Mandarins

[stefday]

Are Mandarins difficult to keep?

If so in what way? I know they can be difficult to get feeding but are there other problems as well.

Thanks.

 

[Luketendo]

Are Mandarins difficult to keep?

If so in what way? I know they can be difficult to get feeding but are there other problems as well.

Thanks.

No just the feeding I think.

 

[seffieuk]

Are Mandarins difficult to keep?

If so in what way? I know they can be difficult to get feeding but are there other problems as well.

Thanks.

The problems are around feeding, they require copepod type foods to be healthy, even if they feed on frozen they still need a goody supply of pods etc to do well long term

Seffie x



ps can you pm ski or bigc to move this to the corrrect area please, cheers

 

[stefday]

Are Mandarins difficult to keep?

If so in what way? I know they can be difficult to get feeding but are there other problems as well.

Thanks.

The problems are around feeding, they require copepod type foods to be healthy, even if they feed on frozen they still need a goody supply of pods etc to do well long term

Seffie x



ps can you pm ski or bigc to move this to the corrrect area please, cheers

Not sure why this thread didn`t follow on to my journal. Sorry for being dumd but not sure how to pm

 

[Luketendo]

Are Mandarins difficult to keep?

If so in what way? I know they can be difficult to get feeding but are there other problems as well.

Thanks.

The problems are around feeding, they require copepod type foods to be healthy, even if they feed on frozen they still need a goody supply of pods etc to do well long term

Seffie x



ps can you pm ski or bigc to move this to the corrrect area please, cheers

Not sure why this thread didn`t follow on to my journal. Sorry for being dumd but not sure how to pm

You probably clicked a wrong button accidently.

 

[kj23502]

http/www.wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm

 

[TigerIssey]

Mandarins deserve a considerable amount of respect.

If we are choosing to keep them, we must be prepared for them and do all that is in our power to provide the foods they need. Unless you have a large tank with a considerable amount of Live Rock, you will need a pod culture setting up. You need to be prepared to purchase pods to replace your culture if your culture crashes. You must also be prepared to work hard to train the Mandarin / s to eat other food to supplement their diet.

It is wise to choose a Mandarin that has fed on frozen food in the shop, you should look for a plump mandarin, the breast bone should not be showing, from underneath the mandarin should have a plump belly and not be concaved and when you look from the top you should see a very gradual decrease in body thickness from the front to the tail.

The mandarin should be aler and constantly moving, a still mandarin is not a healthy mandarin, they search for pods constantly as such should always be on the move.

I have included a link to my Mandarin Love thread where I shar my experiences and show how to set up a culture.
Don't hesitate to ask any questions on the subject, it is far far better to be very well prepared with these fish and to remember they need a mature tank.

It is also wise to choose the largest mandarin you can find, smaller ones IMO / E do not do as well as the larger fish.

Mandarin Love Thread

 

[stefday]

Thanks very much for the info. I shall read them with great interest later when I have more time.

I was in a lfs the other day and the owner said that the Spotted or Psychedelic Mandarin are easier to keep as they do not have such a specialised diet. Is this correct?

 

[seffieuk]

Thanks very much for the info. I shall read them with great interest later when I have more time.

I was in a lfs the other day and the owner said that the Spotted or Psychedelic Mandarin are easier to keep as they do not have such a specialised diet. Is this correct?

No it is not correct, they have exactly the same diet requirements, as they are also a dragonet

Seffie x

 

[seffieuk]

Thanks very much for the info. I shall read them with great interest later when I have more time.

I was in a lfs the other day and the owner said that the Spotted or Psychedelic Mandarin are easier to keep as they do not have such a specialised diet. Is this correct?

No it is not correct, they have exactly the same diet requirements, as they are also a dragonet

Seffie x

 

[TigerIssey]

All Mandarins are the same in food requirements, they belong to the Dragonet family as Seffie has said.

It is also worth pointing out that Scooter Blennies are also in fact Dragonets and not Blennies and also have the same food requirements.

 

[n3ont3tra]

It's worth mentioning that Scooter blennies are much more likely to eat frozen food than regular mandarins. However, I don't think it's been proven that they can survive on frozen food alone, they still need pods.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I had a scooter blenny in a 30g that ate frozen food. However unless I spot feed him every day he never got chance to eat any. I had him for a couple of months before you could tell he was starting to lose weight then I gave him to someone with a bigger tank.

If you dont have a large tank with a lot of rockwork or an average size tank with a big 'fuge then I wouldnt recommend them. If you decide to get one (and you dont have a large, mature, tank with a lot of rock) then you need to set up a couple of cultures of pods and get them up to full populations before you get the fish. Culturing your own pods can work but it is a lot of work and it can easily go wrong. If you have a couple of culture crash in a row you could end up having to start all over and in the short term your dragonet is starving.