Mandarins and Hyposalinity

[billyWhite]

I just noticed some Ich spots on my Tomini Tang so I'm prepping for some hyposalinity action. Should I be concerned at all about my Scooter Blenny during the hypo? I don't consider them your 'typical fish' like his Tang and Chromis tank-mates, so I just want to be on the safe side.

Any input appreciated -

 

[k.shep]

mandarins do very well with hyposalinity.

 

[billyWhite]

Excellent - thanks for your reply.

Another Mandarin question - I'm told they are 'Ich-Proof' due to their slime coat. However, are they still capable of carrying/transmitting the Ich parasite?

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13057626#post13057626 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by k.shep
mandarins do very well with hyposalinity.

I believe mandarine gobies are one of the very few fish that do not carry ich so they do not need to be quarantined or hyposalinity used.

 

[jthomps123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13065260#post13065260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I believe mandarine gobies are one of the very few fish that do not carry ich so they do not need to be quarantined or hyposalinity used.

My green mandarin - as well as other fish of mine - have ich right now. Im going to treat with hypo but worried about keeping him fed. Can he live off of live brine for six weeks?

 

[paulamrein]

You can enrich your live brine by giving them a vitamin soak 8 or so hours before feeding. Still not optimal, but if he eats, it's really all you can do. And as you pointed out, mandarins CAN have ich, usually not the case, but it can happen. Ich can be on any fish, at any time in an infected tank. Even if you don't see any spots, they can be on the gills which aren't protected with the slim coating.

 

[paulamrein]

Also, baby brine are better than adult, they are more nutritious. Smaller for mandarins as well.

 

[billyWhite]

You might have already tried, but give Mysis a shot. I've had good luck with my green Mandarin eating Hikari Mysis - the kind that comes in the big sheet. She'll even eat the little shrimps off my fingertip.

 

[k.shep]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13065260#post13065260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I believe mandarine gobies are one of the very few fish that do not carry ich so they do not need to be quarantined or hyposalinity used.

although some fish don't get infested by paracites do to slime coats or immunity from an antibody response. they can still carry paracites and infect there tank mates. so yes, they still need to be quarinteened

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13075126#post13075126 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by k.shep
although some fish don't get infested by paracites do to slime coats or immunity from an antibody response. they can still carry paracites and infect there tank mates. so yes, they still need to be quarinteened

I didn't arrive at that statement myself--it comes from Melev--someone with very respectable experience and knowledge of reefing

 

[Freed]

Melev's mandarin died a few months ago from ich. Yes they can get ich.

 

[k.shep]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13075180#post13075180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I didn't arrive at that statement myself--it comes from Melev--someone with very respectable experience and knowledge of reefing

i'm sure if you ask him if mandarins can carry paracites. he'll tell that they can, or that he's not sure. its no secret that they don't normally get ich outbreaks. but its also no secret that they can carry a small # of paracites. the most common place for a fish to pick up paracites is in the gills, the slime coat of a mandarin will not stop this from happening

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13076138#post13076138 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by k.shep
i'm sure if you ask him if mandarins can carry paracites. he'll tell that they can, or that he's not sure. its no secret that they don't normally get ich outbreaks. but its also no secret that they can carry a small # of paracites. the most common place for a fish to pick up paracites is in the gills, the slime coat of a mandarin will not stop this from happening

okay guys---I've been on here long enough to know that there is not just one answer that's the gospel truth in this hobby
I apologize if it just seemed like that---its just hard to believe that this information went unchecked when it was posted originally.

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13075180#post13075180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I didn't arrive at that statement myself--it comes from Melev--someone with very respectable experience and knowledge of reefing

That doesn't mean infallible.

It is very unusual for a Mandarin to contract Ich due to their slimy oily body. However, this isn't 100% guaranteed. I've seen a picture of one covered with Ich on wetwebmedia about two years ago, but that seems to be pretty rare.

I did buy a Psychedelic mandarin from a LFS six or more months ago, and it broke out in something but it wasn't Ich. His body had bumps and splotches, and didn't survive a week. I have pictures if you want to see them.

Mandarins are not gobies, and are are not in the goby family.

Something that might work if you opt to put a mandarin in quarantine / hypo is to offer Reef Nutrition's Arcti-Pods. Some (not all) mandarins have shown an inclination to eat these foods, which doesn't contain PO4 nor NO3. Seems like the ideal food for a difficult subject.

I wouldn't quarantine a mandarin unless I had a tank with LS & LR so the fish would have the opportunity to find live food. That way it could be observed for several weeks before putting it in your main display.

 

[billsreef]

While there are some fish that are fairly resistant to parasites, there are none that are immune to them

Another good food to feed mandarins in QT is cyclop-eze, as well as the various live pods available from places like Reed's.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13076871#post13076871 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
That doesn't mean infallible.

It is very unusual for a Mandarin to contract Ich due to their slimy oily body. However, this isn't 100% guaranteed. I've seen a picture of one covered with Ich on wetwebmedia about two years ago, but that seems to be pretty rare.

I did buy a Psychedelic mandarin from a LFS six or more months ago, and it broke out in something but it wasn't Ich. His body had bumps and splotches, and didn't survive a week. I have pictures if you want to see them.

Mandarins are not gobies, and are are not in the goby family.

Something that might work if you opt to put a mandarin in quarantine / hypo is to offer Reef Nutrition's Arcti-Pods. Some (not all) mandarins have shown an inclination to eat these foods, which doesn't contain PO4 nor NO3. Seems like the ideal food for a difficult subject.

I wouldn't quarantine a mandarin unless I had a tank with LS & LR so the fish would have the opportunity to find live food. That way it could be observed for several weeks before putting it in your main display.

your still right up there along with King Neptune--Marc

Not stating absolutes here---probably where I made a mistake----you know as much as I try not to I still fall into the trap sometimes of stating absolute answers when I realize there really aren't any in this hobby.

That said---does one quarantine a mandarine as with all other fish or not?

 

[billsreef]

IMO I would QT a mandarin, heck I QT all fish. It's all about setting up a QT properly and having what you need to take care of the fish properly while in QT. Not QT'ing is like playing Russion Roulette with several bullets in your revolver

 

[NirvanaFan]

I agree what was said with all the above posts. You could also try to feed the mandarin formula 1 and/or formula 2 pellets. Mine seems to love them, and other people have had their mandarins eat them.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13078583#post13078583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billsreef
IMO I would QT a mandarin, heck I QT all fish. It's all about setting up a QT properly and having what you need to take care of the fish properly while in QT. Not QT'ing is like playing Russion Roulette with several bullets in your revolver

I agree with you---and I quarantine all fish---but I am glad this issue was cleared up about qt'ing the mandarine
I have two refugiums teaming with copopods----I am assuming if it is the same case with other reefers and you have to qt a mandarine----that you just add water from your qt tank and do small water changes with it periodically.

Then again, with hyposalinity aren't you going to lose any live zooplankton almost instantly with 1.009 salinity?