Grenade Glass
Reefer
My poor Spotted Mandarin is starving. He wiped out the pod population and he wont take any frozen foods. I'm not sure what to do, is there any easy way to add more pods or other foods he will take to? I'd appreciate any advice!
Spotted Mandarin Starving
- Thread starter Grenade Glass
- Start date
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
There's a brand of bottled 'pods that many LFSs carry, but it's a pricey proposition IMHO. You could also set up some cultures, but again - it's a lot of effort for one fish (IMHO).
For now, how about "lending" him to someone with a larger/more established tank?
For now, how about "lending" him to someone with a larger/more established tank?
alphaferret
Pitcher Hill Reef Society
yeah mandarins as beautiful as they are becomethe victim of impulse buying. How big is your tank? Do you have a fuge? Any buddys w/ large well established tanks near by? You could buy pods or create them one is costly money wise the other time wise. I'm sure if ya post here at a fair price someone would be willing to scoop him up and give him a home laden w/ pods-I would if I was closer-
Good luck.
Good luck.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I've been looking for a mate for my spotted Mandarin.
The problem is, (unlike Psychedelic Mandarins), spotteds are much more difficult to sex. (I had a mated pair of Psychs in the past.)
When you see a pinched belly on a Mandarinfish it's usually too late to save the fish. I would have to agree the best chance this fish has right now is a large pod laden reef aquarium.
The problem is, (unlike Psychedelic Mandarins), spotteds are much more difficult to sex. (I had a mated pair of Psychs in the past.)
When you see a pinched belly on a Mandarinfish it's usually too late to save the fish. I would have to agree the best chance this fish has right now is a large pod laden reef aquarium.
block head
New member
yep ,xpert fish with a low price. the key to sucess imo is training to eat prepaired foods. even large tanks can have there pod population wiped out. they also can be rather short lived fish. training is not that hard,just takes a little time and effort.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
And enough luck to end up with a fish that's actually interested in the prepared foods!
block head
New member
some people get very lucky and buy one that will eat frozen. most will have to go through a training period. my green was started on live brine and was eating pellets out of my hand after a few weeks.
I have to disagree that the key to success is prepared foods. I've said this a million times, but the problem with relying on prepared foods is that mandarins are grazers. they're always hunting and eating. prepared foods can be a great supplement, but unless you also have a population of pods or feed very, very heavily, there's still a good chance the fish will starve, particularly if there are any other fish in the tank to compete for food.
under the right conditions there are very few easier fish to keep. IMO, it's a shame that people are always looking for a workaround to try to keep them in small tanks.
under the right conditions there are very few easier fish to keep. IMO, it's a shame that people are always looking for a workaround to try to keep them in small tanks.
alphaferret
Pitcher Hill Reef Society
sorry to go OT but Flanders are you back in business w/ sw? If so good to have ya back-if not what kinda build are ya planning?
alphaferret
Pitcher Hill Reef Society
Uh oh do I hear Momma Kat coming down the hall?
alphaferret
Pitcher Hill Reef Society
Very cool-glad you are on the way back-is that a cube?
Maraschiello
New member
when i got my mandarin, I had Joe at SWP feed the lil guy mysis before i bought it. They aren't labeled difficult for care difficulty for nothing. So far so good. 8 months in my tank so far! :-D
block head
New member
i'm with you pods are a key factor. it's my favorite fish, and i won't have one in my small pod. can it be done? yes . people do it, and are very sucessfull. guys like whitlich are breeding them in 40 gallon tanks. relying on pods or prepared alone doesn't make sense. a combination and an understanding of these fish imo is key. the grazing aurguement is valid to a point. no fish eats pellets in the wild. many fish in the industry have difficult feeding requirements. most can be trained to eat prepared foods. that said ,i think these fish are best left in the ocean for 90% of the hobbiest ,myself included.
