Mandarin - pod competition?

[brett559]

I know certain fish make keeping a green mandarin tougher as they reduce pod population. At around the year mark, I'd like to add a green mandarin. I am seeing pods in my tank (tons in my refugium), but want to make sure I have enough to keep a mandarin properly.

My current fish are: clownfish, purple tang, blue tang, royal G, firefish, midas blenny, flame angel, and an orangeback fairy wrasse.

Would any of these fish make it difficult to keep a mandarin? And again, this is thinking in the future - I have no plans of adding the mandarin now.

Thanks.

 

[MondoBongo]

how large a tank are we talking?

there's nothing on your list that stands out to me as a huge red flag, but i'm not all that familiar with a lot of your stock list.

are you running a fuge or anything like that?

 

[chuckdylan]

The flame angel will supposedly eat a lot of pods. That is what is currently keeping me from getting a mandarin. Its hard to tell how many pods my flame eats, as there still seem to be a bunch. But it definitely eats some.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I've read royal grammas can compete for pods but I have one and she pecks occasionally but she is so well fed it's not an issue. My flame angel never went after pods either, again...well fed fish. I know some species of wrasses will eat pods but depending on the size of your tank it may not be a problem.

 

[brett559]

It's a 90 gallon. I have a refugium with chaeto - there appear to be lots of pods in there. I had a melanarus, which I believe was really going after the pods, but I sold him.

The flame angel does pick at the rocks, but I feed fairly generously - pellets throughout the day and a healthy portion of mysis in the evening.

 

[Squidmotron]

Have had a mandarin and a flame angel in a 200 gallon tank for about 2.5 years now. Seems to be fine.

 

[hotelbravo]

I think you should be just fine with those on that list. Good luck!!

 

[eatbreakfast]

There are no substantial pod competitors on that list, especially with the setup you describe.

 

[Betta132]

Should be just fine. Just get a mandy who's reasonably well fed to start off with.

 

[brett559]

Great. Thanks. My LFS seems to be able to get real big fat mandarins. When the time is right, I'll wait for a big one.

 

[brett559]

Hey eatbreakfast, your tank is wrasse dominant. Which wrasses do you have?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hey eatbreakfast, your tank is wrasse dominant. Which wrasses do you have?

I have:
HALICHOERES
Timorensis
Leucurus
Iridis

PARACHEILINUS
Filamentosus

CIRRHILABRUS
cf. cyanopleura
Pylei (Cebu)
Sp 3 kenyan

XENOJULIS
Margaritaceus

PSEUDOCHEILINOPS
Ataenia

I have a few in qt right now, but dont want to "jinx" them by mentioning them until I know they can "handle" being in my tank.

 

[brett559]

So 9 in an 80? That's awesome. Any other fish with them, or just wrasses?

Any aggression issues? I have one orangeback fairy - would like to add a McCoskers and Carpenter's flashers some day. Could that work?

 

[eatbreakfast]

So 9 in an 80? That's awesome. Any other fish with them, or just wrasses?

Any aggression issues? I have one orangeback fairy - would like to add a McCoskers and Carpenter's flashers some day. Could that work?

I have some anthias, some dartfish, 2 marine bettas, a pr of firefish, and a yellow assessor.

The pylei is the boss, and when the whites turn off chases the other fairy wrasses, but none have nipped fins and are all showing good color, so no worse for where. With the other wrasses there is occasional posturing but no chasing.

I think you should be fine adding more, but use a social acclimation box when adding new wrasses to an existing one.

 

[sarens]

creating some smaller areas in the rocks gives spots for mandarin to get in and feed and angel can't, that can help too, has worked for me for a couple of years