Firefish (same, but totally different.) hid in the rocks for a day or so but now she is out all the time.

 

[revhtree]

Just an update on the mandarin. It is now coming out a little more, and I have seen it eating off the rocks many times! So I guess were good so far.

 

[alrmc4]

where are the pic rev?

 

[revhtree]

where are the pic rev?

Not able to get one yet....

 

[alrmc4]

soon i hope you will see it more and more and actually on of the easier fish to get pis of if you watch mine is so focused on hunting he hardly notices me