Mandarin/Dragonet in 90g barebottom...

[sjj80]

Is it possible?

I was thinking of buying one from my LFS and try to get it to eat prepared foods in QT (frozen,fresh, like rod's food,cyclopeze,brine etc.)I'd also add bottled pods to the QT. If he doesn't eat I'd take him back to the LFS. Since my tank is BB I obviously don't have any sand, however I do have a LOT of different pods and a fuge to grow them in,I also can buy pods at my LFS if needed.

Do they have to have sand? From what I understand it just helps with pod population. Is this true?

 

[snorvich]

A mandarin cannot survive on prepared food even if it will eat it. And you will go broke buying bottles of copepods. Wait until the tank is more mature. If you have a mature refugium, you would also be good to go.

 

[sjj80]

Thanks snorvich. Although I do have a ton of pods already I'll probably wait another month or two to let the population really increase. I was thinking of adding some rotifers to let them populate as well. My biggest concern was whether or not they could be comfortable without sand, but I guess that isn't an issue. I don't plan on adding any other fish that would compete with the mandarin for food like anthias or blennies.

Thanks Again.

 

[natan]

BB is OK for mandarins, they dont care. Its just that its believed that sand produces more food.

 

[snorvich]

BB is not important. You could create some little in tank copepod refugiums by stacking a small pile of rocks. If you wait another couple of months you should be good to go. Just don't put in any major copepod competitors and you should be fine.

 

[sjj80]

Will do, I'll order some rubble to add to both the QT and DT. I have a perfect spot for some in the DT. Thanks for the help.