Guys! I’m getting my dream fish!!

[PolypPocket]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

 

[kevgib67]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

Congratulations! I just got my first one a few months ago.

 

[PolypPocket]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

Congratulations! I just got my first one a few months ago.

So pretty!

 

[Bob Weigant]

They are stunning fish. Even if its eating frozen foods Id still keep a healthy pod population

 

[Hammy]

Sounds like you’re setting yourself up pretty well for it. I’d just make sure the pod population is really established before adding the mandarin, even with a captive bred one. Having one that accepts frozen/prepared food definitely helps, but I’d still want plenty of pods in the tank as a backup food source. Good luck with it

 

[PolypPocket]

I’ve got tons of pods all over the glass/rock but I know I will need to replenish anyway so that’s the plan.

 

[fish_collector]

Didn't you just do some destructive rock scaping in your tank a week ago to remove some big worms? Has your tank recovered enough to start adding a very sensitive fish?

 

[PolypPocket]

Didn't you just do some destructive rock scaping in your tank a week ago to remove some big worms? Has your tank recovered enough to start adding a very sensitive fish?

I removed the biggest rock and tried to flush out the worms but it didn’t work. It took me less than 5 minutes once it was out and the rock didn’t dry out, then I put it back. I haven’t noticed any difference in the number of pods I’m seeing if that’s what you’re asking. Otherwise I’m not sure what you mean by recover. I didn’t tear down the tank, or soak the rock in seltzer. I targeted the specific holes I’ve seen them in, that’s it.

The Eunice worms are still in there but at this point I’m not sure what I can do about it, everything I’ve tried failed. So if your concern is about them, well, I’m not going to never get fish because there are worms. They are still relatively small anyway and I will keep trying periodically. And these are not sand-dwelling bobbit worms. So unless I’m missing something, I don’t really get your comment.

 

[Baldyreef]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

Awesome! Definitely post it when you get it

 

[PolypPocket]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

Awesome! Definitely post it when you get it

Oh there will be photos

 

[Baldyreef]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

Awesome! Definitely post it when you get it

Oh there will be photos

Definetly excited to see them

 

[fish_collector]

I removed the biggest rock and tried to flush out the worms but it didn’t work. It took me less than 5 minutes once it was out and the rock didn’t dry out, then I put it back. I haven’t noticed any difference in the number of pods I’m seeing if that’s what you’re asking. Otherwise I’m not sure what you mean by recover. I didn’t tear down the tank, or soak the rock in seltzer. I targeted the specific holes I’ve seen them in, that’s it.

The Eunice worms are still in there but at this point I’m not sure what I can do about it, everything I’ve tried failed. So if your concern is about them, well, I’m not going to never get fish because there are worms. They are still relatively small anyway and I will keep trying periodically. And these are not sand-dwelling bobbit worms. So unless I’m missing something, I don’t really get your comment.

I just remembered about the eunice worms you had, and that IIRC you had taken rocks out to try and flush them out. That was only week ago. If you’re confident then great, I wasn’t making a controversy over it, just asking.

 

[PolypPocket]

I removed the biggest rock and tried to flush out the worms but it didn’t work. It took me less than 5 minutes once it was out and the rock didn’t dry out, then I put it back. I haven’t noticed any difference in the number of pods I’m seeing if that’s what you’re asking. Otherwise I’m not sure what you mean by recover. I didn’t tear down the tank, or soak the rock in seltzer. I targeted the specific holes I’ve seen them in, that’s it.

The Eunice worms are still in there but at this point I’m not sure what I can do about it, everything I’ve tried failed. So if your concern is about them, well, I’m not going to never get fish because there are worms. They are still relatively small anyway and I will keep trying periodically. And these are not sand-dwelling bobbit worms. So unless I’m missing something, I don’t really get your comment.

I just remembered about the eunice worms you had, and that IIRC you had taken rocks out to try and flush them out. That was only week ago. If you’re confident then great, I wasn’t making a controversy over it, just asking.

Just kind of a negative feel to your comment responding to my excitement about getting my dream fish. But I can’t hear tone of voice on the internet so if you didn’t mean it that way then I apologize for misunderstanding.

I took the biggest rock and two small ones out instead of doing it in the tank because the rocks are like Swiss cheese, so many holes, so if the worms had bolted out the other end they would have been inaccessible in the back of the tank under the cave. Plus I didn’t feel confident about adding seltzer water to my nano tank…anything can potentially affect the whole thing when it’s a small system. So I figured it would be faster and more successful if I removed them quick. Unfortunately the only thing that came running out of the hole was a tiny gorilla crab, no worms.

