Could a Mandarin survive in a bare bottom?

[xenon]

If so how many months should the tank be established before adding him?

Thanks!

 

[matter1331]

I would say you would need a large refugium, and I personally would let it establish for over a year with no substrate.

 

[xenon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9265396#post9265396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by matter1331
I would say you would need a large refugium, and I personally would let it establish for over a year with no substrate.

I dont have a refuge and don't plan on having one either.

So 1yr+ and I should be ok?

 

[ADA33]

No you need a refuge + Tank up and running for a year. Unless you want to by pods online to feed it. I think that would be pretty pricey though.

I think the is a great question though?

 

[Misled]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9265436#post9265436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xenon
I dont have a refuge and don't plan on having one either.

So 1yr+ and I should be ok?

No, sorry, but without constant supply of pods from a fuge he will not live long. Trying to do it from just feeding purchased pods may work for a short period of time, but he will perish sooner or later. They eat all the time, day, night it doesn't mater. If at one point he doesn't have food, (even a short period of time) and this is the time he wants to eat, if he can't find food, he will most likely start feeding internally. At that point he will no longer be able to eat pods and just wither away.

 

[dragonforce]

IMO a mandarin could live off the pods in 100lbs of LR without a fuge. However if you have other creatures that rely heavily on pods you might want to consider others suggestions.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

After 1 year I think it would be find to add a mandarin. Don't add any other pod-eaters though, like some wrasses, etc.

 

[xenon]

The only other fish I have is a powder blue tang and a pair of true perc's

 

[chucksta1]

I've got one in a 200 BB. The tank was up for a year before he went in. He's been in about a year and is doing fine, but I have LOTS of rock where he can't get at the pods, so he can only decimate the pod population up to a certain point.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

that is key, a place he cant get into, a pod haven, and i imagine a pretty large one with maybe some macro growing

 

[rcmike]

Well, since you just found your first amphipod in the other thread I don't think you will have much luck at all. Your tank in your pictures looks pretty umm... steril

 

[DSMpunk]

In a 90 gallon BB with no fuge..I wouldnt do it. if you added a fuge I think you would be fine.

Of course if he eats frozen then that changes everything.

 

[davocean]

I have a 90 w/ DSB and about 180lbs of very established LR and it was still a challenge to keep enough pods for a mandarin.
Added a HO fuge and still had to supplement pods until fuge caught up.

 

[Rueg]

Mine has survived (and is quite fat actually) in a bare bottom tank with no refugium for around a year now. I have the green spotted mandarin. I think the blue/psychedelic mandarin might be more finicky for what they eat. I have seen mine eat frozen/flake food.

 

[Tang Salad]

Is this how your tank looks now?

If so, I'd say the mandarin has no chance in there without a refugium. You don't have enough LR and what you do have looks too sterile. Like rcmike said.

 

[davocean]

I personally wouldn't even have a PBT in a tank that sterile/new.
Also, noticed your lockline sits pretty low in water, it will siphon that far down if you have power fail.
Will your sump clear that much water?

 

[Rueg]

Yeah, that tank looks a little sterile/new - don't really see much coraline on the back wall. Mine is in a 180 with a lot of live rock that has been set up several years.