Mixing Mandarin Species

[blanden.adam]

Hey guys, posted this in the Reef Fishes forum, but figured I'd ask here too:

So, I am currently keeping an ORA male spotted mandarin in my 29 gallon aquarium. He's been there for 6 months and has been doing great -- eating a variety of foods, putting on weight, growing, and overall just being a fat and happy mandarin. Soon I will be upgrading to a 75 gallon aquarium (it's sitting in my basement. Gotta get lights) and I definitely will be getting him a female companion so I can observe their cool mating dance (also from ORA).

My question is, since ORA started releasing Green mandarins, is it possible to mix mandarin species, (ie one pair of Synchiropus picturatus and one pair of Synchiropus splendidus) provided they are all eating prepared foods in a 75 gallon tank or a tank of any other volume? I know males will fight to the death if they are of the same species, but don't know if that extends to other members of the genus. Thanks for the help!

 

[Capt_Cully]

I had one of each in a 72 way back when. The spotted was established in the tank. I inherited a large striped mandarin and plopped it in. The established spotted, harassed the new one to the point of exhaustion and starvation. No idea if they were both males, females, or one of each. It just didn't end well at all.

 

[Randrew215]

I had a spotted mandarin in a 72 and added a striped a couple of months later unsure of if they would be compatible. The spotted mandarin attacked the striped about 1 second after adding it to the tank and continued relentlessly until I pulled it out. I'm also unsure of their genders.

 

[tent boy]

Pretty sure you can't mix them even if different sexes.

 

[teamdulski]

Even in a 180 gallon I've seen extreme harassment and that was between a male and female. I wouldn't do it.

 

[blanden.adam]

Alright then, survey says, just be happy with a pair of a single species. Good thing the Targets are the prettiest anyway . And just for those of you interested, Doesn't he look like a handsome young man who deserves a partner? Avagadro the target mandarin:

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

there's a little blue face in front of your mandarinfish!

 

[Jacwil]

Lol..crazy coralline "face"!!

Nice chunky healthy fish! !!

 

[blanden.adam]

HAHA! I didn't even notice the face! And thanks, he's certainly one of my favorites

 

[logansreef]

Good eye Gary!! Lol it's Jesuss' face and worth a million!!!

I love the mandarins! Such sweet fish to watch and their colors are amazing

 

[block head]

Looks great. My green did amazing for a year. Ate everything. I'd be very skeptical of a mandarin surviving more than yr or two in tight quarters.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

adam you got pm

 

[saltyscotsman]

if you are looking for a good light MIKERADS has one on this forum