125g and a Mandarin

[jpc763]

I am considering a Mandarin goby for my 125g reef tank. I have a 65g fuge and about 150lbs of live rock. The tank has been up for almost 2 years.

So, would there be enough pods for a single Mandarin goby to thrive? I don't want to rely on it learning to eat prepared foods and I don't want it to starve.

The tank has the following fish
Hippo Tang
Yellow Tang
Yellow Watchman
Lyretail Anthias
Lawnmower Blenny
Spotted Hawkfish
Royal Gramma
Hawaiian Flame Wrasse
Coral Beauty Angelfish
2 Oscelaris Clowns

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I would think that if you occasionally added some supplemental pods to the tank it would be just fine. The wrasse and possibly the gramma will be competing for the pods.

 

[chimmike]

I would think that if you occasionally added some supplemental pods to the tank it would be just fine. The wrasse and possibly the gramma will be competing for the pods.

I think the lawnmower blenny will be competing for them as well.

If your fuge is teeming with pods, I'd say you'll be okay.

 

[strike2867]

I've been having good luck keeping a Mandarin in a 90, but I don't have any wrasses for pod competition. I keep glancing at his stomach and it always seems fat, can anybody else chime in if thats a good indicator.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I've been having good luck keeping a Mandarin in a 90, but I don't have any wrasses for pod competition. I keep glancing at his stomach and it always seems fat, can anybody else chime in if thats a good indicator.

That's a very good indicator. You can always tell when a mandarin is getting enough to eat. Fat and active is where it's at.

 

[serpentman]

Mandarin's are tough. I've seen them thrive in a 75g and starve in a 300g. It really depends on your tank's pod population and whether you're willing to supplement if necessary.

 

[jpc763]

Thanks all. I will need to think about it. I would not say that my fuge is "teeming" with them although I will look again tonight.

As far as the wrasse, she spends almost all of her time at the top of the tank. I really don't see her spending any time at the bottom. Will she still compete?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Most wrasses tend to pick at the rockwork looking for pods and other microfauna. Have you considered looking for one of the ORA mandarins that are eating prepared foods?

 

[James983]

Not to steal the thread, but has anyone heard any feedback on ORA Mandarins?

 

[jimrawr]

I recently bought a ORA spotted mandarin. Heres my take.

When I bought him, I saw him eating frozen in the store, but not aggressively going for it. I bought him regardless. Since I brought him home, he RARELY eats frozen. Not that he wont eat it, but I have a hard time target feeding him, and hes usually not up front and center of the tank. The times I do see him in the front, I will try to feed then, and he will still take the frozen. I would say that that happens about once a week, and the rest of the time hes hunting pods.

I own a 92g corner tank, with no sump, no refugium. I do have a lot of Marco rock, which I think provides the pods with plenty of safe breeding place.

Ive had him now for almost 4 weeks, and he seems to be nice and chubby. If I start to see that he is getting thin, I will buy some tiger pods from a local LFS, try to spot feed him, and then place a big order for pods online.

 

[gregmoeck]

you have a large fuge, stick him down there

 

[preef]

I have a Green Spot Mandarin in a 72 with a Radiant Wrasse. I also have a 10g fuge with a DSB and chaeto. The Green Spot is nice and fat and growing. He was emaciated when I got him. I've never seen him eat prepared foods. All he does is peck at the rocks all day and constantly moves from rock to rock. I've had the Mandarin for a little over a year and the wrasse for 10 months. My tank was up and running for two years before I got him.

I think the Mandarin will be fine in your system.

 

[vikubz]

For supplemental feeding, try bloodworms. Myself and others on RC have had good results. Something about the look or smell that mandarins like.

 

[psteeleb]

I have a pair of fat happy mandarins in a 110g

and I also agree on the bloodworms - over the years I'd say I've seem better then 80% of mandarins go for them. but you have to catch them on a rock or an area wher you can get the worms to them

 

[davocean]

You may want to consider at least adding a HO fuge, I had 1 mandarin decimate pod population in my 90g years ago.
I think it's important to have a breeding area free of predation.

 

[jpc763]

I looked around this morning with a flashlight in my tank. Although it is 2 years old, I did not see one pod in the display. I saw some in the fuge.

Now I only looked for 5 minutes, but my feeling is that I do not have the pod population I think I should. My old 55g had more pods in it than this one does (and most of my rockwork is from there). So where are they all?

 

[davocean]

^^ I rarely ever see pods in display, pretty much only when a fish is chasing or hitting one.
Fuge is different story.

 

[sslak]

You should be able to sustain one, but I think any time you can encourage a fish to eat prepared foods as well you increase it's chances.

A pipette with clear rigid airline tubing attached makes target feeding easy, and mandarins are pretty smart. I always feed mine in the same place and it eats out of a small indent on the same rock every night, loves rod's reef.

 

[fishyness]

Mine likes Rod's egg's too. Well, they ALL love Rod's eggs.

 

[jimrawr]

You may want to consider at least adding a HO fuge, I had 1 mandarin decimate pod population in my 90g years ago.
I think it's important to have a breeding area free of predation.

I dont really have room, when I set up this tank I left only a couple inches between the tank and the wall, and now its impossible to move

Honestly I think the marco rock does provide them safe breeding ground, there is no way any fish can get them inside of there