sean.colligan.5
New member
So I have a 40 gallon saltwater tank amd I was wondering could I put a pair of green mandrains in my tank?
Green Mandarin
- Thread starter sean.colligan.5
- Start date
MondoBongo
Obligate Feeder Obsessed
i certainly wouldn't put a pair in that small a tank.
even a single fish would be very dicey in something that little.
the best general rule of thumb for dragonets of any sort is 75 gallon tank, with at least a 20 gallon sized productive refugium to supply them with food.
you will occasionally hear about people keeping them in smaller setups, but that is very much the exception, not the rule, and i would not advocate any even reasonably novice person attempt it.
whenever someone starts asking about keeping these guys, i direct them to my posts in the following threads. i feel they make up a good Mandy 101:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2374330
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367532
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2363996
it can be tricky to get the conditions for these right in your tank, as their are obligate feeders. like any obligate feeders, your success will be predicated on supplying them the conditions they require to sustain their very specific feeding habits and requirements.
even a single fish would be very dicey in something that little.
the best general rule of thumb for dragonets of any sort is 75 gallon tank, with at least a 20 gallon sized productive refugium to supply them with food.
you will occasionally hear about people keeping them in smaller setups, but that is very much the exception, not the rule, and i would not advocate any even reasonably novice person attempt it.
whenever someone starts asking about keeping these guys, i direct them to my posts in the following threads. i feel they make up a good Mandy 101:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2374330
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367532
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2363996
it can be tricky to get the conditions for these right in your tank, as their are obligate feeders. like any obligate feeders, your success will be predicated on supplying them the conditions they require to sustain their very specific feeding habits and requirements.
With a 20 gallon fuge a year old and packed with cheato moss and rock, you can keep one very small mandarin in a 50 gallon tank. Increase the fuge size to 30 and you'd probably be ok in a 40. These guys live off live creatures that mass very little, and they eat over 2000 a day.
MondoBongo
Obligate Feeder Obsessed
my original post should say 55, not 75. too late to edit.
sean.colligan.5
New member
Ok thank you guys good thing I ask before I bought them
Teenreefer15
New member
If your tank can support the bio load go ahead. I would personally not put them in a tank unless it a year old. I don't think they will be all that happy in here so a bigger tank would be ideal. Also another great rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon.
sean.colligan.5
New member
My tank is about 1 year and 2 months old... could I be able to put one in my tank
mandarin_goby
New member
I have a 40b with a 20l sump and a very fat and happy green mandarin. I would definitely not do a pair though. My tank has been set up at our new place since Jan. (it was also running for a year before we moved). I add pods here and there as I remember and my once starving mandy (he was that way at the store) is now quite fat and active. I did pick out a small one to start with.
