Biota mandarin disappeared

[Rodan]

I got a biota mandarin from my lfs he was so tiny. I understand your supposed to feed the fish 3-5 times a day, but I cant even find him. I have pods in the tank and its around 20 months old with pods and I assume other stuff for the fish to eat. I guess the question here has anyone had their mandarin disappear for a few days and then you see him all of a sudden? My tank is 32g with a pair of clowns, possum wrasse, and a diamond watchman goby, not sure if anyone attacked it and killed it, just thought I would list out the tank mates.

 

[Lavey29]

Mine stays hidden in the rocks a lot hunting pods in the shadows

 

[Jmp998]

When I first moved mine into my display, he stayed behind the rock work most of the time and I would often not see him for days. I had lots of pods and also would drop TDO pellets behind the rock work (he mostly ate TDO the first few months). Now he is full grown and out most of the time. A beautiful fish.

Was he being fed at the LFS, if so you might want to blindly put the same food behind your rock work.

 

[Nick Steele]

Yeah I fell it’s normal!

My friend put one in a 180G and didn’t see it for months! Added another one and again disappeared for a few weeks then out came both into the daylight and he now has a mated pair lol

 

[Rjukan]

I got a biota mandarin from my lfs he was so tiny. I understand your supposed to feed the fish 3-5 times a day, but I cant even find him. I have pods in the tank and its around 20 months old with pods and I assume other stuff for the fish to eat. I guess the question here has anyone had their mandarin disappear for a few days and then you see him all of a sudden? My tank is 32g with a pair of clowns, possum wrasse, and a diamond watchman goby, not sure if anyone attacked it and killed it, just thought I would list out the tank mates.

Post a full tank shot

 

[Formulator]

They do tend to disappear for significant periods of time and then reappear. I’ve also had one that was very strictly nocturnal and I only saw him after lights out for several years. Technically I think they are all supposed to be mostly nocturnal, but I’ve had different mandarins completely abandon this natural behavior and be totally active during the day. I guess it can vary from fish to fish. Have you looked around at night for him?

 

[PotatoPig]

If you run a sump… check your overflow, socks, etc.

Mine made it into the overflow and through the siphon tube and had apparently spent a couple days hanging out in the drain chamber of the HOB siphon before I shone a flashlight there and saw it. Fished it out and put back in the tank and within minutes it’s back to its old routine as though nothing had happened.