mandarin eating mysis...good or bad?

[ryanpal]

im sure by the topic you're asking yourself how could it be bad.

here's the scenario...i've had my mandarin for around 2 months. i've stocked my tank and sump (just in case) with tiggerpods a few times. just to make sure he has enough food and hopefully the pods would breed etc.

i believe everythings been good so far. he's fat and i always see him pecking at the live rock which i believe he's eating pods.

today i dumped in a mix of food (mysis, flake, pellets, blood worms and even some cyclop-eeze). there was a food storm and i actually saw the mandarin eat some mysis. i was pretty happy to see this, however, when i asked the LFS who sold me him "how come he doesn't eat mysis", i was told it's because he doesn't need to, he obvioiusly eating the pods.

so having that said, am i to assume i'm low on pods? i do still see the mandarin pecking at the rocks continuously however how can you be sure he's actually eating pods?

i think the above is a good sign, i just figured i'd check with my RC gang ;]

 

[Roy G. Biv]

I dont see why a fish would pass up a free meal!!

 

[demonsp]

IT happens but not often.This isnt there right diet thought.It may keep him alive but at what cost. Manderans are an expert fish and for many reasons. Please remember that many or almost all fish bought came strait from the ocean from there reef home and do deserve the best chance of survival possible. Sorry my good dead for the day. Hope im not sounds rude as im only trying to educate and not make an example of.

 

[snorvich]

My mandarins will also eat mysis but clearly they subsist primarily on copepods.

 

[Arati]

I would be verry happy if my mandarin would eat any prepared food.

As for pod population thought. If you are anything like me then its a constant concern. I am always looking for ways to get more pod in the system. I can only advise you do the same.

 

[psteeleb]

mine's been eating mysis for about 9 months, and about 2 months ago I noticed him even eating pellets. He's the fattest fish I have and I have fat fish

 

[ryanpal]

thanks for the replies.

anyone want to chime on on the questions that still elude me?

is the mandarin actually eating pods when pecking at the rock? (if so, i'm definitely in good shape)

do you agree with the above that him eating mysis could mean there aren't enough pods?

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11952502#post11952502 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryanpal
thanks for the replies.

anyone want to chime on on the questions that still elude me?

is the mandarin actually eating pods when pecking at the rock? (if so, i'm definitely in good shape)

do you agree with the above that him eating mysis could mean there aren't enough pods?

I don't thik it hurts them and I don't think it means anything about the pod population. I'm sure they are always on the hunt for pods as it's in their nature. I thinks it just means they found something else they like.

 

[useskaforevil]

it could mean that. it could also mean he just likes mysis too. theres not really any way to know unless you really really boosted your pod population and he stopped eating mysis. my mandarin eats all day long but will still eat anything i drop in my tank.

 

[iansfishy]

forgive me if im wrong but if hes eating period that is a good thing. wether its pods or mysis hes eating.

 

[rbursek]

GOULD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[demonsp]

I think a good POD population is much more important then 1 fish.Without a refugium 4 months running is the only way to have one.Wishing and luck wont cut it.

 

[ryanpal]

yes im aware of the pod situation.

this tank before i obtained it was 5 years old.

it's been through a few moves so some say it's considered a new tank. at any rate, it's been up and running in my house since june.

ive stocked full of pods..even have a pod enclosure with gutter guard (saw somehwere on here).

 

[smitty06]

My mandarin will eat about anything you put in the tank. I know that my tank is full of pods. (I watch the population closely). If you think that the pods numbers are low wait until the light is off and use a small light to check out the liverock. You can see the pods moving on the rocks. Like I said earlier my tank is full of pods and the mandarin still eats other food. I dont believe that 1 fish could be completely depleating your tank.

 

[Sk8r]

He's just a happy, typical mandy: once he id's something as food [copying other fish] he will add it to his diet. You can't get a starving one to switch foods even literally to save his life, but a healthy one will cheerfully eat pellet, mysis, cyclopeeze---watching a mandy chase a floating mysis is downright funny.

Never underestimate their appetite. I have a 20g fuge supporting one tiny mandy female who also eats other foods.