Mandarin Article

[dixaisy930]

In an issue of Tropical Fish Hobbiest, there was an article on keeping mandarins in nano tanks. The author has kept one in a ten gallon for a little over six months now. He has been able to get it to eat roe (fish eggs they use for sushi, I believe), and he occasionally seeds the tank with pods. He also says he has mini refugs in the tank (clumps of chaeto, and rubble piles) to help the pod population. He says, I think I remember this write, it's also eating cyclopeeze and mysis. I was just wanting to get some input on this setup for a mandarin. I've loved them from day one (and who doesn't, really), but never even considered them since they are suppose to have such large tanks so they would have plenty of pods. The author also says that it's key to get a healthy mandarin from the get-go, which makes sense.

 

[Mr.September15]

In an issue of Tropical Fish Hobbiest, there was an article on keeping mandarins in nano tanks. The author has kept one in a ten gallon for a little over six months now. He has been able to get it to eat roe (fish eggs they use for sushi, I believe), and he occasionally seeds the tank with pods. He also says he has mini refugs in the tank (clumps of chaeto, and rubble piles) to help the pod population. He says, I think I remember this write, it's also eating cyclopeeze and mysis. I was just wanting to get some input on this setup for a mandarin. I've loved them from day one (and who doesn't, really), but never even considered them since they are suppose to have such large tanks so they would have plenty of pods. The author also says that it's key to get a healthy mandarin from the get-go, which makes sense.

Can't really say anything about it except that I still think it shouldbe re-homed in a larger tank. The owner obviously has feeding down but he needs to think of the mandarins in the long run.

 

[Mr Miagi]

The estimated tank size for madarins is made on the assumption the mandarin you buy wont eat frozen or prepared foods, which is often the case. Youll occasionally come across specimens that do eat frozen, and dont need to rely on live rock, and micro invertebrates for their diet. These can be kept in smaller tanks, aslong as the tank is well cared for (youd need to feed fairly heavily, so some form of nutrient/waste removal filtration would be needed, and overall, dedication to making sure you feed them regularly and keeping them healthy.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

well in theory you can set up a refugium of some sort on any size tank which would then allow you to feed properly a fish that would otherwise struggle in a smaller tank. however i think the size that they get to is more of an issue, IMO they're just too big for a 10g tank.

 

[dixaisy930]

I have to agree that the ten gallon was too small. I have a 29 gallon, which I think would be ok, IF I could get the feeding under control. At the LFS they had two mandarins there. They tried to feed them frozen, but neither took it. They did say, however, they just got them in. I am planning on going back in a week to check on them again.

Has anyone ever fed roe to any of their fish? Just curious...even if I don't end up with a mandarin, I like feeding my fish variety.

Would rubble piles and chaeto be enough of a refug for copeopods? I could also bump up the live rock...I only have about 30 lbs ATM.

 

[SkiFletch]

Would rubble piles and chaeto be enough of a refug for copeopods? I could also bump up the live rock...I only have about 30 lbs ATM.

Dunno about that in a 29g, thats a pretty small footprint and would probably be impossible longterm if the animal does not accept frozen.

I feed roe all the time and everybody in the tank gobbles it up. My clowns, wrasses, gobies and basslets all love it

 

[dixaisy930]

Yeah, I figured it wouldn't be enough if it didn't tank frozen....just enough to supplement the prepared food.

Have you been able to find roe other than at Asian markets? I'm sure we have some around here, I just can't seem to think of any. And roe and caviar are not the same, correct?

 

[rhysiboy]

erm diference between caviar and roe i think is osmehthing to do with the type of fish they come from or quality. has to be something quite major for the price difernce

 

[steelhealr]

Please....don't kill another mandarin. 6 months is not enough time to see if it is starving. The majority die. They don't belong in a nano tank and I feel strongly that it is NOT 'conscientious aquarism'.

SH

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, I figured it wouldn't be enough if it didn't tank frozen....just enough to supplement the prepared food.

Have you been able to find roe other than at Asian markets? I'm sure we have some around here, I just can't seem to think of any. And roe and caviar are not the same, correct?

Roe and caviar are very similar... Caviar is also fish eggs, just much more expensive . I found Roe once in the frozen section of the biggest supermarket in the area, so its possible. Usually I just go to the asian market for roe and seaweed

 

[dixaisy930]

While I was in search of roe at the supermarket, I realized just how many disgusting choices there are... they had canned clams, mussles, sardines, anchovies. Would these be ok to give the fish? I imagine either frozen or ones that are packed in water, not oil, would be ok? I'm just wondering if it's cheaper to do it this way instead of buying the frozen cubes of fish food. But then I worry that it might be lacking some important nutrients.

 

[JaminRat]

I recently asked my LFS about Mandarins and was told many are now tank bred and will take frozen foods without an issue it tends to be the wild caught specimens that have problems with feeding.

 

[andywg]

I can think of very few fish in the SW side of the hobby where more are captive bred than wild caught. Even the Bangai Cardinalfish, which by dint of being a mouthbrooder is easier than most to breed, is generally wild caught as it is just cheaper.

I am not aware of any breeding. The fry need food smaller than rotifers to survive. Bob Fenner notes that while spawning is not too difficult to establish "Unfortunately no young have been raised to date."

Based on that I would say your lfs is either ill informed or telling porkies.

 

[dixaisy930]

That seems unlikely they are widely breed in captivity, especially since it is difficult for them to thrive in the home aquarium.

I went back to the lfs and checked on the mandarins. Neither one looked as good as the one they have in the coral tank. I decided the mandarin just isn't a good choice for me. I got another clown goby, instead. I have a green one already, and brought home a really small yellow one (who ate like a pig in the store).

Tomorrow I go in search of roe....I don't think these fish know how spoiled they are...

 

[rhysiboy]

i saw some beige mandarins with colourful rings on in my LFS they always do look healthy but tha man in the store said they feed them at least 5 - 6 times a day with pod cultures. The sad fact is is that if people want one they will get one and sure the mandarin will be ok (as in not dead) but they usually dont think about the longrun. Its sorta like a moorish idol beautiful fish but either best left in the ocean orrrr in huge tank with lots of naturaly food sources

my two dimes