Where to buy mandarin?

[tonggao]

I have a 120G BB tank with about 100lb of live rock. Recently I started seeing some pods zooming around the tank, and really like to try Mandarin again (I used to have one in my old tank which was my favorite, but did not make it through a hypo treatment). Is it a good idea to have Mandarin in a SPS dominated bare bottom tank? Where is a good place to buy them, preferrably in south bay or east bay? Thanks in advance.

 

[vtrider]

dolphin or brians has them all the time,although I recommend dolphin for disease free fish

 

[tonggao]

Thanks vtrider, I will pm Tyler about it.

Does anybody have some experience with Mandarin in a bare bottom SPS dominated mixed tank?

 

[vtrider]

damn BB with a mandarin is uncharted waters to me,no where for the pods to burrow. that whole BB concept completely escapes me. Maybe for a prop tank that you want to go cheap on,I just don't get it. BTW mandarins are pretty disease proof from the get,so I wouldn't really be too worried where you buy it from,but I like to dolphin my business,brian is a coral murderer

 

[Kinetic]

i've seen them in BB tanks, as long as there's TONS of LR with plenty of pods... also a fully stocked fuge that produces a good amount of pods will help too.

 

[tonggao]

Thanks Art and vtrider. After talking to Tyler, I think I will wait a little while for my tank to be more mature for more pods. Tyler told me also sand bed really helps pods in the tank.

 

[snabss]

sand bed would definitely help in the pod production. i dont think you mentioned how long your system has been setup and if you have a sump/refugium. i wouldnt suggest a mandarin without a fuge. they are beautifull but difficult to keep alive. but if you can provide a good system for them (lots and lots and lots of pods) then they take care of themselves

 

[tonggao]

The system has only been setup for 2 months, but it has more than 100lb of mature live rocks. I do have a 20G refugium with DSB and cheatos, as well as a 30G sump. Since I mostly keep SPSs, I am overskimming the water, and do not see a lot of pods in the fuge. Well, all the senses tell me that I should be a little more patient and wait. Thanks for the input.

 

[Elite]

Get some tigerpods from Reefnutrition.. I heard Articpods are good for Mandarin too. I don't have a mandarin so I can't tell it's true or not but I know all my fish and LPS coral love them.

 

[tonggao]

I did put a bottle of tiger pods in the fuge thanks to Gresh, but they dissapeared after 2 days. I do have Arctipods, and might take my chance and try them out one day (I heard not all Mandarins eat Arctipods). I read about the food in a bottle trick, and think it will take care of my heavy water flow during feeding if I can train the fish to go to the bottle.

 

[snabss]

the food in the bottle trick works only if the fish is taking frozen food already i have fed my mandarin all diff kinds of frozen food. well tried to and it doesnt take anything i am going to try arctis pods this weekend.