Dragonet/mandarin lovers thread!

[FreshwaterConvert]

Do you have a photo of the tank (and dimensions)?

I have a tank that’s similar to a 20g Long I believe and my mandarin has stayed fat. She’s also learnt that frozen foods are good to eat.

If you were to go a mandarin I’d personally go for a Spotted (Synchiropus picturatus) which is what I’ve got, the reason for this is because they are the easiest IME.

This is my tank. It’s a UNS 60A, it’s definitely closer to the length of a 20 high rather than long. What are you feeding yours? It looks gorgeous

 

[i cant think]

This is my tank. It’s a UNS 60A, it’s definitely closer to the length of a 20 high rather than long. What are you feeding yours? It looks gorgeous

Well, at first I only believed mine was eating pods so I just loaded the tank with maybe 3-600 pods every week (about 2,400 a month). I still do this however she’s also feeding on mysis and brine among other frozen goods that I feed.

 

[afrokobe]

This is my tank. It’s a UNS 60A, it’s definitely closer to the length of a 20 high rather than long. What are you feeding yours? It looks gorgeous

Seconding @i cant think, I bought a wild target mandarin from my LFS. Took him about a week to start eating frozen food. If I turn down the flow and let the food settle down, he has a much better chance of eating. I feed variety of foods mysis, rods, LRS, etc. He is so chubby now

 

[FreshwaterConvert]

Seconding @i cant think, I bought a wild target mandarin from my LFS. Took him about a week to start eating frozen food. If I turn down the flow and let the food settle down, he has a much better chance of eating. I feed variety of foods mysis, rods, LRS, etc. He is so chubby now

He looks great! How often are you feeding?

 

[afrokobe]

He looks great! How often are you feeding?

I feed very often (3-4 times), but just once a day for frozen. The other times are usually Reef Nutrition Roe or TDO pellets. I haven't seen him eating any roe or pellets, so he primarily picks at the big pieces when I feed frozen. I have a huge amount of pods as well, so he is constantly eating

 

[afrokobe]

oh I recently got some clams on the half shelf to try to entice my copperband and this fatty has been partaking. you could try that as well since it will fall to the bottom.

 

[secret_reefer337]

I’d definitely do a captive bred one, what are you feeding yours and how often?

I feed PE Mysis pellets and NLS Probiotix.

I have a auto feeder that is set to 3x/day since I have tangs and wrasse in my current tank.

 

[JohnA26]

Speaking of spawning mandarins, will a “mixed” pair, 1 spotted and 1 green/blue mandarin spawn, do the dance and so forth?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Speaking of spawning mandarins, will a “mixed” pair, 1 spotted and 1 green/blue mandarin spawn, do the dance and so forth?

I don't believe so

 

[JohnA26]

I don't believe so

Do you think they will avoid each other or hang out?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Do you think they will avoid each other or hang out?

No idea. How big is your tank?

 

[JohnA26]

72 gallon.

 

[i cant think]

72 gallon.

What are the dimensions?

I’m assuming 4’ long but I could be wrong. If it is 4’ then they should be alright. Just get a male of one species and a female of the other species to make sure there is no fighting between two of the same sex even if they are of different species.

 

[Paul B]

I have 5 of them and have been keeping them since they started to be imported. I find them the easiest, least care of any fish and they seem to live about 10 years. I have not been able to keep any longer than that. They spawn constantly and in the proper tank require no feeding or anything else. I did lose a few from jumping out even though they don't seem to be very aronitically designed.

 

[JohnA26]

What are the dimensions?

I’m assuming 4’ long but I could be wrong. If it is 4’ then they should be alright. Just get a male of one species and a female of the other species to make sure there is no fighting between two of the same sex even if they are of different species.

Ok, but do you think they will “hang out/spawn dance” or just ignore each other?

 

[i cant think]

Ok, but do you think they will “hang out/spawn dance” or just ignore each other?

They’ll probably leave eachother alone. If they were spawning were likely to have seen hybrids in the wild by now. I don’t think the picturatus and splendidus are close enough to eachother to spawn together.

I guess species like the occidentalis could breed and hybridise with a very similar looking species (for example the picturatus).
So if you had say a red and blue mandarin - these are the same species currently however there is enough of a difference to say that one could be a different species - they‘re likely to spawn with eachother.

 

[OrionN]

They’ll probably leave eachother alone. If they were spawning were likely to have seen hybrids in the wild by now. I don’t think the picturatus and splendidus are close enough to eachother to spawn together.

I guess species like the occidentalis could breed and hybridise with a very similar looking species (for example the picturatus).
So if you had say a red and blue mandarin - these are the same species currently however there is enough of a difference to say that one could be a different species - they‘re likely to spawn with eachother.

The Red and Blue Mandarin do pair up and spawn regularly. There are clearly Blue Mandarin and clearly Red Mandarin but there are Mandarins that have colors in the between of the two end of the spectrum so I am not certain that they can or should be separate species.

 

[OrionN]

IME and observation, as long as there are enough food, they will leave each other alone. When there is a shortage of food, that is when quarrel start. This seem to be true even with male blue mandarin of same species.

 

[afrokobe]

Speaking of spawning mandarins, will a “mixed” pair, 1 spotted and 1 green/blue mandarin spawn, do the dance and so forth?

I had the same question, I have a big spotted female and wanted to pair him up with a male blue.

They’ll probably leave eachother alone. If they were spawning were likely to have seen hybrids in the wild by now. I don’t think the picturatus and splendidus are close enough to eachother to spawn together.

I guess species like the occidentalis could breed and hybridise with a very similar looking species (for example the picturatus).
So if you had say a red and blue mandarin - these are the same species currently however there is enough of a difference to say that one could be a different species - they‘re likely to spawn with eachother.

This makes sense, maybe i should just get another spotted male

 

[i cant think]

The Red and Blue Mandarin do pair up and spawn regularly. There are clearly Blue Mandarin and clearly Red Mandarin but there are Mandarins that have colors in the between of the two end of the spectrum so I am not certain that they can or should be separate species.

Honestly, I’ve only personally seen 2 big colour differences of the splendidus which are the red and the blues. I’m not surprised that these pair up as they are closely related (same species or not) and are very close in colour pattern.