AbsentTK421
New member
I'll look at those. I think I will find something that fits.
Out of curiosity and not knowing much about these fish, why do you say the Mandarin is a poor choice for this tank?
A nano? Your FIRST tank? You're nuts! (6g nano w/sump)
- Thread starter AbsentTK421
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I'll look at those. I think I will find something that fits.
Out of curiosity and not knowing much about these fish, why do you say the Mandarin is a poor choice for this tank?
AbsentTK421
New member
Well I do have a refugium in my system. It has four inches of sand, Live rock and Macro-algae. Maybe if I introduced a large amount of pods to the 'fuge they would help?
Mandarins graze all day, do they'll quickly deplete your pod population. They may eat mysis at the store, but many people have bought a fish eating at the store to find it starting, and not eating prepared foods on the home tank. I waited until i got my 120g before buying a mandarin, and i waited 6 mos and 2 pod dosings before getting it. They're beautiful fits, but unfortunately off limits to the nano crowd. Many have tried, few have succeeded. The sane goes for any dragonette
AbsentTK421
New member
Well Ill weigh my options but I may try. We shall see.
Welcome to the very rewarding (and often frustrating hobby). With a nearly 1 year old 28g nano I still feel very new to the hobby so I only feel slightly ahead of you.
Go with the seasoned experts on here regarding fish purchases. A brand new tank requires an extra amount of maintenance over an established one and adding a fish that is considered a "difficult" in the care level (liveaquaria) is just going to add more frustration.
My Target Mandarin is by far the coolest fish in my tank but I run a 5 gallon copepod farm just for him, feed baby brine 2x twice a week, and just started a grindal worm mini-farm and mine still looks thin. Their nature is to peck pods off rock every 10 seconds so a nano can't self-sustain one. I'm still irritated with myself for taking on something known to be difficult in a nano but committed to getting him to a healthy weight and then probably give him away. Your LFS will be happy to sell you one and then a $15 pouch of pods once a week as well.
Go with the seasoned experts on here regarding fish purchases. A brand new tank requires an extra amount of maintenance over an established one and adding a fish that is considered a "difficult" in the care level (liveaquaria) is just going to add more frustration.
My Target Mandarin is by far the coolest fish in my tank but I run a 5 gallon copepod farm just for him, feed baby brine 2x twice a week, and just started a grindal worm mini-farm and mine still looks thin. Their nature is to peck pods off rock every 10 seconds so a nano can't self-sustain one. I'm still irritated with myself for taking on something known to be difficult in a nano but committed to getting him to a healthy weight and then probably give him away. Your LFS will be happy to sell you one and then a $15 pouch of pods once a week as well.
juniorrocketdad
New member
No way on the mandarin even if they eat mysis eating anything other than copepods with severely shorten there lifespan, I would recommend a clown goby there cool and will perch in leather corals and stuff also if you want to make a colder tank go with a Catalina goby, there beautiful little guys and you could have a cool little nps tank
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