Tisbe pods and mandrian

[Jdavis8824]

Hello, I went to the LSF yesterday to purchase some water for my tank and they happen to be feeding a tank full of clowns, dart fish and over 20 mandrians brine and mysis shrimp. I noticed 2 of the mandrians eating the frozen food, so I got the one that was eating the most and he also was the fattest. Even though he is eating the shrimp I thought I should still add pods, so I picked up some tisbe pods today to add tonight. I have a 20g nuvo nano tank and I have an extra compartment, width 3" long 4" and 11" deep. I have a media basket for that compartment as well. My question is can I put a big piece of dry rock I have back there and add half the pods to it? My light leaks over to provide light to it but the water just flows over baffle into the return pump compartment. Also I have phyto feast, how often should I dose that? I currently dose A+B reef energy to feed corals and don't want to overfeed the system.

 

[Goldndoodle]

Just my $0.02 ... a Mandarin is not sustainable in your size tank.

They need large mature tanks with sizable sustainable pod populations.

The popular opinion in these forums is that a cheato filled fuge of at least 20 gallons plus a sizable display tank filled with live rock are required for the pods they need to eat. They eat all day long, and therefore need a LOT of pods to remain happy.

They may eat frozen, flake or pellets supplementally, but really require live pods for their dietary needs. They are hunters, and need to hunt their food to remain happy and healthy.

I don't have any personal experience with this fish ... yet. It is one of the fish on my wish list, and one of the main reasons I upgraded from a 28 gallon nanoCube to a 120 gallon tank (the other being that I also want a Kole Tang). My plan is to add a Mandarin last - only after my tank has been up and running for 12 months minimum, all other fish I want are already in the tank for at least 3 months, and I can verify that there is a sufficient pod population both in my DT and in a chaeto filled fuge to sustain a Mandarin. I may get to that 12 month point of wanting to add a Mandarin, and decide I don't have a sufficient sustainable pod population established ... then I won't do it. Pods are what they need to thrive and be happy - if I can't provide that, I won't torture one trying.

I wish you and the Mandarin the best! Good luck!

I'll be following along to see how this turns out.

 

[Sk8r]

I'm sorry to say, but even eating other food, he probably won't fare well for long. A mandarin can empty a bottle of pods in 90 minutes, and it takes a dedicated 20 gallon mature fuge to keep him in supply in a 50 gallon tank.

 

[gone fishin]

I agree with goldndoodle. Most mandarins will eat frozen if not outcompeted. this is only a supplement and pods are their staple diet. They eat a pod about every 5 seconds while they are awake. A mature 75g with a thriving pod population and no other pod eaters is the minimum recommendation.

I urge you to reconsider your purchase. I believe your mandy will slowly starve and it will not have a happy ending.

 

[MondoBongo]

Just my $0.02 ... a Mandarin is not sustainable in your size tank.

They need large mature tanks with sizable sustainable pod populations.

I'm sorry to say, but even eating other food, he probably won't fare well for long. A mandarin can empty a bottle of pods in 90 minutes, and it takes a dedicated 20 gallon mature fuge to keep him in supply in a 50 gallon tank.

I urge you to reconsider your purchase. I believe your mandy will slowly starve and it will not have a happy ending.

+10000000000000000

a 20 gallon tank is not even HALF the recommended size for any dragonet.

 

[hotelbravo]

Return the mandarin. Pods should always be his main source of food and you should not rely on him eating the prepared food to survive. Mine eats pellets, mysis, flakes, and other prepared food but I also have tons of pods in my tank it was seeded with about 15,000 and every few months I buy a 90 dollar bag of pods from algaebarn that contains approximately 12,000 pods. I dont actually need to buy them I just am obsessed with spoiling my mandarin