Very skinny Mandarin

[RoTTen2TheCore]

Hello,
I have had my red mandarin for about 3 years now and he has always had a sunken in belly. My tank is well established and my mandarin has always been eating plenty of frozen foods (mysis and brine shrim and even formula one). However, he has always been extremely skinny and no matter how much i feed him (usually once a day, but for a while i tried twice a day and still nothing but a really fat clown fish) he remains skinny. Think there might be a parasite issue? If so, how can i treat it?

 

[RoTTen2TheCore]

I'm thinking it's some sort of parasite? Yes? No? Maybe?

 

[jrp1588]

How many gallons is your tank? Mandarins like to constantly graze on 'pods in the tank, and he may have depleted them by now. It's good that he eats prepared foods though, apparently it's been enough to sustain him, but not enough to thrive.

 

[RoTTen2TheCore]

My tank is 33 gal. I wouldn't say he has depleted the pod supply since i always find a couple in my filter sponges when i do my water changes. But besides that, he doesn't just accept frozen food, he devours it. He eats as much as my other fish so i figured that along with whatever amount of pods he must eat throughout the day(even if it is low) he would somewhat fatten up.

 

[waterfaller1]

My tank is 33 gal. I wouldn't say he has depleted the pod supply since i always find a couple in my filter sponges when i do my water changes. .

Copepods are very difficult to see, it sounds like you might be finding amphipods in the filter.

 

[adambirk]

from what i have seen manderians do need a huge supply of pods. even if they except frozen foods they still need to eat lots of pods all day. they are constantly looking for food. i have had mine for over 2 years and mine eats brine and mysis as well but i only feed my tank once a day and i know that would not support the huge appititte a manderian has so you could always try to get some pods and set up little pod piles in your tank for they to breed without getting eaten.

but i would have to say if you have had him for that long in a 30 gallon i would say you do not have many pods left.