Manderian...where is he

[messina06]

I bought a Manderian about 2 weeks ago and have yet to see him swimming around my tank. There are plenty of pods and the tank has been up and running for about 4 years.

My ? is is this normal behavior for a Mandarian, to hide in rocks or is there a good chance he is dead? I do have a large carpet that has preyed on several fish so that is an option but I am trying to be optimist and that he is shy and found a great hiding spot.

Anyone have any experience with them that can share?

 

[tkeracer619]

Mine rarely hang out in the open. I do see them out in the open once every couple days. I have a lot of rockwork for them to hide and hunt.

 

[cfarrow2]

No experience with mandarins but I did put in a royal gramma a couple of years back that shot into cave as soon as he went in the tank. I never saw him again. After a few days I started testing for ammonia spikes because I was pretty sure he was a goner. Nothing. No spikes in ammonia or nitrate. I've moved the tank since then and never saw any evidence he was ever in there. I don't want to be pessimistic with your situation but as my mama always said, "Plan for the worst, hope for the best."

 

[useskaforevil]

i have one in an 80 gallon and he's always out in the open my geuss is ....

large carpet anenomes that are known for eating fish 1
fish that hovers miliimeters over the surface of everything 0

 

[goldmaniac]

doesn't sound good, sorry to inform you. I have a green mandarin and is always just hopping from rock to rock looking for food. even when I started out in the hobby, as a noobie I bought one, doomed to starve, but he was always out in the open.

Hopefully this one is just acting differently, but i can always find my guy whenever I look for him.

I'd interrogate the anemone, demand some answers. The poisonous slime coating on mandarins are sometimes ineffective vs anenomes.

 

[Savas]

Mine is always out and about.

 

[badpvtdan]

Mine hides all day.

 

[Otto2]

I put one in my tank last week and it darted off into the rock work immediately. Finally saw his head sticking out of the rock 3 days after putting him, havent seen him since. Hoping he comes out soon.

 

[vito is hooked]

Friggin Anemone!!!!

 

[TellyFish]

I have had a green for almost 2 years and he is always out in the open. One thing I have found is that mine likes to hover high in the tank at night. This has landed him in my overflow on occasion. I have since added a better screen (which comes up over the overflow about an inch) and he hasn't made it over the water fall since.