SA Express-News Mandarin Article

[VGB]

I look foward to the Monday paper because on the back of the business section is the weekly science page with Skywatcher and such.
This week was an article anout mandarins that stated this fish was hardy and would eat nearly ANYTHING. To me this means flake food.

I don`t know where this information came from but a mandrin that will "eat nearly anything" is certainly the rarity and this article gives me the false impression that this fish is fine for the beginner.
It does go on to state that the mandarin will die (as any other marine organism in captivity) if not "properly maintained" and states that over- havesting due to the popularity of this fish is threathening it in the wild.

Perhaps the over-harvesting is due to myths such as this and misinformation causes the aquarist to attempt to keep this fish without all the needs required for its care.

Will this lead to a "Finding Nemo" rush on mandarins in new 37 gallon Ecplise tank?

[GaryP]

Speaking of which, I have a mandarin that needs a good home. Does anyone have a fuge that needs those pesky pods kept under control?

Gary

[VGB]

Yea Josh, I am debating an email to the editors. Read the artcle and see what you think.

Gary P. I could take the mandarin. I have a well established 180 crawling with pods that this fish could eat. Is this fish a green or blue mandarin and a male or female?

I only have two fish in my 180, a sohal tang and a harlequin tusk wrasse both which are quite large. The mandarin would go un noticed.
However a hazard for the fish exist in the drain in my system.
A small fish that got to close will fit thru the strainers on my drains.

[GaryP]

The green and blue is a bit confusing with mandarins. Its a female Synchiropus splendidus (green). Its the one that you most commonly see at the LFS here. I was incorrectly told it would eat flatworms and that's why I bought it. Actually, its the S. picturatus (blue) that eats flatworms. I have one of those in my other tanks and he is fat and happy.

It sounds like you have a good home for him. He stays on the bottom or LR all of the time and I don't think your overflow should be a problem.

Gary

[Instar]

I have a copy of another article about Ocellaris clowns that was spurred by the Nemo film. Its wrong too saying they should only be fed sparingly 3x per week. They need fed at least once a day and preferably twice. The paper's mis-information is coming from LFS across the country as they have quoted one of them in the article I have. Its a crying shame that LFS are only in this for the money most of the time. If it was about a dog or cat, would they be allowed to print such bad information and would local stores be allowed to kill so many? Its time for a fish rights activist conservation group or something.