My spotted mandarin from faois, aka valentine

[spicytuna]

Here is my road to success with a spotted mandarin in my nano aquarium. This is not an aquacultered variety and I have never seen him eat frozen food. When I feed the tank frozen cyclopeeze and rods food I do get a reaction from him, but I believe it's because the food in the water gets the pods scrambling around.

My girlfriend nicknamed him valentine because I got him Feb 14th of this year, so in 2 days I will have had him 7 months. Which from what I've read 12 months is considered successfull but not garunteed.

At 6 months I added a bottle of tiger pods to the system, and since then I have got a huge reaction from him picking the glass all day. I still have quite a mix of Copepods and amphipods as I periodically check the tank at night with a flashlight to see what's going on.

Here's a pic from the first day I got him:

Here is today:

 

[aguila88psi]

Nice, I'm almost at the magical 6 month mark myself with my 90 gallon. Looking for a red manderin, can't wait

 

[reeftank1994]

He is so fat haha

 

[Blitzie]

Nice and healthy looking
Good job

 

[spicytuna]

Thanks for the kind words.

He's definitely put on weight, but he was super small when I got him. The smallest at the store. Maybe one day he will have that fat pot belly a show piece mandarin has. I'm really just glad he's thriving, not just alive. When I first got into the hobby I was sold a scooter blenny/dragonet, this was probably 6-7 years ago. I could never understand why he wouldnt eat anything, and it was upsetting to see it wither away. I stayed away from this species for a long time for that reason. The only thing that made me pull the trigger on buying one, was I had a very large pod population for my size tank. I do pay close attention to his color though. Paleness is usually a sign of malnurishment.

 

[Dream2aReef]

Beautiful fish as well as, beautiful clam and acans

 

[jbax]

nice and healthy

i got my spotted mandarin from faois 4+yrs ago. many people have called mine obese and say she is so fat, that she can't swim to the top of the tank. and she eats mysis if put infront of her. just keep them eating.

 

[spicytuna]

Was feeding the tank frozen PE mysis yesterday, and low and behold, there's my mandarin with a mouthful of mysis!!!! I tried to snap a pic but he was moving to fast. Next feeding I will have the camera ready for sure. I'd say this is the point of official success with a mandarin. Very nice feeling to know he will thrive for the longevity of his lifespan in my tank.

 

[Ali :D]

I have had mine in a 40 breeder since jan. My glass is covered with pods every night so I know there is plenty in there for him. He's fat and happy and grown a lot since I got him. I keep cheato in the tank, usually a ball about the size of a baseball but it has now grown to the size of a basketball. I just keep removing half and giving it away but that's probably the cause for my high pod count. If your ever in doubt put some cheato in!