Keeping multiple pairs of mandarins?

[EnderG60]

To preface I have a 300g with a 100g fuge with over 500lbs of rock, and a baby brine auto feeder (Paul B design) so food supply is not a problem.

I currently have a pair of green mandarins, and was considering adding a second pair of red mandarins.

I know you can pair a red and green, and I think I saw someone that had a pair of greens and a pair of spotted but no clue if the red and green males would fight.

 

[snorvich]

The males will almost certainly fight to the death.

 

[Paul B]

I agree. Especially if the females are both Babes

 

[EnderG60]

Dang, thats what I figured.

Any idea if a single female red would be tolerated by the existing pair?

 

[snorvich]

Dang, thats what I figured.

Any idea if a single female red would be tolerated by the existing pair?

My guess is that would work out, or at least not result in war.

 

[EnderG60]

Not a big fan of guesses so looks like my research will continue.

 

[rhdoug]

I even had my male mandarin kill a female. I couldn't believe it. They are amazingly aggressive when they want to be.

 

[OrionN]

I even had my male mandarin kill a female. I couldn't believe it. They are amazingly aggressive when they want to be.

I think in this case they were both male but one of the male got his spike broke off during capture and transport. If you separate them, his sex will become apparent after a few weeks.
I have larger female attack smaller male, but never male attack female. You can keep two females with a male.

 

[rhdoug]

This happened several years ago, and I have no way to know for sure, but I a fairly certain it was indeed a female, her dorsal spine was normal and not damaged in any way. Interestingly, when the male attacked, he would grab here by the dorsal fin and throw her. It was painful to witness but I couldn't catch her to rescue her. Or him.

 

[OrionN]

The spike of the male can break off and he will look identical to the female, even when he spread it out. As far as I can tell, the only way to tell a male from a female is the first dorsal.
When I trying to get a pair, I always get the female first. Once we have a know female, adding a larger male is easy. It is best not to have a male first because the second one that you think a male may be a female. Also the male need to be larger than the female or else she will chase him all over the place.

 

[Code4]

Ask Paul. He has several now. He could tell you their sexes and types. The feeder is a great addition, thanks Paul. I agree with getting a female first. I love mine. Good luck.

Shelley

 

[Placid]

*** Can someone direct me on this baby brine auto feeder.

Thanks

 

[OrionN]

Do a search on threads started by Paul B. It is his invention and he have details on it in another thread

 

[EnderG60]

Just search for posts by Paul B (above) with brine feeder.

You actually can tell a juvenal male or a male with a broken spine. Males the dorsal fin is straight at the front(with a spine or not) females have a curve to it.

 

[OrionN]

Mandarin rarely fully extended their dorsal fins excepts in courtship. Knowing that some male can have their first dorsal spike break off, I still cannot tell a male with broken spike from female at the LFS. I think once they are comfortable at home, with long observation, we probably can tell. Each species of dragonette is different. I am talking about the S. splendidus.

Ender, I know what you are talking about. the part of the dorsal fin trailing the first dorsal spike in male is concave while in female it is convex. This can be seen if they extended their fins

 

[MondoBongo]

*** Can someone direct me on this baby brine auto feeder.

Thanks

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2113800&highlight=feeding+station

keep in mind this ONLY supplemental, and will not be capable of supporting a dragonet in an incorrectly sized/configured tank.