How to QT mandarin dragonet

[jonnywink]

About a week ago I bought a Mandarin Dragonet from my LFS and currently have it in a small 5.5 gallon QT tank that had been used to QT inverts. I’ve loaded the tank with pods and I’m trying (unsuccessfully so far) to get it to eat something else too. How do I do copper power then prazi without killing the pods and starving this fish to death? Or is it best to just observe for 60 days then put in the display tank.

 

[Uncle99]

I do not treat mine because of the special feeding habits.

 

[jonnywink]

I do not treat mine because of the special feeding habits.

Thank you. How long do you observe them before adding to the display tank?

 

[Uncle99]

Thank you. How long do you observe them before adding to the display tank?

24 hours.
This fish must graze continuously.
He needs the DT maturity to survive.

I would not use copper on that fish.

 

[jonnywink]

24 hours.
This fish must graze continuously.
He needs the DT maturity to survive.

I would not use copper on that fish.

Thank you.

 

[Rothric]

About a week ago I bought a Mandarin Dragonet from my LFS and currently have it in a small 5.5 gallon QT tank that had been used to QT inverts. I’ve loaded the tank with pods and I’m trying (unsuccessfully so far) to get it to eat something else too. How do I do copper power then prazi without killing the pods and starving this fish to death? Or is it best to just observe for 60 days then put in the display tank.

I've gotten 2 mandarins through a successful QT with both copper and prazi. The key is freshly hatched baby brine shrimp.

Newly hatched BBS (<8 hours) still have nutritional value. If you take freshly hatched BBS and put them in the fridge, it slows down there metabolism and they keep their yolk sac (the nutritious part) much longer. Not sure how long, but have read days-week.

I had 2 BBS hatcheries going, and would harvest the BBS and store in the fridge. I always had a supply and fed the mandarins several times a day with loads of BBS.

Not easy, but definitely doable. Good luck!

 

[jonnywink]

I've gotten 2 mandarins through a successful QT with both copper and prazi. The key is freshly hatched baby brine shrimp.

Newly hatched BBS (<8 hours) still have nutritional value. If you take freshly hatched BBS and put them in the fridge, it slows down there metabolism and they keep their yolk sac (the nutritious part) much longer. Not sure how long, but have read days-week.

I had 2 BBS hatcheries going, and would harvest the BBS and store in the fridge. I always had a supply and fed the mandarins several times a day with loads of BBS.

Not easy, but definitely doable. Good luck!

Thank you. I assume the frozen BBS wouldn’t work then. Had been trying to get him interested in those and Mysis. But no luck so far.

 

[Liquid361]

Thank you. I assume the frozen BBS wouldn’t work then. Had been trying to get him interested in those and Mysis. But no luck so far.

Only the captive born mandarins will eat mysis. Some have successfully gotten wild caught to, but it isn’t the norm. Some will, some won’t.

 

[W31Olds]

I have a wild caught spotted that's been in a 20 gallon QT for about a month that I target feed bloodworms and adult brine shrimp about 4/5 times a day. She is an adult (2") so maybe can take larger food. Prazi definitely depresses the appetite for about a day.

 

[saltyfish24]

@jonnywink , how's it been going QTing the Mandarin? I'm also planning on getting one and also was confused about the QT process. I was contemplating just observing only for a few days to see if I can feed pellet food, maybe without meds.

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[jonnywink]

@jonnywink , how's it been going QTing the Mandarin? I'm also planning on getting one and also was confused about the QT process. I was contemplating just observing only for a few days to see if I can feed pellet food, maybe without meds.

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After a lot of reading, I moved him to a separate smaller QT tank where I can load up with copepods for him to eat. It sounds like copper and prazi either kill off the copepods or depress the eating. I plan to just observe him for 45-60 days. If he appears ok, I’ll take a chance and move him into my display tank. I just hope I won’t be sorry. If I had it to do again, I’d order one from BIOTA so it would eat other stuff and I could do a regular QT with it.

 

[Coral Memere]

@jonnywink , how's it been going QTing the Mandarin? I'm also planning on getting one and also was confused about the QT process. I was contemplating just observing only for a few days to see if I can feed pellet food, maybe without meds.

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Mandarins have a mucous coating that is toxic to parasites and bacteria. They don't require quarantining. Moreover, because they are smooth-skinned (no scales) most of the medications will harm them. As I ready about people saying they did a way with copper or prazi, I just wanted to cry for the poor animals. I know this is an older post, but I hope people who are researching getting a mandarin will see it.

As for what to feed them? Look at their beaks. They're meant to peck at rocks, not wait for mysis or pellets to fall on them. When I got my first Mandy, I wanted him to clean out the amphipods. I had NOT done my research. I realized that the head of an amphipod wouldn't fit in that tiny mouth. I dose pods 2x per month and hatch baby brine shrimp every 3-4 days, squirting them into the tank rocks 2-3 a day.

 

[CHSUB]

Mandarins have a mucous coating that is toxic to parasites and bacteria. They don't require quarantining. Moreover

I have read this also, however I don’t believe it. Qt fish is mandatory for all fish. Is this mucous coating on the fish’s gills? Doubtful….if you can’t qt and Mandy properly, maybe you should not have one. I’m not risking the health of fish I have had for years because I’m “rolling the dice” with a Mandy…

 

[jonnywink]

As an update on my mandarin QT, he is still in my smaller QT tank which I keep loaded with pods. No copper or Prazipro. He looks, acts, and eats fine. Fun to watch him. I plan to keep him in that tank for about another month. If all looks fine, I’ll introduce him to my display tank and just hold my breath. I’ve been loading the display tank with copepods from Reef by Steele every couple of weeks to prepare for his arrival.