Dragonet/mandarin lovers thread!

[WrasseyReefer]

Dragonets/mandarins are one of those fish that get people into the hobby. Their colors, patterns, and movement are right out of a psychedelic fairytale. Many people believe they are difficult to keep, but I have found them to be very hardy and easy to keep with the right setup. Please share your experiences with keeping dragonets and/or mandarins. Which type of dragonet and/or mandarin is your favorite? Share a photo of yours. Do you keep a single mandarin/dragonet or a pair? What does your mandarin/dragonet eat? Copepods? Frozen? Other live foods? Dry? Do you keep them in a reef? A dedicated tank?

 

[littlefoxx]

I have two, one in each tank since both are males. One is green spotted and the other is very colorful

 

[WrasseyReefer]

I have two, one in each tank since both are males. One is green spotted and the other is very colorful

I have the same two mandarins, each in their own tanks, because they’re both males. What do they eat?

 

[littlefoxx]

I have the same two mandarins, each in their own tanks, because they’re both males. What do they eat?

They seem to only eat pods! I does everyday. Both ignore any frozen food in the tank

 

[Psychedelic Fins]

Four green (1 male and 3 females) and 4 red (1 male and 3 female) in a 180 gallon tank. Supplement with pods daily.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Four green (1 male and 3 females) and 4 red (1 male and 3 female) in a 180 gallon tank. Supplement with pods daily.

Have you ever tried frozen?

 

[Psychedelic Fins]

Have you ever tried frozen?

They eat frozen in addition to the pods.

 

[Uncle99]

Just one in a 180g.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Doesn't this thread already exist??

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dragonet-debate.969126/

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Doesn't this thread already exist??

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dragonet-debate.969126/

The thread you posted above asked which dragonet is your favorite. This thread doesn’t ask that. It asks how many you have and what you feed them. I didn’t see the other thread when I posted this one. There’s bound to be overlaps in threads. Thanks for sharing the other thread, though. I’d delete the thread, but I can’t. Lol

 

[OrionN]

The thread you posted above asked which dragonet is your favorite. This thread doesn’t ask that. It asks how many you have and what you feed them. I didn’t see the other thread when I posted this one. There’s bound to be overlaps in threads. Thanks for sharing the other thread, though. I’d delete the thread, but I can’t. Lol

Nah
The more the merrier
My pair of Mandarin Dragonets
And a male Ruby Red Dragonet
My Ruby Red male Dragonet. I am looking for a female. She should be almost identical excels the dorsal fin

My Mandarin Dragonet pair

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Nah
The more the merrier
My pair of Mandarin Dragonets
And a male Ruby Red Dragonet
My Ruby Red male Dragonet. I am looking for a female. She should be almost identical excels the dorsal fin

My Mandarin Dragonet pair

Do you keep your green mandarins with the red dragonet? I’ve heard they could fight, so I haven’t tried it with mine. What do yours eat?

 

[OrionN]

Do you keep your green mandarins with the red dragonet? I’ve heard they could fight, so I haven’t tried it with mine. What do yours eat?

If they have plenty of food they won’t fight. My friend have two MALE t Mandarin Dragonets, and one female Mandarin Dragonet in his 200+ 240 I think. All three doing great. My three Dragonets are together doing great. I will add them to my 320 gal DT soon. They are in my 40 gal breeder and doing great with no supplemental feeding. My QT system is far from a normal reef system so I would not recommend raising a pair of Dragonet, let alone three, in a 40 gal.

 

[Psychedelic Fins]

Do you keep your green mandarins with the red dragonet? I’ve heard they could fight, so I haven’t tried it with mine. What do yours eat?

I keep greens and reds together in my 180 gallin tank. They ignore each other.

 

[steveschuerger]

I presently have one , a Spotted Mandarin . He eats pods primarily in my 60 gallon. There’s quite a bit of live rock for him to hunt around . Plus I do get a Dinkins Snacklebox 16oz x2 and Phyto 16oz x2 monthly for keeping the population up.

 

[HomebroodExotics]

My pair in a 40 gallon breeder. I feed them mysis brine and baby brine shrimp. Not sure if they eat it.

 

[i cant think]

The dragonet I love is by far the Spotted (S. picturatus). This girl eats pods almost all day but I believe she does eat frozen. She’s currently in a 3’x16”x1’ tank (custom made). And I do dose pods weekly.
I’ve also had a Ruby Red in the past but she jumped 3 years into the tank (I unfortunately left the lid barely off over night). That girl ate everything from pods to pellets/flake.
I personally find there regular’s to be boring because you see them so often.

 

[blaxsun]

I have a pair of male/female (the female is a recent addition and less than a third the size of the big guy). No pictures because the little suckers have found several copepod veins deep in the rocks which I didn't realize were actually narrow caves running throughout my rock work. So they only come out rarely just to tease me - then they're back off on the great copepod hunt.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

My pair in a 40 gallon breeder. I feed them mysis brine and baby brine shrimp. Not sure if they eat it.

You’re not sure if they eat which food? The baby brine shrimp? How’re you feeding the baby brine? Are you just broadcast feeding it?

 

[HomebroodExotics]

You’re not sure if they eat which food? The baby brine shrimp? How’re you feeding the baby brine? Are you just broadcast feeding it?

Yep just broadcast feeding. I don’t know if they eat anything I put in the tank.