Captive Bred Mandarins

[Sea MunnKey]

Last nite I tried "kill stab" 4 hairy Gorilla crabs that's housing in my large plating sps ... with my hand held tweezers!!

 

[Liquid360]

Last nite I tried "kill stab" 4 hairy Gorilla crabs that's housing in my large plating sps ... with my hand held tweezers!!

You crab murderer!!!!! Be sure to leave crab bits as a warning to any other crabs.

 

[Liquid360]

And if I do end up getting one, definitely getting one from algae barn!

AlgaeBarn is awesome!!! Absolutely the best! Now that you’ve mentioned it, ive never seen any min size requirements for Mandarins. I would imagine around 30g per fish to be certain of enough rock for pods, but I’m guessing here.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

For whatever reasons I've seeing quite a few of Gorilla crabs ... the last big one I speared had eggs. It was a female crab. I released the eggs into the system for the corals and fish to feed on. It's a Recycling process ya know?

 

[jayala12]

Last nite I tried "kill stab" 4 hairy Gorilla crabs that's housing in my large plating sps ... with my hand held tweezers!!

Vlad the impaler !!!!

 

[DSC reef]

Hey guys! Been looking into getting a mandarin as my final fish. What size tank is everyone keeping theirs in???

I'd avoid putting one in a tank that new.

 

[jayala12]

Mines in a biocube 29

 

[Beth Villmow]

Algae Barn has had the up for sale quite a bit in the last few weeks. Supplies are limited and like most fish availability is sporadic

Thank you, I'm going to check them out for sure

That's awesome, thanks for sharing.

Thanks for telling about these! I didn't know they were having luck with captive breeding! Super excited

 

[fishnchip]

Mines in a biocube 29

I have a 32 gallon cube so that should work! Thanks so much!!

 

[fishnchip]

I'd avoid putting one in a tank that new.

How old do you think my tank should be? I don't mind waiting as long as the fish survives hahaha

 

[fishnchip]

AlgaeBarn is awesome!!! Absolutely the best! Now that you’ve mentioned it, ive never seen any min size requirements for Mandarins. I would imagine around 30g per fish to be certain of enough rock for pods, but I’m guessing here.

Sounds good! Thank you!

 

[DSC reef]

How old do you think my tank should be? I don't mind waiting as long as the fish survives hahaha

As much as I love mandarins and really like the fact that there are captive bred specimens I would refrain from purchasing one at this time. A biocube, IMO will not sustain a large enough pod population to sustain the mandarin long term unless you plan on spending a small fortune every month on pods. Keeping a mandarin in a biocube alive temporary for a year is different from keeping one thriving for 4+ years.

 

[jayala12]

One can thrive in a biocube. It’ll just be a little more work and dedication that’s all

 

[DSC reef]

One can thrive in a biocube. It’ll just be a little more work and dedication that’s all

I'm not doubting one can, many things can be done in this hobby but is a hobbyist with a 5 month old tank ready to invest time and money necessary to keep the mandarin thriving? I like to see success and just give an honest opinion. I'm hoping I can see pics years later of the beautiful mandarin thriving. Please don't take this as arguing, just difference of opinions.

 

[jayala12]

I'm not doubting one can, many things can be done in this hobby but is a hobbyist with a 5 month old tank ready to invest time and money necessary to keep the mandarin thriving? I like to see success and just give an honest opinion. I'm hoping I can see pics years later of the beautiful mandarin thriving. Please don't take this as arguing, just difference of opinions.

No worries. You are right a 5 month old tank isn’t ready but eventually it could be. This hobby is expensive and exclusive eaters are very expensive. I have a harlequin shrimp and made a commitment. Anyone who wants a mandarin needs to research and be prepared to spend money lol. Unless u get lucky early on like me and they start eating pellets. But I still am going to buy pods once a month to make sure my lovely lady gets all she needs

 

[Liquid360]

No worries. You are right a 5 month old tank isn’t ready but eventually it could be. This hobby is expensive and exclusive eaters are very expensive. I have a harlequin shrimp and made a commitment. Anyone who wants a mandarin needs to research and be prepared to spend money lol. Unless u get lucky early on like me and they start eating pellets. But I still am going to buy pods once a month to make sure my lovely lady gets all she needs

Yeah ditto. My tank is mature enough to host tons of pods, but I’m terrified of starving them. They eat pellets, mysis, and flake and still see to my pod population. I even have a 55g dedicated Podfarm with enough pods to sustain a few dozen mandarins.
Here’s my pod farm... I trade out rocks with tank every other week to cycle new pods into the system. In this video you can only see some adults, but it’s absolutely teeming with pods of various species.

 

[DSC reef]

Yeah ditto. My tank is mature enough to host tons of pods, but I’m terrified of starving them. They eat pellets, mysis, and flake and still see to my pod population. I even have a 55g dedicated Podfarm with enough pods to sustain a few dozen mandarins.
Here’s my pod farm... I trade out rocks with tank every other week to cycle new pods into the system. In this video you can only see some adults, but it’s absolutely teeming with pods of various species.

Awesome video @Liquid360

 

[Liquid360]

Awesome video @Liquid360

Thanks!! I tried the farm thing numerous to no avail, but figured it out [emoji6]

 

[jayala12]

You sell pods ?

 

[Liquid360]

You sell pods ?

No just do it for my tank. I also grow my own nannochloropsis to feed the pods. Having a naturally self sustaining food source helps a great deal and is so easy.