Tips and Tricks for Feeding Biota Mandarins

[Ben549]

@Biota_Marine

Can you share any insight on your Mandarin feeding process? I'm specifically looking for feeding queues, food prep, and tips/tricks.

I received a small male Mandarin last week. He's doing great, he just isn't interested in anything other than copepods.

 

[Biota_Marine]

@Biota_Marine

Can you share any insight on your Mandarin feeding process? I'm specifically looking for feeding queues, food prep, and tips/tricks.

I received a small male Mandarin last week. He's doing great, he just isn't interested in anything other than copepods.

The one thing we may do differently from home aquarists is turn off the flow when feeding. We've noticed once the flow goes off they start to perk up an immediatly look for food. We also don't have any copepods in their holding systems but in new environments where copepods are available many customers mention they'll still go after copepods, they're just a super enticing food for most fishes because of their movement and coloration.

One thing I also think is important is to make sure you're breaking the surface tension with the small diets. Even captive-bred mandarins won't come to the surface like an angelfish or anthias so making sure the B2 or other pellets make it down to their area is pretty important.

 

[Ben549]

The one thing we may do differently from home aquarists is turn off the flow when feeding. We've noticed once the flow goes off they start to perk up an immediatly look for food. We also don't have any copepods in their holding systems but in new environments where copepods are available many customers mention they'll still go after copepods, they're just a super enticing food for most fishes because of their movement and coloration.

One thing I also think is important is to make sure you're breaking the surface tension with the small diets. Even captive-bred mandarins won't come to the surface like an angelfish or anthias so making sure the B2 or other pellets make it down to their area is pretty important.

That makes sense. I've been turning off all flow for feeding. I also presoak the B2 pellets in tank water and use a long feeding pipette to get the flood close to him. Even when he is surrounded by pellets, He doesn't eat them. I'd like him to eat the TDO pellets because it will also help with his coloration.

Do they eat masstick at all?

 

[Biota_Marine]

That makes sense. I've been turning off all flow for feeding. I also presoak the B2 pellets in tank water and use a long feeding pipette to get the flood close to him. Even when he is surrounded by pellets, He doesn't eat them. I'd like him to eat the TDO pellets because it will also help with his coloration.

Do they eat masstick at all?

They do tend to pick on the masstick, we put it on the bottom of the tank for them either directly on the bottom or on frag plugs we remove and refresh.

 

[Ben549]

They do tend to pick on the masstick, we put it on the bottom of the tank for them either directly on the bottom or on frag plugs we remove and refresh.

I just tried the masstick, but no luck, unfortunately. The Mandarin was right next to it multiple times and nothing. My blenny loves it. ha ha


Does garlic make food more enticing for mandarins?

 

[littlefoxx]

@Biota_Marine

Can you share any insight on your Mandarin feeding process? I'm specifically looking for feeding queues, food prep, and tips/tricks.

I received a small male Mandarin last week. He's doing great, he just isn't interested in anything other than copepods.

I dont have any mandarins from biota, but I have got two wild caught ones. I does pods and artic pods every day and mine are nice and fat

 

[jrill]

I dont have any mandarins from biota, but I have got two wild caught ones. I does pods and artic pods every day and mine are nice and fat

Kinda defeats the purpose of getting one raised on frozen and pellets don't ya think?

 

[littlefoxx]

Kinda defeats the purpose of getting one raised on frozen and pellets don't ya think?

Eh not really, theres a lot of people I know who get them from them and cant get them eating frozen so I was just giving you advice if yours ends up being that way, its their natural instinct to hunt pods not eat frozen food and when they encounter pods for the first time that instinct kicks in

 

[Biota_Marine]

Eh not really, theres a lot of people I know who get them from them and cant get them eating frozen so I was just giving you advice if yours ends up being that way, its their natural instinct to hunt pods not eat frozen food and when they encounter pods for the first time that instinct kicks in

They're typically eating prepared diets at our facility for months before being available for sale. That makes it much easier for customers to offer them prepared diets and significantly increases the survival rates of this species. Many customers understand that live copepods are a more enticing feed for most small fishes but having the ability for them to eat prepared feeds when they run out is incredibly important.

 

[Ben549]

@Biota_Marine
Does garlic make food more enticing for mandarins?

 

[Biota_Marine]

@Biota_Marine
Does garlic make food more enticing for mandarins?

Not generally, typically having a high quality feed is enticing enough. That's a big reason why items like DKI pellets or PE pellets are so enticing because they're shrimp based and generally pungeant in the water.

 

[Ben549]

Not generally, typically having a high quality feed is enticing enough. That's a big reason why items like DKI pellets or PE pellets are so enticing because they're shrimp based and generally pungeant in the water.

Which DKI and PE pellets do you recommend? I only have TDO pellets.

 

[Biota_Marine]

They're a bit big but we crush up the 0.8 mm DKI pellets. TDO pellets should also work fine, we feed them the B2 size but if you have larger pellets crushing them up to a powder works just as well.

 

[Ben549]

They're a bit big but we crush up the 0.8 mm DKI pellets. TDO pellets should also work fine, we feed them the B2 size but if you have larger pellets crushing them up to a powder works just as well.

But which DKI and PE pellets? I have been trying the B2 TDO pellets for 3-4 days now without any luck. That's why I figure it would be best to try something else.

 

[Biota_Marine]

But which DKI and PE pellets? I have been trying the B2 TDO pellets for 3-4 days now without any luck. That's why I figure it would be best to try something else.

The general DKI 0.8 size pellet is likely easiest, PE makes a hatchery size pellet which is around 400 µm which is a pretty good size for our mandarins. It can take a few days especially if you already have an established pod population in the tank or if there are any alternative stressors like aggressive fish or off parameters.

 

[merkmerk73]

@Biota_Marine do you guys have recommendations on continuing to grow out mandarins?

Mine have doubled in size since I originally got them about 3 months ago.

They love B2 pellets, and seem to be ok with Cyclops/Baby Brine/Calanus - but it's hard to tell because that stuff just ends up looking like a carpet of detritus in the box

What do you like next? I would like to get them on mysis and other larger foods before I release them into the DT.

I don't trust my ability to target feed them or for them to find pods at their current size (about 1.25")

 

[Biota_Marine]

@Biota_Marine do you guys have recommendations on continuing to grow out mandarins?

Mine have doubled in size since I originally got them about 3 months ago.

They love B2 pellets, and seem to be ok with Cyclops/Baby Brine/Calanus - but it's hard to tell because that stuff just ends up looking like a carpet of detritus in the box

What do you like next? I would like to get them on mysis and other larger foods before I release them into the DT.

I don't trust my ability to target feed them or for them to find pods at their current size (about 1.25")

Once they've been in a tank they end up going after other feeds you're feeding larger fish. Usually smally bits of mysis or the shreds of messier feeds. Frozen or chopped brine shrimp are also a good feed for them when larger.

In our systems we turn off the flow when feeding so they usually get a bit more excited around that time which helps make that response in home aquariums. As long as feeds get down to them they tend to feed pretty well even with aggressive feeders taking the larger feeds. You may lose them for a few days as they explore the rockwork or aquariums but they'll usually come out for feeding.