Mandarine Goby

D

Dollarbill

New member
I really want a mandarine goby but have read my tank should be at least 1 year old. Has anybody else heard about this? thanks. db
 
your tank needs to be mature because of pod popuations

you will also need a minimum of 75-100 pounds of live rock & a fuge is highly recommended for pod reproduction....with no competeing fish

these fish only eat pods
 
Yep pretty much the case, "SOME" can learn to eat prepared foods or mysis but that would be something you shoud not count on.

I have 1 in my 75G with 100# of rock and a refuge. Fat and happy....
 
I picked up a Mandarin that eats frozen foods but when I was at the LFS I had the guy feed them to make sure they were eating, Had the Mandarin for 1 mo and he is stil eating and chuggin along

Good Luck!
 
First to contribute: You can buy them at places like Inland Aquatics and IPSF...however, it would be in your best interested to get a fuge of some sort, HOB is the easiest IMO, and buy some pods to stock that at first...then you should be good for quite a while.

Second to hijack: Anyone here think a mandarin would compete or have any quarrels with a bicolor blenny? Blenny is supposedly omnivore so, shouldn't be trouble at first thought...just like to run it by everyone.
 
i think the bicolor is an herbavore

and yes, you can buy them, but you and the fish will be much better served by establishing the tank...the fish eats/grazes on these pods all day, not just as a single meal a day
 
You can also get them from Reef Nutrition. I had my pods go south after Chemi-clean (I think it axed or lowered some of the micro foodchain) and am slowly building up again, with a mandarin, two firefish, and a goby, all of whom like pods. It's pricey, because they have to be shipped with ice, but if you have the funds, you can do it, no question. Reef Nutrition has given really great service. I get personal messages making sure it got here.
 
as for competeing carnivores I also have a randall gody and a flame hawk with the mandarin and they all eat and play nice
 
if yuo do decide to get one before your tank has a substantial population of pods, please make sure you sea it it frozen or prepared food at the store. Live brineshrimp do not have enpugh nutrition so dont let the store trick you. And be aware if you are seriously considering buying pods to feed the fish it will get very expensive.
Jim
 
Alot of Mandarins and other Dragonets will eat Frozen Cyclopeeze as well, which is a Lab Cultured Copapods.

Fish love 'em and so do the corals. Plus they aren't live so they are easy and alot of LFS are starting to carry them. They sure beat ordering live Pod's and paying for shipping all the time.
 
If you buy a Mandarin, you should have plenty of natural food for it (Copepods) and do not rely on any frozen, processed or packaged food.

These amazingly passive little fish are just a marvel to watch. It would be a shame to have it starve to death in your tank just because it would not adapt to processed foods.
 
I cant get the link to quit shutting down my computer? Ya sounds like ill wait & figure out how to maintain the copapods before i buy. I had one 10 or more years ago and it ate fish food too and never died. It was our favorite to watch. thanks. db
 
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