Blue Mandarin care...
- Thread starter Shariesue
- Start date
I guess I'm still very green on this hobby because I don't know what copepods are...can you enlighten me???
I have quite a bit of live rock in a 90 gallon tank. Naturally the pet store didn't tell me about his special requirements only that I needed the rock. He seems to be OK but too soon to tell I guess. I can add shrimp if it might help but how often?
I have quite a bit of live rock in a 90 gallon tank. Naturally the pet store didn't tell me about his special requirements only that I needed the rock. He seems to be OK but too soon to tell I guess. I can add shrimp if it might help but how often?
wishmaster
Premium Member
copepods are small like creatures. They almost resemble small shrimp or fleas. There is a link on the new to the hobby form that will show what they look like. They almost exclusively eat these creatures, thats why its so important to have a sustaining population of them otherwise your mandarin will slowly starve.
Copepods are the little organisms that mandarins feed off of almost exclusively. If you look in your water column, you will hopefully see little white specs floating and moving around. Pods seem to be very active right after the main lights go off. After you turn off the lights tonight, shine a light through the water column and see if you can identify any of the pods. They will often times be littered all of the glass as well.
If you are not able to see any, I would search the web for copepods and mandarin care. You would need to seed the tank at this point with the pods. A common method seems to be creating a rubble pile with a strawberry basket placed over it to allow for unmolested reproduction if you do not have a fuge.
If you are not able to see any, I would search the web for copepods and mandarin care. You would need to seed the tank at this point with the pods. A common method seems to be creating a rubble pile with a strawberry basket placed over it to allow for unmolested reproduction if you do not have a fuge.
Oh my goodness....I had no idea when I bought this fish what it required. Naturally no one tells you all this. They just said I needed to have lots of live rock which I do.
Wow, I'll have to see if I can spot any. I guess I thought I could just buy some of these creatures easily.
Wow, I'll have to see if I can spot any. I guess I thought I could just buy some of these creatures easily.
Amphipods, copepods, mysis - anything small these guys will eat. But, they are not aggressive feeders and one trouble that folks have is trying to get the mandarin food before other fish gobble it up. A key to overcoming this is to have lots of live food swarming over your rock so that the mandarin can hop from rock to rock, picking at 'stuff' on the rock all day long.
Try looking at your rock a few hours after lights out. If there are lots of 'bugs' on the rock, your fish will be ok for awhile.
Try looking at your rock a few hours after lights out. If there are lots of 'bugs' on the rock, your fish will be ok for awhile.
REV
New member
Shariesue, I hope the lack of good advice from your local fish store will let you know not to just go in and ask them for advice... come here or use the web to do some research first next time. It'll keep you from flushing your money and help you give the animals proper care....... Good Luck!
Craig Lambert
Premium Member
davocean
Active member
Do you usually feed fish brine or mysis?
My mandarin eats both, but he does also hunt for copepods constantly.
Definitely check copepod link, and research here b4 buying new fish.
I've probably learned more factual info on this site in one month
than all my years of trial and error and reading outdated books
My mandarin eats both, but he does also hunt for copepods constantly.
Definitely check copepod link, and research here b4 buying new fish.
I've probably learned more factual info on this site in one month
than all my years of trial and error and reading outdated books
JRPhd
New member
yeah, when I see a fish that catches my fancy, I go back to the forums and newer books, even if I think I already know what that fish requires. I find it hard to listen to most fish stores as they often want to make the sale, sometimes b4 the fish dies in their tanks. Slow and steady 
My thanks to all of you and your replies & advice. Like you said, I saw this pretty fish and let my enthusiam cloud my judgement again! I should know better that these pet stores don't give you all the facts. Live and learn!!
I'll check for bugs tonight, add brine shrimp, and hope for the best. Haven't seen the little guy since yesterday....he could be behind my rocks right now. Hope he makes it! Thanks again.....
I'll check for bugs tonight, add brine shrimp, and hope for the best. Haven't seen the little guy since yesterday....he could be behind my rocks right now. Hope he makes it! Thanks again.....
Reefcherie
Premium Member
Please tell us what other fish are in your tank already. Some types of fish are also pod consumers and will be competition for your mandarin.
When you get a chance to see your mandarin again, try to look at his/her belly. If it has a nice rounded belly, you are at least off to a good start. If the belly already looks caved in, you will be starting off with one that hasn't been well fed in a while and will have a greater challenge on your hands.
When you get a chance to see your mandarin again, try to look at his/her belly. If it has a nice rounded belly, you are at least off to a good start. If the belly already looks caved in, you will be starting off with one that hasn't been well fed in a while and will have a greater challenge on your hands.
Hi,
If you want to try and get your mandarin to eat prepared food you'll want to put the food in a low flow area or some people have success using a turkey baster and dumping the food right in front of it. You have to this because they are a bit slow and usually won't go up into the water column to chase food. My mandarin has started waiting in a low flow corner a few times a week and when I see her there I just take some of the food I would have given all the fish in the tank anyways and gently send it towards him with a turkey baster. This way any food she doesn't eat the other fish will hunt down.
Also you can try melev'smandarin diner
If you want to try and get your mandarin to eat prepared food you'll want to put the food in a low flow area or some people have success using a turkey baster and dumping the food right in front of it. You have to this because they are a bit slow and usually won't go up into the water column to chase food. My mandarin has started waiting in a low flow corner a few times a week and when I see her there I just take some of the food I would have given all the fish in the tank anyways and gently send it towards him with a turkey baster. This way any food she doesn't eat the other fish will hunt down.
Also you can try melev'smandarin diner
Enjoyed all that info from "Melev's mandarin diner"....that was a neat idea. I may try that. The turkey baster is also another choice.
You asked what other fish I have....1 Yellow & Hippo Tang, 4 Chromis, 1 6-line Wrasse, 2 Cardinalfish, 1 Singapore Angel, 2 Clowns, snails, 3 starfish, some crabs.
This mandarin seems to hang out in the back of the live rock so far so it's very hard for me to see his belly but I'm still trying to check him out.
I also did the flashlight thing....saw some white things on the rocks but they didn't appear to be moving or anything. Not sure if that's what I'm looking for.
Once again, really appreciate all your suggestions.
You asked what other fish I have....1 Yellow & Hippo Tang, 4 Chromis, 1 6-line Wrasse, 2 Cardinalfish, 1 Singapore Angel, 2 Clowns, snails, 3 starfish, some crabs.
This mandarin seems to hang out in the back of the live rock so far so it's very hard for me to see his belly but I'm still trying to check him out.
I also did the flashlight thing....saw some white things on the rocks but they didn't appear to be moving or anything. Not sure if that's what I'm looking for.
Once again, really appreciate all your suggestions.
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