How long have you kept a Mandarine alive?

[Gregcoyote]

Just interested in others experience. I have a pod infested 300 gallon reef that I have tried Mandarins in over a period of almost 20 years. Most of my fish are 5-10 years old. Never had a Mandarin last more than a year.

 

[Sqasnatch]

I am also interested in this question

 

[Fishbone13]

You're a better man than me. I've only had been able to keep one for about 4 months. But I been read'n up on everything I can get my hands on to give me the best chance when I give it my next try. With everyone say'n how tough it is and I'd be better off not do'n it. I'm kinda take'n it personal and I WILL NOT BE DENIED!!!! Plus I really like the fish.

 

[newreefaddict]

I have had one for a year and 2 months now. If you are trying to cut down on your pods i would try a red scooter blenny. They will live longer and will get along with a mandarin in that large of a set.

 

[Sqasnatch]

I heard that a tank full of hair algea can keep multiple mandarins alive no problem

 

[dadime69]

4 months for me they are not Hardy at all

 

[Purevil21]

Mandarins don't eat hair algae, they either eat pods or prepared foods.

 

[wabbitbugs]

They are actually very hardy fish that unfortunately starve in most tanks. Check out Ora. They claim to have bred mandarins that will eat frozen foods.

 

[Sqasnatch]

What I was meaning that was due to the high amounts of pods that hairalgea contain, it can sustain their diet

 

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

Okay here is my mandarin history:

Had my green spotted mandarin in my 28 gallon for about two years (maybe more) before she got stung by my over-sized anemone and died (I'm assuming it was the anemone since she was eating and happy the night before and she was a very fat mandarin so def not starvation)

Had a blue mandarin in our main tank for over three years, he was also eating prepared foods and was very fat. We added an evil niger trigger fish and that was the end of him and many other fish unfortunately.

We now have a blue mandarin in our large display tank who we added just over a month ago. she was eating prepared foods at the store and is still just as fat.

Also I replaced my green target goby after she died in the nano for another one. She has been in there for at least 6 months and doing well.

My LFS must get the best mandarins, I have never had a problem getting them to eat prepared foods.

 

[Fishbone13]

I desperately want to get one of the ORA Mandarins but LFS around have an open account with them and they wont sell to me directly. So I'm just gonna go old school and look for the healthiest most active one I can find and start from there. But I wish I could get one of those ORA Dragonets.

 

[Purevil21]

I have a place that will order me an ORA, but at a cost of 80 bucks. I have heard enough stories of them reverting back to pods, so I don't want to chance it.

 

[Fishbone13]

I have a place that will order me an ORA, but at a cost of 80 bucks. I have heard enough stories of them reverting back to pods, so I don't want to chance it.

Yeah I figured if I did find a place near me they would tack on a hefty amount of cash. Like I said it's look'n like I'm gonna have to go old school. But it would be nice to have the ORA option and it would be nice if they didn't hot you so hard in the wallet either.

 

[nxb161]

2 months so far for me, it is my first try at one *fingers crosses* I just made sure I could see a good pod population before I got him. Wait over a year for the tank to mature before purchasing one.

 

[dadime69]

Yea my tank has Ben up nearly. 6 years n still can't keep em

 

[Gregcoyote]

Mine has been up for 18 years. There are millions of pods...yet I still have had issues with longevity with Mandarines. I love them too...it is why I won't kill anymore of them until I understand the issues.

 

[Daudioman]

Hi everyone,

I have my second now and it's going great! I have one in my 125, a good 18 months and still very healthy. Also added one a month ago in my wife's 29g bio and it seems very happy and healthy!

I have always hand fed mine vitamin soaked live brine and I also dose pods regularly for variety. I feed both through a large syringe. Both mandarins have there spots in the tank were they now wait for food as soon as the syringe enters thank. They also both pick through the rocks throughout the day in search of pods.

Also I have actually heard of people here locally to me in FL having luck getting mandarins to ear pellets.

I would have to agree with some of the others on the thought that Mandarins aren't hard to keep just most tend to starve.

Hope everything works out better for you in this attempt Gregcoyote!

Anyone else trying live brine?

Dave

 

[carey]

I gotta ask, what is the sudden fascination with mandarins and scooters this last week or so? Everyone is either getting one or planning on it.

I guess this happens in spurts on this board but i was curious. lol I got my scooter totally by accident but there are people who have been buying and hoping for the best. I just don't get it I guess.....

 

[Fishbone13]

I have been plan'n for a while and a few weeks ago I was surf'n the web about them and this site came up and the rest is history. Like I said when I first got on here, I failed at it 2 seperate times and I just want all the advatages of the knowledge that I got from the internet and from chat'n with you guys on here at my disposal for when I take my next shot.

I honestly dont find it too sirprising cuz it's an eye catch'n fish and also I find all the naysayers and anegativeaty about how you can never be able to keep one for a sustained amount of time kinda challenging. I feel that I'm very passionate about this hobby and I want to be able to do what they say can't be done (within reason of course). But it just comes down to I really like the fish and want one to thrive in my little fish community. And with all the knowledge on this site I feel it gives me the best shot at achieve'n that.

 

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

I gotta ask, what is the sudden fascination with mandarins and scooters this last week or so? Everyone is either getting one or planning on it.

I guess this happens in spurts on this board but i was curious. lol I got my scooter totally by accident but there are people who have been buying and hoping for the best. I just don't get it I guess.....

Lol it's probably from all the talk in your thread, got people who read it thinking about them and then it was put in their threads too, then it just spread like wildfire since they are such awesome fish.