New mandarin...Pics

[dcmander]

Is there any reason why you would want a female along with a male? I'm planning on having one in my 225 gal...would he be happier with a female mate?

I as also thinking about putting a green and a spotted one together, would that be okay or should i go male/female? How do they behave together?

 

[gsxunv04]

how do you differentiate the sex of a mandarin? Beaut of a fish btw

 

[snorvich]

No problem with having a green and a spotted together as long as both are of different sexes. Males have a spikey dorsal fin whereas females have a rounded one. The male will not necessarily be happier with a female but are YOU happier with a significant other?

 

[gsxunv04]

thanks

 

[mrwilson]

Many people who keep mandarin pairs do so in order to be able to watch the very entertaining courtship dance they will sometimes do. Steve's pic above depicts that "dance." I'm currently looking for a female red scooter mandarin (Synchiropus stellatus) to pair with the male I just got, largely for that reason.

 

[gsxunv04]

do you think i could house a pair in my 75g? I have about 80 lbs of live rock in the tank but i also have a refugium. I have been waiting over a year for my tank to get plenty of micro-fauna for them to eat, but I have only intended on getting one mandarin, but 2 would be twice the fun...

 

[flameangel88]

If your are prepared to purchase bottled tigger pods then you should be fine to start with 2 otherwise I'd say get a female first and after a couple of months you still have plenty of pods in the tank then get the male. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dyvaeh]

We are in the process of downsizing our 120 gallon reef to a nano and I think I miss my Mandarin the most. We had her for 3 years, but gave her to a good home. We never had any problem keeping her fat

 

[wrasseguy2]

mine is still doing fine..she is still on the move all the time..i don't see her that much becuase she is all in the rock work..i hope to get some new pics soon..i saw a nice male at the store this weekend might get it this on friday

 

[wrasseguy2]

new pic of her..i don't see here much she is in and out of the rocks

 

[petoonia]

She is beautiful!!! I had a male he was my favorite fish in the tank. I would love to get another one, but I think I will probably wait until we upgrade to a larger tank.

gsxunv04 I would not put two mandarins in a 75G, I dont think two would last long term in a 75G.

 

[wrasseguy2]

couple new pics i got today..i saw this girl more today than i have the past week..she was in a new area of the tank nailing pods all day

 

[wrasseguy2]

the hippo is not doing bad either

 

[wrasseguy2]

here are a few new pics i got...this fish is still doing fine..hunts all day..and has started to eat mysis now..i don't really feed it to her but when i feed the other fish she is quick to jump on what makes it to the sand or what the others don't get...i never tried to get her to eat it just saw it one day..but of course she has to have the pods to make it..on with the new pics!!!

 

[petoonia]

She looks nice, and chubby!!!! Thanks for the update!!!

 

[wrasseguy2]

yes she does seem to be doing fine..and she is not as scared as she once once she will let me take pics of her more now

 

[REEF-n-Chicago]

Beatiful fish! Do they swim together much?

 

[Crush Coral]

wrasseguy2, I pm'd you with a question.

 

[Crush Coral]

wrasseguy2, I pm'd you with a question.

 

[snorvich]

Great pictures. You are getting better and she is less shy.