Mandarin goby

[Frickmiester]

So how hard would it be to maintain a desperate tank specifically for pods to transport over

 

[Mebbid]

It's not terribly difficult. I would start with a phytoplankton culture and then move up to the copepods. It's a wise decision to have two separate cultures going in case one crasyes. A lot of people will just glue a glass divider in a tank to accomplish that.

 

[AtoZ Cichlids]

The only thing ive ever heard about those fish is that they are not above being picky eaters.

 

[mr_X]

If you are adding 100 pounds or so of live rock to your 90, the pods will be there. You just have to wait a while before introducing one. I heard someone say 6 months to a year, and I concur.
And like Carey said, be careful what other fish you put in the tank. Wrasses will eat the pods as well, and they are much faster hunters.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I would get a solid pod culture going first. A mandarins can wipe out even a large pod population in weeks.

I use brineshrimpdirect.com as they have all the materials you will need as well as a good tutorial.