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???