Blue Mandarin (Biota Captive Breed)

[agruetz]

So I finally broke down and bought a Biota Captive breed mandarin.

First off I want to say the tiny little guy is awesome. When I say tiny I mean the little guy is about the size of a quarter. and maybe as around as a pencil. Soon as he arrived I stuck him in a cup to drip acclimate him and feed him some oyster feast and arctic pods. He immediately started going nuts and eating the prepared food.

I could not put him in my display tank yet so I had to make shift a fry net cage in my display tank for him. Thru in some rubble rock and a small glass mandarin diner for him so some prepared food will always be there.

Now we sit back and wait and hopefully feed this guy to grow into a full-size Mandarin for release into the tank.

Overall smaller than I expected but could not be happier because he started eating prepared foods immediately.

Currently Feeding: Oyster Feast, Arctic Pods, Cyclops and New life Spectrum Small fish (This is what Biota/Liveaquaria recommended) w/ some tibes pods monthly

 

[agruetz]

Here is a picture of the tiny little guy.

 

[kinggeorge818]

Here is a picture of the tiny little guy.

I was wondering about getting a mandarin from them but was hesitant...glad to hear that it's going well! Keep us posted!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[sde1500]

Man, I've considered pulling the trigger on one of these for a while know. But they are so tiny, I just can't do it.

 

[Dmorty217]

I love Mandarins but small fish are rarely seen in my tank. Thanks for sharing

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Cute little guy, best of luck with him!

 

[Editour2]

I agree .....these guys are sold at around 3/4".....I would never see him/her if I placed them in my DT and it probably won't survive in my QT. I love the fish...why doesn't Biota offer larger specimens (2.5 to 3")?

 

[kizanne]

They will eventually get bigger and be seen in your tank. There is no reason a mandarin eating prepared food shouldn't survive quarantine.

They don't offer larger specimens cause it costs lots of money to keep/feed the fish until 2.5". I imagine if they end up with more than they can sell then larger sizes will start appearing for sale.

 

[agruetz]

I agree .....these guys are sold at around 3/4".....I would never see him/her if I placed them in my DT and it probably won't survive in my QT. I love the fish...why doesn't Biota offer larger specimens (2.5 to 3")?

My guess is cost. I would not put this guy in my DT even though it is only a 30 gallon let alone the 330 I am in the process of building.

If you get one of these guys expect to have to put him in his own area and grow him out. I was not quite prepared so I had to get a fry container and keep him in the display tank right now. He is doing awesome though. swimming around and eating. Once he doubles in size maybe triple I will release him into the DT. I do not think he would survive the pumps and other fish at his current size. Heck my clam could accidentally close on him right now.

 

[agruetz]

They will eventually get bigger and be seen in your tank. There is no reason a mandarin eating prepared food shouldn't survive quarantine.

They don't offer larger specimens cause it costs lots of money to keep/feed the fish until 2.5". I imagine if they end up with more than they can sell then larger sizes will start appearing for sale.

I am more worried about keeping enough prepared food around in the tank all the time to ensure a constant food supply. However the spice bottle converted to a Mandarin dinner (Melvee's reef (sp?)) seems to be working nicely.

The little guy seems to be lurking around all morning and eating whatever he feels like. Time will tell. I have got my fingers crossed I have never had a fish quite so small before.

 

[OrionN]

These guys are slow grower. I imagine it take over 2 years to get them to 2 inches

 

[Redland]

I got a pair from Biota almost 6 months ago and they are doing very well in my 200 gallon. They have tripled in size and are out every evening for a mating dance. They were very small but have been fast growers. However, so far they have not been interested in prepared foods, just eating pods.

 

[agruetz]

I got a pair from Biota almost 6 months ago and they are doing very well in my 200 gallon. They have tripled in size and are out every evening for a mating dance. They were very small but have been fast growers. However, so far they have not been interested in prepared foods, just eating pods.

Interesting. The Cyclops and Oyster Feast seem to be what it is eating most of. Maybe some of the arctic pods but they seem a bit big. We will see how it goes. I have got my fingers crossed.

Did you just release the tiny ones into the 200G or did you grow them out some first?

 

[Redland]

I have a lot of live rock with places to shelter and a lot of pods so just released them.

Interesting. The Cyclops and Oyster Feast seem to be what it is eating most of. Maybe some of the arctic pods but they seem a bit big. We will see how it goes. I have got my fingers crossed.

Did you just release the tiny ones into the 200G or did you grow them out some first?

 

[smphoto44]

Mandarin not acclimating well yet

Mandarin not acclimating well yet

Agruetz-- Can I ask where you got your Mandarin from?

I am on my second from Live Aquaria-- the first was a almost DOA that didn't even live 3 hours. #2 is still alive-- did an almost 2 hour acclimation, no lights, the works-- he's in a fry pen-- I also have a 29 biocube that I'm afraid he would perish in. Virtually no movement-- just sits there, 7 hours in at this point. Have had the lights on for about an hour. No attraction to food yet.

Hoping for a recovery from I guess shock? He's also very thin-- was yours "starving" when you got her? I'm not holding out a lot of hope at this moment.

Live Aquaria has been good to work with-- sent the 2nd no charge. But if they aren't conditioning the mandarins, what good is it?