Mandarin Primer

[Otto2]

I have a male mandarin in my 120 with a sump/fuge for about 6-8 months now and has been eating tons of pods and is very fat. I just picked up a female mandarin yesterday to see if they will pair up. They started swimming together checking each other out when I first put her in and then the male started to nip at the new female a few times and an hour later I checked on them before the lights went out and the female was hiding in the rocks not coming out while the male was just swimming around the tank. I checked on them again this moring while the lights were still out and the female was still in the same spot hiding out. I will keep you guys updated on how they get along.

 

[Philwd]

They certainly can get ich at the LFS and infect your tank. Happened to me and killed every fish but my 2 clowns. My theory is they don't get the right food and this compromises the slime coat. You don't hear about it very often but it does happen. If you have a very healthy, fat mandarin and your display then caught ich then I would say it's better than 50-50 odds it will be able to completely fight it off breaking the parasite's life cycle. But all it would take is 1 to get in a gill and it will live on.

 

[biger]

So how would u treat a mandarin? I assume they would not do well with copper or hypo.

 

[Otto2]

It's been two full days since I added my female mandarin to my tank with a male. The female when into a cave the first night and is still sitting in there as of now. It's looks healthy and moving around but doesnt want to come out of its hiding spot.

 

[iceemn360]

sounds normal but give it time. otto2. shell likely come out in time.

 

[lildraken]

I can never find a female mandarin at the pet store. the female doesn't have the elongated dorsal spike correct? it seems all of them have that.

 

[biger]

The guy at my LFS said it is harder to get females. Every now and then he gets a pair in and they are always already sold.

 

[Lanceafer]

The males have a larger dorsal fin not just the first spike. when its not up it will rest to one side of the soft dorsal fin (the second dorsal fin)

Females on the other hand have a much smaller dorsal fin that will lay in line with the soft dorsal fin.

If you would like I can try to get a picture of my pair to show the difference.

 

[biger]

Are the females more expensive since u don't see as many?

 

[lildraken]

thanks a picture would be great! So would you say females have a dorsal spike as well?

 

[tonyespinoza]

can anyone tell me how to tell male from female mandarins?

 

[biger]

Tony, see post 3 posts above by Lance ^^^

 

[tonyespinoza]

funny! i read through the primer a few days ago -- those posts all came in yesterday! doh! anyway - synchronicity... anyone got a pic to illustrate the diff?

 

[biger]

How bout those pics Lance?

 

[lildraken]

I found a picture of a female mandarin. From what I've read so far,mmmmmmm...................mmmmmmmm.mkkikmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm m,..//.//.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;/////////////>?????:"

mmmm

 

[lildraken]

I found a picture of a female mandarin. From what I've read so far,mmmmmmm...................mmmmmmmm.mkkikmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm m,..//.//.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;/////////////>?????:"

mmmm

 

[lildraken]

sexing mandarins

sexing mandarins

oops, please ignore the previous 2 posts. that was caused by a fish food pellet stuck underneath my computer keys.. how did that get there?

anyway, from what i've read so far pet stores apparently are able to order mandarins according to size grades and since females are smaller, they hardly ever get ordered unless the LFS orders smaller mandarins.

here's a pic of a female
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...p=18&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1C1CHMZ_enUS305US306&sa=N

 

[67belvedere]

i like these fish they are fun to watch only have one as of now

 

[ImprezaSTi]

Since I have read other people using pictures of clowns in a host to get their own clowns to host...

I wonder if putting a picture of another mandarin eating frozen against the glass will get mine to eat?? Anyone got a picture?

 

[Canoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14496957#post14496957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ImprezaSTi
Since I have read other people using pictures of clowns in a host to get their own clowns to host...

I wonder if putting a picture of another mandarin eating frozen against the glass will get mine to eat?? Anyone got a picture?

I saw on TV where they dressed up as cranes to teach them eating, flying and mating. Can you sew? ...