Anyway I made sure that nothing dried out and after a few squirts I gave up and put them back. It didn’t seem to create any problems in the tank other than annoying the corals (none of them are glued down yet so they stayed in the tank - and they were all back to normal after a few hours) and everything is testing exactly like before I did it.

One other thing, I know you don’t know me but I hate hurting anything. I even set up a tank for the gorilla crabs I kept finding, 5 of them! . If the mandarin doesn’t thrive after a few weeks or so and I start to notice it not eating or looks unhappy I have no problem rehoming it. I want what’s best for the animal and am not going to harm one just because I want it. But I’ve researched, prepared, and want to at least try. In fact I plan on rehoming the nudibranch after it finishes with the aiptasia…not going to let it just starve.

I guess I just felt like I had to defend myself after what you said, but again maybe I took it wrong. Thank you for caring about the wellbeing of the fish.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

Congrats! Hope it does well in your tank!

 

[PolypPocket]

I’ve always wanted a mandarin dragonet since I started in saltwater around 15 years ago. Back then they were notoriously difficult to care for and usually died in captivity. Now that there are captive bred pellet-eating fish I am jumping on the chance to have one of my very own

My LFS has them and I go pick up my new little buddy on Monday. It will probably wipe out my currently thriving pod population so I will supplement with monthly store bought replenishments I think. I bought the tiny TDO pellets recommended for dragonets - which my current fish (gobies) devour so must be good stuff. And I have a supply of frozen mysis.

Wish me luck!! I can’t wait.

Congrats! Hope it does well in your tank!

Thank you!!

 

[skidmarkstevie]

Congratulations on your new psychadelic friend!

They are very cool and mine usually greets me with his round belly to the glass. Mine was captive bred and came so small he was just little eyeballs. He did great and nobody bothered him.

For what its worth, he will swim right by pellets to continue picking pods. I did stick with tdo pellets in my routine as all my fish love em. Not as much as they love the arctipods tho.

Compared to the one I had 20 years ago, my captive bred is a social butterfly,hollywood star, and total couch potato.

 

[PolypPocket]

Congratulations on your new psychadelic friend!

They are very cool and mine usually greets me with his round belly to the glass. Mine was captive bred and came so small he was just little eyeballs. He did great and nobody bothered him.

For what its worth, he will swim right by pellets to continue picking pods. I did stick with tdo pellets in my routine as all my fish love em. Not as much as they love the arctipods tho.

Compared to the one I had 20 years ago, my captive bred is a social butterfly,hollywood star, and total couch potato.

What a cutie!

Just curious…Does he only eat pods then? No pellets ever? Or did I misunderstand?

 

[tritonpower]

I also have a biota that is doing great and full grown now. I have never seen it eat pellets. I do not add copepods except for maybe a couple times a year. I do add phyto to my squirt bottle of frozen food. That way when I feed my fish daily I add a little phytoplankton with it. It has been working well for a year now. FYI.

 

[PolypPocket]

GUYS!!!!!!!!!!! Look how precious it is!!

Ignore the suffering torch. I picked it out from being in between all the other torches. Well when they pulled it out they noticed one head was dead (just a skeleton) and two remained so gave me a discount. Great right? Well when I took it out of the bag the skeleton literally cracked into a few large pieces!!! It also smelled kinda bad. I superglued the outside to try to hold them together but I have no idea if that will work. Tomorrow I have to call the store to see if they will cover it if it dies. I hope not, it has beautiful coloring but it’s not looking so hot. I had absolutely nothing on hand except a dip I had used for some zoas a few months back that came to me with white spots (which cured them of it). Some sort of anti-bacterial powder, kanaplex I think it’s called , so I used that on them for 10 mins since I thought it might help with the possible rotting. Idk I mean it won’t hurt but I’m not sure it will help.

It went from the photo on the left to the one on the right within an hour or so of being in the tank so a tiny improvement but you can see it’s still not great.

Probably shouldn’t hijack my own thread - this is about the mandarin

 

[PolypPocket]

I also have a biota that is doing great and full grown now. I have never seen it eat pellets. I do not add copepods except for maybe a couple times a year. I do add phyto to my squirt bottle of frozen food. That way when I feed my fish daily I add a little phytoplankton with it. It has been working well for a year now. FYI.

So yours eats frozen?

I’ve been adding phyto for a while now so I will probably continue to do that as well