Adding another male mandarin that’s not the same kind

[346700984]

We want to add a male Ruby red scooter blenny with our male/female pair green/blue/orange mandarin. Any thoughts on two males of different types together in a large reef tank? Here’s a pic of the Ruby red at the store and a pic of our 2 male/female Mandarin. Idk if my current mandarin would stop eating copepods long enough to even care about the red guy lol! We certainly have the room and enough copepods. I don’t know how these guys could even be aggressive when they’re so peaceful and just swim around eating copepods 24/7.

 

[MysticSea]

Awesome fish choices they are my favorite genus of marine fish. First what is the size of your tank? Depending on that might alter my answer compared to what I am typing now. You can definitely keep a Red Ruby Dragonet and a paired Green Mandarin Dragonet together given that they have plenty of space to forge for copepods. They are two different species so fighting for a mate is very unluckily.

From my experience I have had success mixing species of dragonets according to the size of tank. A great example I have learned from researching is "for each 25 gallons you can have 1 Dragonet". Hope this helps and remember to reply with the size of your tank.

 

[1guydude]

Do it. Scooter blennys shouldnt get into it with your mandarins. Those little guys are super docile and sweet. I had the black and white one before.
The little gobys like the high fin are kool too.
D

 

[346700984]

Awesome fish choices they are my favorite genus of marine fish. First what is the size of your tank? Depending on that might alter my answer compared to what I am typing now. You can definitely keep a Red Ruby Dragonet and a paired Green Mandarin Dragonet together given that they have plenty of space to forge for copepods. They are two different species so fighting for a mate is very unluckily.

From my experience I have had success mixing species of dragonets according to the size of tank. A great example I have learned from researching is "for each 25 gallons you can have 1 Dragonet". Hope this helps and remember to reply with the size of your tank.

We ended up bringing home the little Ruby red and it started eating copepods right away. We’ve had our paired green mandarins for a while and have the refugium set up with chaeto and a light and we also have a good supply of copepods. They’re everywhere. You can see them in the refugium, on the glass in the display tank and you can see them being picked off the rocks and sucked up off the sand by the green mandarins. All three are in the 90 gal reef. The big male green mandarin couldn’t be bothered by the Ruby red. He just kept on eating copepods when they crossed paths. No issues at all so far. Monitoring to be sure there aren’t issues. We continue to dump copepods in time to time to ensure they keep propagating. Our two greens eat like pigs. Looks like we’re gonna be alright.

 

[346700984]

Manny, Mandy & baby Scooter

 

[MysticSea]

We ended up bringing home the little Ruby red and it started eating copepods right away. We’ve had our paired green mandarins for a while and have the refugium set up with chaeto and a light and we also have a good supply of copepods. They’re everywhere. You can see them in the refugium, on the glass in the display tank and you can see them being picked off the rocks and sucked up off the sand by the green mandarins. All three are in the 90 gal reef. The big male green mandarin couldn’t be bothered by the Ruby red. He just kept on eating copepods when they crossed paths. No issues at all so far. Monitoring to be sure there aren’t issues. We continue to dump copepods in time to time to ensure they keep propagating. Our two greens eat like pigs. Looks like we’re gonna be alright.

Glad to hear! Dragonets...the rainbows of the reefs!

 

[SeahawkMom]

Thanks for asking this question - I was wondering the same exact thing. Awesome fishies!

 

[346700984]

Thanks for asking this question - I was wondering the same exact thing. Awesome fishies!

They’re doing great. The male and female psychedelic mandarins and the male Ruby Red scooter blenny have zero issues. Even with the scooter being teeny, no issues with any other fish.

 

[346700984]