Pods in my 55g

[redsea]

Hello everyone!

While looking at my empty 55g (rock, sand, and coral, but no fish). I saw a ton of little "bugs" crawling around my rock and glass. I am hoping they are pods, but I am not entirely sure. Some are larger, and some are smaller.

Since there are a lot of them in the tank (and if they are pods), how much longer would you recommend waiting before considering a Mandarin?

Do you have any ID tips to find out if they are indeed pods or not?

Thanks a lot!

 

[carey]

I know how psyched you must be, but sometimes in my tanks I would have pod "explosions". I mean literally thousands of them would layer the glass and then within a week or two they would die back down again. happens every couple months or so for me.

If you maintain the pod quantity for a month or two maybe you can consider the mandarin. I don't know how much luck you'd have target feeding one prepared foods in such a big tank though. :-( But pods are a good sign. I just found some pictures of pods I had taken a while ago the other day, here they are, maybe they can help

 

[Sergie]

Those in the pictures are amphipods. The ones that mandarins normally eat and eat a lot of are copepods. A lot smaller and look like lice on the glass. Can't really see them on the live rock. I have seen my mandarin eat an amphipod, but normally it's out picking off the smaller copepod.

 

[Qube]

I know how psyched you must be, but sometimes in my tanks I would have pod "explosions". I mean literally thousands of them would layer the glass and then within a week or two they would die back down again. happens every couple months or so for me.

If you maintain the pod quantity for a month or two maybe you can consider the mandarin. I don't know how much luck you'd have target feeding one prepared foods in such a big tank though. :-( But pods are a good sign. I just found some pictures of pods I had taken a while ago the other day, here they are, maybe they can help

Great pictures Carey!

 

[carey]

lol. I snapped them a few months ago and just ran across them while organizing my thousands of fish photos. LOL

I wasn't sure if they were pods or what but I know my butterfly eats them. They are so big they actually eat pellets when I drop them in. It's hilarious to watch.....

 

[redsea]

Thanks for the posts everyone!

As of yesterday there is still a good amount of the glass (some on rocks too).

That leads me to my next question, when I do decide to get a Mandarin (in a while), would it be able to survive a QT period of hypo? Or do you think I should just buy one from LA and hope for the best.

Thanks!

Carey- Glad your Butterfly is still doing well!

 

[carey]

Thanks redsea, that butterfly is a fiend when it comes to those pods, it's great fun watching him chase them when they get away from him. LOL

I did not QT my mandy, but I did have the lfs keep them separate for like 2 weeks before i got her. Thats one fish that I wouldnt worry about qt'ing, I believe they are pretty disease resistant from what i read so you should be ok.

 

[redsea]

Thanks redsea, that butterfly is a fiend when it comes to those pods, it's great fun watching him chase them when they get away from him. LOL

I did not QT my mandy, but I did have the lfs keep them separate for like 2 weeks before i got her. Thats one fish that I wouldnt worry about qt'ing, I believe they are pretty disease resistant from what i read so you should be ok.

Great, thanks a lot!

When I am ready, I will try to find one online (ORA). Do you know any good places to buy ORA Mandarins? I think LiveAquaria only has ones taken from the ocean.

 

[Jlsardina]

Great, thanks a lot!

When I am ready, I will try to find one online (ORA). Do you know any good places to buy ORA Mandarins? I think LiveAquaria only has ones taken from the ocean.

They sometimes have ORA ones in divers den. Other than that you have to find a lfs that orders from ORA

 

[redsea]

AWESOME news! My pods are still there, and there are tons of them! They are everywhere! Its amazing!

I am sooo tempted....
ORA Spotted Mandarin Dragonet - Aquacultured

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Haha last night i saw my clown and chalk bass going crazy! I didnt know why and it looked like they were eating alot but there was no food. Then i looked closer and saw TONS of little pods everywhere. Midnight snack for my fishies

 

[redsea]

Yep, pods make a great snack!

I would really like to order the Mandarin soon, but I know that waiting is the best thing for the fish, so I definitely will. It is great that I have this forum as a recource, otherwise I probably would have already bought a Mandarin for a tank with zero pods.

 

[carey]

Glad you're being patient, its' the best thing you can do.

I love this site, i would have had a ton of tangs in a 55g if it weren't for this forum. LOL

 

[redsea]

Glad you're being patient, its' the best thing you can do.

I love this site, i would have had a ton of tangs in a 55g if it weren't for this forum. LOL

I agree. I already had a blue Hippo in a 55g, and at one time I was considering a Yellow too .

So do you think the end of May is too soon if I keep seeing these pods? Or maybe in June? Thank you.

 

[carey]

I'd wait a few more weeks and see if the population holds up. You can also up your chances of keeping one by going with an ORA one. I think that helped me tremendously with getting mine on frozen foods. No help with pellets, lol but I think she took to prepared easier because of her upbringing.

 

[redsea]

I will definitely get an ORA one. It looks like when I am ready I will be ordering from saltwaterfish.com (unless I spot one in the Diver's Den when I am making that late May order). I really like all three kinds, so I will just buy the one that is available (although I probably like the red the most).

Thanks!

 

[carey]

Not sure if there is an ORA Red mandy. :-( I was researching for one a few months ago and only found the blue ones.

 

[redsea]

I think they just began to put them out (Red Mandarin | Synchiropus splendidus | ORA | Oceans, Reefs & Aquariums), that expains why saltwaterfish.com is charging $100.00 for them! LOL

Thanks for letting my know about the group buy, I will order tonight!