cschweitzer
New member
Bad pics, but here are my new mandarin pics:
My new dragonette pair
- Thread starter cschweitzer
- Start date
cschweitzer
New member
Funny thing, they weren't caught together. They were in a store(won't give them credit because I do not recommend them). They were in the tank pretty close, so I asked about them. I was told they were brought in at separate times. Found one was male, one was female. So I watched them for an hour or so. The male kept coming up and sitting next to the female. It was really cute and I knew if I didn't get them they would be separated. I had to pick them up, now I have to wait and see if any long-term stress was done from the pet store. They are so cute together and you can tell they are in love. In fact, bringing them back from the pet store, they were in the same bag and completely docile toward each other. Wanted to test and see if they would be fine in close quarters and they passed with flying colors. I hope they do fine in the tank. I am continuing to stock up on copes and have plenty of flatworms if they run out of copes(not the greatest substitute, but it'll do in a jam. Hey, I don't like crackers and they may not be the most nutritious thing to eat, but if I'm hungry enough...) Anyways, I got off topic a little bit, but you get the point. They will be as well taken care of as possible.
Stoney Mahony
New member
You could open up your own fish match making service!
You could call it fishharmony.com! lol
Awsome find, good pics!
You could call it fishharmony.com! lol
Awsome find, good pics!
cschweitzer
New member
Thanks, guys. I've got to do some rearranging to make their home a little more peaceful. I'll probably move my arrow crab and if I can get it, the sally lightfoot to another tank. They don't seem to be bothering them, but they are my main importance in that tank now(besides coral, of course).
I'm going to try to get better pictures later today. I had to use the flash for those because I couldn't get them to come into the light any. It seemed to be stressing them, so I stopped after a few blurry pics. Once I get a good shot, I'll post it here.
I'm going to try to get better pictures later today. I had to use the flash for those because I couldn't get them to come into the light any. It seemed to be stressing them, so I stopped after a few blurry pics. Once I get a good shot, I'll post it here.
cschweitzer
New member
First, WAIT UNTIL THE COPEPOD COUNT IS REALLY HIGH!!! They require a lot of food readily available at all times. If they do not have food, they will starve. The way to tel a female and a male apart is the front dorsal(top) fin. They have two dorsal fins and the front one tells you what you need to know. The male's front dorsal fin comes out to a long point, where the female's is just like a regular doral fin flattened at the top...you can see the difference if you look closely. Also, I recommend only getting them as a pair, because a male will not always accept a female and will many times attack her until death. Males are very vicious towards themselves, but not many other fish. They are usually very docile fish who spend their days eating, but two males, and even sometimes a male and a female, will fight until the death. Find them as a pair, or monitor very, very closely for the first few days and until they have become accustomed to each other. I just lucked out by finding two that fell in love before I picked them up. Great fish, but very difficult to keep healthy and even harder to pair. Once paired, though, they can and usually will mate in an aquarium.
cschweitzer
New member
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mandreprofaqs.htm
This is a picture of a male with his point on the front dorsal fin extended. You can see it really well. That is the deciding factor.
This is a picture of a male with his point on the front dorsal fin extended. You can see it really well. That is the deciding factor.
cschweitzer
New member
Also, if originally a pair from the wild, the male will be bigger and a little more agressive, although you can tell neither of them want anything to do with any of the other stuff in the tank. They just want to be left alone and will almost certainly not bother any other livestock.
Thanks. I'm still a few months out from adding anything extra to the tank. It is a 75 gal and has been up and running for 9 months. Got 60# live rock and 17 creatures.
Going to be adding LR and LS to the sump and then adding more LR to the tank after that is up and running. Next step will be adding MHs and letting things settle down and work for a while. Only then will I even consider adding anything extra/exchanging out livestock.
Going to be adding LR and LS to the sump and then adding more LR to the tank after that is up and running. Next step will be adding MHs and letting things settle down and work for a while. Only then will I even consider adding anything extra/exchanging out livestock.
jay24k
Active member
Yea, IME, it is very hard to find a female. The males are abundant. It took me awhile to get a female and I happened to spot one at Seven Seas. I snatched it up.
cschweitzer,
I've personally found as long as your pods are sufficient, mandarins are VERY hardy even if not kept in ideal conditions. I have a pair and mine will get together generally when the moon is really bright out like a full moon. I don't know if it is concidence or not, but everytime I see them do the love dance, the moon is super bright and fully visible (not sure if it is a true full moon).
cschweitzer,
I've personally found as long as your pods are sufficient, mandarins are VERY hardy even if not kept in ideal conditions. I have a pair and mine will get together generally when the moon is really bright out like a full moon. I don't know if it is concidence or not, but everytime I see them do the love dance, the moon is super bright and fully visible (not sure if it is a true full moon).
cschweitzer
New member
I read an article on WWM(wetwebmedia) that had a guy posting that he had a pair and nothing was going on between the two, Then one night he turned his pc's back on to show a friend something and that's when they mated for the first time. I forget exactly how the story went, but I'll try to find it somewhere. Don't really understand the behavior, but it is interesting.
Reef Nutrition, in the sponsors list, is a really great backup if you have a pod shortage. Setting up a refugium will help. A strawberry basket somewhere back in the rocks, filled with rock and overturned, will serve much the same purpose. Everything in my 55 but the chromis eats pods, and I am taking all the above measures to keep everyone fed and content---doing nicely so far. The pod count is actually rising against the depredations of a very hard-working female mandarin (red type).
cschweitzer
New member
I have a small HOB on one tank and a tub curing live rock with algae and live sand, so I should be alright. I just want to boost it here soon because they are new and getting used to the setup.
cschweitzer
New member
I'm going to set up phytoplankton, rotifer, and copepod cultures at some point in the near future
