steaming!!!!

[saltburns]

I just picked up some fish I ordered online. Have always had good experience with this until now. had never done business with this place before but they were the only ones that had the ora mandarin I wanted so bad. I ordered 3 banggai cardinals and an ora mandarin. 1 of the cardinals was doa the others appear to be ok so far. The mandarin is on the brink of starvation. Just a head with a bunch of baggy skin and its bones all sticking out. It will probably just go into the rocks and die and I'll never see the poor little thing again. I had asked what they were feeding the mandarin so I could have certain foods on hand and they told me they were feeding it copepods. Why would you feed an ora mandarin copepods? Kind of defeating the purpose. Anyway, I just needed to vent. Thanks

 

[OneReef]

I just picked up some fish I ordered online. Have always had good experience with this until now. had never done business with this place before but they were the only ones that had the ora mandarin I wanted so bad. I ordered 3 banggai cardinals and an ora mandarin. 1 of the cardinals was doa the others appear to be ok so far. The mandarin is on the brink of starvation. Just a head with a bunch of baggy skin and its bones all sticking out. It will probably just go into the rocks and die and I'll never see the poor little thing again. I had asked what they were feeding the mandarin so I could have certain foods on hand and they told me they were feeding it copepods. Why would you feed an ora mandarin copepods? Kind of defeating the purpose. Anyway, I just needed to vent. Thanks

Copepods are one of the Madarins staples. That's what they do all day, bump along the bottom of the tank hunting pods. You probably need a good Refugium with pods in it that can replenish the tank so he has something to eat. The best scenario is if you can get him to eat frozen foods like mysis or nutrimar. If they will eat your foods, there's a better chance of survival. They are hard to keep long term if they don't start eating and have no renewable source of food, like pods from a fuge.

 

[Rendos]

You sure it was an ORA mandarin? Because they (ORA) haven't had mandarins for probably a year or more now.

 

[MPDBullitt]

Sounding kinda shady

 

[saltburns]

I'm thinking they lied and told me it was ora and is not. All I can do is try to get him to eat. I have some of that nutra something or other that is prawn eggs. But I have always heard that when a fish is that emaciated it is unlikely they will start eating again. It really makes me sick. Not sure what I can do about it. I tried calling no answer and no callback to the message I left. Also emailed them. I have some pics of it but have to wait for hubby to get home to post because they are img and it wont work here. Thinking I will also post pics and story on Facebook.

 

[nck1992]

I think your setup is enough for one mandarin. so you don't need to feed something if you don't have any other pod eating machine in the tank. Just fingers crossed and wait. Mine was also starved in Petco but I'm keeping it in 29G tank for 1 year now.

 

[saltburns]

there are pods in there but I don't think enough to sustain a mandarin since I think my wrasse is eating them too. I sent an email to ora about it and am working on getting some good pics to put on here and my facebook.

 

[saltburns]

The second of the 3 banggai cardinals is getting ready to kick the bucket, but there may be some hope for the mandarin. I have seen him eating some of the prawn eggs and I got out my trusty magnifying glass and I see that his stomach is not as sunken in as it was. He's still pretty bony looking but if it's not my imagination, I think he's looking a little better. will keep my fingers crossed.