Mandarin Goby?

[sergiotami]

Anyone own one? We have always wanted one, just dont want to purchase one to watch it starve to death.... Would really appreciate input from forum members....

[justahobby]

What size tank do you have?
How much LR?
Tank mates?

Spotted (target) mandarins are smaller and a bit easier to wean onto frozen food. I would recommend that as a first attempt. ORA has captive bred, but I've hear those come in pretty small and are still hard to get to eat.

The best way to wean them onto frozen food is to keep them in an established tank by themselves. I believe Europhyllia has a thread where she did just that.

Also, keep a lid on it. I've lost two due to jumping after spending a lot of time getting them weaned over to frozen.

[ramsey]

I thought the ORA one's are already weaned on frozen food.

[justahobby]

I thought the ORA one's are already weaned on frozen food.

They are weaned onto food, but there was a thread here on MAAST in the last week or two where several members didn't have good experience getting them to eat.

[sergiotami]

I have a 90 gallon Oceanic, 150 lbs LR, with 1-sail fin tang, 4-pajama cardinals, 1-six line wrasse, 1-tamatoe clown with bubble tip anenome, 1-arrow crab. My tank has been running for over two years....Have several coral frags...:)

Whats an Ora or should I ask which one????

[justahobby]

You have enough LR. I would be concerned about the six line out competing them on food though (pods and frozen). And you would definitely want a lid w/ the tang being in there.


Here's a link to ORA
http://www.orafarm.com/

I know at least Polly's carries ORA products. Not sure who else.

[JpNuss]

Personally, I don't believe that a Mandarin Dragonet, that eats frozen food, is really all that necessary. You have more than enough live rock and your tank is very much established. He should be able to hunt and eat Pods without problem.

I have a Mandarin and a Sixline in my tank and have had them both for over a year, without problem or conflict. My Mandarin doesn't even look at food I put into the tank but rather hunts for Pods religiously.

But, that's just what is working for me.

[justahobby]

Mandarins have a big reputation for poor survival rates for good reasons. I don't mean any disrespect and one year is a great milestone, but it's not the end of the road. One reason I recommended targets is because of their small size. Psychedelics can get pretty huge, comparatively, and while you may have an ample supply of pods now, that is subject to change. It's true frozen food isn't the only way to successfully keep them... but your odds are a whole lot better. This is just one of those fish that it isn't good to gamble on.

[sergiotami]

So could I say once a month or every other week dose the tank with live pods???? if so, where's good source to purchase them???

[sergiotami]

Went to Ora link, read they only sell stores, who sells them???

[StevenSeas]

Here's a link to ORA
http://www.orafarm.com/

I know at least Polly's carries ORA products. Not sure who else.
...

[SoLiD]

Went to Ora link, read they only sell stores, who sells them???

Some time ago, I purchased an ORA Spotted Mandarin Dragonete that had been at my LFS for about a month and a half for the low price of $65 (insert sarcasm here). She was tiny and I saw them feed the tank many times and thought her being there for over a month was a good sign. When I got her home I noticed that her stomach showed signs of emaciation which I could not see at the LFS (no lights above the tanks) where I bought her. Sadly a month after I brought her home she died. I felt like I failed her because I was relying on her to eat frozen. I thought I had a good pod population but not an over abundant amount. So I felt that that I needed to commit myself and do it right before I tried again... It was time turn it up a notch. So I added a ton (I mean a ton) of amphipods and copepods for a month before I purchase another small female striped mandarin. Seeing her fatten up for 2 months I considered it to be a good sign. I then decided to add a boyfriend for her. They are both fat and spawning. I would like to see them eat some frozen mysids or brine shrimp, but I've only see them eat pods.... all day long...

Long story short: I recommend adding some pods at least a month in advance to help establish your population and ensure a better survival rate. They are truly some of the Sweetest Little Fish you'll ever have the pleasure of caring for.

Just to be clear these are Non-ORA Mandarins.
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd285/SoLiDST33L/2011-04-18010759.jpg

[allan]

I've had success with the target.

I've always thought of them as horses, each one needs at least two acres of land (or whatever the amount is). In another fashion, you don't put five on one acre.

The second thing is that you need a sustainable population of pods. I would caution that a small tank, along withe addition of a large population of pods may not have a large population at the end of the month. Half may die off if they can't eat.

My benchmark, and I've never added pods, is shining a light in the overflows. When I saw a significant population there I waited a few months before adding the mandarin.

I've never got mine to eat, and in hind sight had I known that it would live solely off the pod population I would have gotten one of the phsychos.

[cowboy572]

I have had my Green Mandarin for two years now. Hes fat and happy, and no one messes with him. I have three tangs in a 110 tall, they could care less about him. I have a refurium in my sump to keep my pod population well stocked for him. It was a bonus for me when I got my cheato from ping (Pete) it was loaded with pods.