Feeding Randall's Anthias & Green Mandarin

[nynikki]

Yesterday, I purchased a Randall's Anthias and a Green Mandarin to place in my 90g reef. Being that both are picky eaters and require multiple feedings per day, I am looking into hatching baby brine shrimp as a daily meal for them. I have read that there are hatcheries like the: "Hatch N' Feeder Brine Shrimp Hatchery" that can be used, but wondered how well they would actually work, since my tank is currently at around 74-77 degrees, will the shrimp even hatch in the tank? My intention is that the brine shrimp would help to feed the tank in between the morning and evening feedings. I've also heard that there is a way to drip them with an airline into the tank. Does anyone have any information about how to set something like this up? Since I'm looking for a "throughout the day" sort of schedule from this is there a way to set something up and just let it feed the tank gradually during the day?

Now before anyone freaks, the sump is established, but just to be safe, I added a bottle of tiger pods yesterday after my routine water change. The Mandarin I purchased has been tank raised from a baby and has been accepting frozen foods (shrimp roe) while at my LFS and has been in their tank without rock or bugs since mid December. I will continue to feed the shrimp roe as I'm sure anything else in the tank that consumes it will also benefit. Also my tank has over a 100lbs of LR in it so tons of places to hide and graze. All tank mates are peaceful except for the one blue damsel that my pair of clowns keeps in check, so he never really bothers anyone else in the tank.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[nynikki]

Another question comes to mind, if I hatch brine outside of the tank and add them in the morning, won't a few live and be hunted in the tank for a few hours?

 

[Makenna]

I guess my first question is are the Anthias actually finicky for you or not. Although you may have read that they are, they may not be. In my case my Randallas never were difficult to feed once I figured out what they liked to start with.

That being said, what have you tried to feed them in so far as frozen foods? Cyclopeeze, Frozen brine, frozen mysis (hikari or PE), Nutramar Ova, FIsh Eggs, etc....

I woudl imagine that they would go for at least one of those to start and once they are eating something, then you can work on weaning them onto more common foods.

That being said, you can hatch out Baby Brine in any number of avaialble hatcheries using a 2L soda bottle. Once they are hatched, siphon them into a different container of tank water, and drip that into the tank via airline tubing.

Again, have you tried to feed the ones you have yet a variety of foods?

Bobby

 

[sslak]

I used a lunchmeat container to hatch baby brine. You just need saltwater, a heater, and an air pump.

 

[nynikki]

She's pretty much eaten everything I've offered, frozen brine, mysis, nutramar prawn eggs, emerald entree. I've just been concerned about that third feeding per day. Though I may not have to worry about it now, I can't find her in the tank today. She was up and eating this morning before I left and since I got home from work today I haven't been able to find her. I keep hoping she's hiding somewhere but she was out all day swimming around yesterday. The ocean is a rough place =(

 

[Angel*Fish]

If your live rock is well established you shouldn't need to target feed your mandarin. How old is your tank?

 

[nynikki]

If your live rock is well established you shouldn't need to target feed your mandarin. How old is your tank?

I bought an established reef and moved it in about a month ago. It was originally set up for about 2 years. The Mandarin seems to be doing well, not hiding too much, hunting and not looking stressed at all. But I haven't been able to find my Randall's since I've been home tonight. =(

 

[Maximus]

My green mandarin loves Spectrum pellets. Fwiw, I have a wild caught mandarin, not the ORA one.

 

[Angel*Fish]

I bought an established reef and moved it in about a month ago. It was originally set up for about 2 years. The Mandarin seems to be doing well, not hiding too much, hunting and not looking stressed at all. But I haven't been able to find my Randall's since I've been home tonight. =(

If you are new to the hobby, you might want to consider holding off on anthias for a while. He may not have been healthy when you got him. If you haven't observed a lot of fish you may not be good at recognizing signs of health which vary from one fish type to another. That's not to say you would always know for sure or that you should have see "the signs" with this fish - just something to consider.

 

[davocean]

Also most anthias are a bit shy, and do better in groups, one male w/ a harem.
I also agree your system is probably fine for a mandarin w/out spot feeding.

 

[nynikki]

Woohoo! We found her today, our little Randall that is and man is she cute. Not a fin out of place. I was a little worried, in my previous tank (a 30g) our clowns were a little aggressive towards new fish and I couldn't add any more at all. I probably would have opted to get 2-3 of these little guys, but my lfs only had one. Now that I know she's still in there, back to her feeding schedule. I'm told and have read that they need to be fed three times a day, on a work day, that's a little bit of an issue since I'm out of the house for so many hours. So, the idea of having a self feeding hatching system in the tank would allow me to feed morning and evening and the hatching brine would fill in that gap during the day. Has anyone used a system that auto feeds freshly hatched brine?
Here's a picture of our new little cutie:

 

[davocean]

Nice pic, and glad you found it ok.
I don't do any auto feed myself, I just thaw food when I come home and use a baster to squirt food into tank about every hour or so through the evening.
I'd keep an eye out for at least 2 more if you can.

 

[nynikki]

davocean - so you just feed a couple times over a short period of time after work? If that works, that will work for me. I really don't want to rely on hatching brine. It seems like a lot of extra work on a daily basis. I can hardly cook for myself lately! =)

 

[davocean]

It works for me, I just start feedings around 7, end at 10-11, 3-4 small feedings.
It also works out well w/ baster so I'm feeding the fish, not just dumping and broad feeding whole tank, where uneaten food can collect in rock or dead spots.
I've never had Randalls, but I don't recall them being one of the more difficult anthias to feed or keep.

 

[Makenna]

I am glad you found her, she looks to be in good health.

If feeding for you is a problem in the mid day due to work, it is for me too, I woudl suggest a feeding in morning, and perhaps two smaller in the evenings. Then, on teh weekends or any day that you are at home, make it 3 meals throughout the day.

That seems to work for me on the main tank once they are established.

For fun, here is a BAD pic of my Male Randalls...

HTH,

Bobby