Aggressive mandarins

[bct15]

I recently acquired two mandarins for my 150 gallon. I thought these guys were peaceful towards one another but these guys fight each other a lot. At least once an hour one of the mandarins is chasing and biting the other one. I think one side of my tank has an overabundance of pods and each one wants to reign supreme of that corner. Anyone else ever have mandarins fight one another?

 

[ToXIc]

male mandarins are like betas..

 

[_Alex_]

Males will fight like female clowns. Your best bet is to get rid of one male for a female.

 

[Reef lvr]

male mandarins are like betas..

+++1

 

[SaltWaterDave]

Yep, you've more than likely got two males on your hands and they'll fight it out for territory. The males are the ones with the tall spike on the dorsal fin. Swap one out for a female and you'll be good to go.

 

[bct15]

Does anybody have a female green mandarin they want to trade for a male near Starkville MS?

 

[KLR]

If they are both males........ WAR!!!!

I know in the green/pyschedelic mandarins the males have a tall thin fin and the females do not. It is very obvious to see when they stretch or stop and stare.

I would follow the advice given above.

 

[Tab28]

I hope you did not get both at the same time from a LFS. They should have known that would be the case. Could you return one male back for a female. If one eats frozen food that would be the keeper.

 

[ToXIc]

I hope you did not get both at the same time from a LFS. They should have known that would be the case. Could you return one male back for a female. If one eats frozen food that would be the keeper.

this..

 

[bct15]

I hope you did not get both at the same time from a LFS. They should have known that would be the case. Could you return one male back for a female. If one eats frozen food that would be the keeper.

I got the from liveaquaria.com sight unseen. I usually don't have the problem of two males from them. I can bring one to a lfs store on the coast next time I visit, but that won't be for a few weeks. They generally stay at opposite ends from eachother but sometimes end at the same side...then they fight. I exaggerated the one time every hour a little bit, but when they are within four inches of each other they do throw down. Might catch one out and put it in with my onyx pair in my sons room...just feel it isn't large enough tank. Only thirty gallons with about forty lb of liverock.

 

[javisaman]

Female mandarins can be aggressive towards males that are smaller than them. I know from personal experience.

 

[Tab28]

There are several fish that 2 males can not be keep together mandarins, blemmies, anthias, wrasse even a coral banded shrimp. And others like anthias and wrasse a female will change to a male if needed but only one female will become male of the harem. Nature has its reason for it all.

 

[chad vossen]

two females will fight too. I tried a trio of mandarins once, didn't work out. (3rd female got moved to a new tank)

 

[Hyprviperx]

i tend to notice a lot of LFS sell fish that are males as females due to a broken spike from fighting with the other males. I have come home from work and my gf tried to surprise me with a female for our male, she was so excited, and i hated to break it to her that it was a male w/ a broken spike. i regularly ask at the LFS if they have any females and 9/10 its a male with a broken spike. i have to give WWC credit here, when i asked them they showed me a true female no broken spike ect. unfortunately i hadnt brought enough cash with me that day and i already had some corals bagged up.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

If you got the fish from liveaquaria, I would call to complain that they sent you 2 males. do they both have spikes on their dorsal fins? liveaquaria is usually pretty accomodating.