I picked up an ORA spotted mandarin today. I am quite surprised that my scopas tang is aggressive toward the diminutive mandarin. My observation so far: the fish does not graze like wild mandarins and enjoys hanging out under overhangs. Probably old news if anyone has followed the ORA mandarin threads but I thought the tang was interesting. I may have to remove the mandarin and put him in my office tank.
ORA spotted mandarin is a threat!
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wetbehindears
New member
So why is it a threat?
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I would leave the Mandarinfish with the Scopas- the Tang will eventually lessen harrassment. Unless you have a large office aquarium with the proper environment for a Mandarinfish the fish is better off in your home reef display ESPECIALLY if it doesn't graze pods like a wild Mandarinfish.
naprestsleep
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I got one too, decided to place it on my QT as I got three Lyretail Anthias in there two. Figure I will be feeding them all enough for a few weeks and I can watch the little guy better than in my display. Any there is a pod population in my QT if he'd rather them.
Zebrasomma scopas can be aggressive to new additons in particular .
Usually last a day or two ime and doesn't really explode. I think after a day or two the tang forgets the fish is new. I'm with Gary and would leave the mandarin in the home tank and watch the tang.
Usually last a day or two ime and doesn't really explode. I think after a day or two the tang forgets the fish is new. I'm with Gary and would leave the mandarin in the home tank and watch the tang.
teamdulski
The Saltiest!
Gary, the ORA mandarins are born in captivity and raised on pellet so they are pretty much suited for any tank setting.
Todd, you should have gotten both ;-)
cardiffgiant
Active member
Adam, I'm not terribly familiar with the ORA mandarins. Is their metabolism different than the wild caught mandarins? If not, then they still may not be suited to any tank setting in that:
-Their high metabolism isn't easily supported by large infrequent feedings
-Frequent small feedings can cause high nutrient levels in smaller systems
I've successfully kept two mandarins for more than a year. I lost one to tank plumbing
. I've had my current mandarin for a little over a year. Both ate pellet and frozen. Both also constantly grazed LR for pods.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
all as expected as per my previous post.
perhaps it's time to set the auto feeder up for pellets!
perhaps it's time to set the auto feeder up for pellets!
There is a thread in the reef fishes section on ORA mandarins that dates back to the original announcement. This poor feeding behavior seems to be a common occurrence. ORA has told other hobbiests that they were fed Nurtamar Ova which is a frozen food.
The tank I picked him out of had maybe 12 mandarins in the tank. All of them were hiding under the rocks to the point that I didn't notice any til the second pass. Mine has stayed under one of my rock islands. I am seeing a little prey drive now for pods. If you wanna see a frustrated mandarin place a peice of plexiglass under your rocks so pods can get underneathe. Interest level pellets = 0, rod's food = 0.
A few have reported their ORA mandarins just starve having had no luck ever getting them to eat.
The tank I picked him out of had maybe 12 mandarins in the tank. All of them were hiding under the rocks to the point that I didn't notice any til the second pass. Mine has stayed under one of my rock islands. I am seeing a little prey drive now for pods. If you wanna see a frustrated mandarin place a peice of plexiglass under your rocks so pods can get underneathe. Interest level pellets = 0, rod's food = 0.
A few have reported their ORA mandarins just starve having had no luck ever getting them to eat.
@Ben My WC mandarin was doing great in my 29. I used to put rod's food way underneath the rockwork so he could feed on that a few times a week. My clam died while i was on vacation and that started the demise. I'm highly considering trying to return this little guy tomorrow if I don't see some more positive signs. No mandarin can survive grazing on a note card sized area of a reef.
Everything that I have read about the ORA mandarins makes them seem to be just as much of a crap shoot as a wild caught mandarin. They don't seem to take to pellets well, they don't seem to take frozen well, the only great thing about these fish is that they are captive bred. These fish are still difficult to keep and get eating but they didn't come from the sea.
Johnny C
New member
I have read through the entire thread about ORA Mandarins. While I don't doubt your feeding issues, that thread has a lot of 'fluff' from people who don't actually own them. Is your Spotted Mandarin not accepting food at all? I have a Wild Caught Spotted in my Prop Tank that refuses to accept frozen or pellets. With that being said, he has stayed alive and healthy for almost six months living off of the live copepods and other plankton that thrive in the system.
In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to supply the aquarium with an ample amount of pods. I got a ball of Chaetomorpha algae from TMZ that was beaming with life- maybe if you ask, he might be able to help you out. Another option would be to try and soak the pellets and/or frozen food in a garlic supplement. It always helps when I have a fish that refuses to eat. JMO
In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to supply the aquarium with an ample amount of pods. I got a ball of Chaetomorpha algae from TMZ that was beaming with life- maybe if you ask, he might be able to help you out. Another option would be to try and soak the pellets and/or frozen food in a garlic supplement. It always helps when I have a fish that refuses to eat. JMO
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
the previous thread regarding ORA Mandarinfish in this forum.
Now keep in mind that many people swear that captive raised anemonefish don't take to anemones as readily as wild caught anemonefish.
I'm not going to comment
teamdulski
The Saltiest!
Having seen a couple of batches; the original ones Ora first sent out were tiny,weak and wouldn't accept anything. The more recent shipments they are bigger, more chubby and not nearly as shy. It seems the ones over 2.5 inches just do better; which most have been lately. My personal one will eat anything and is fat.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I have no doubt that ORA's fish are more likely to take pellets than wild caught.
Any Mandarinfish is more likely to survive in a system containing pods. Office aquariums with few pods are a bad choice for Mandarinfish- even if they will take pellets.
Any Mandarinfish is more likely to survive in a system containing pods. Office aquariums with few pods are a bad choice for Mandarinfish- even if they will take pellets.
