Kermit my Green Mandarin

[Gaines69]

I know my tank hasn't been up and running very long but I went ahead and purchased a green mandarin from my lfs. This was with the understanding that if he didn't do well and started to get thin I could return him for store credit. A frozen food made specifically for mandarins, pipe fish and sea horses was recommended. I purchased the frozen food along with a bottle of live copepods. I have had him for over two weeks and I have been watching Kermit like a hawk and he's doing great. Not only does he move around the live rock eating I have personally seen him eat the frozen food as well as frozen brine shrimp. I have purchased a total of three bottles of live copepods and I'm the process of raising live brine shrimp. I will be adding a hand on back fish breeding box so that I can make it into a small refugium so that I can cultivate my own copepods. Kermit is a bit spoiled. Because I want to make sure he eats every day I turn off filter and target feed with a pipet. As the frozen food falls slowly to the bottom Kermit proceeds to move around and eat whatever lands around him. I'm also watching my goby eat because it's the only time I see him. This has become an addiction. I sit every morning and just watch all of the activity and I'm amazed at the new discoveries I make. I have a feeling that my one aquarium isn't going to be enough. I may need a second job.

Here is a picture of Kermit and the food I'm feeding him.

 

[JoshH]

Beautiful fish, Wish I could keep one I don't think my tank is big enough even with a refugium.

 

[Gaines69]

Noticed a few white spots on Kermit this afternoon. Any ideas?? I read the mandarins are not prone to any diseases so I'm hoping it's just a defect in his coloring or some sand stuck to him. He is more active every day and moves all over the tank and is constantly picking at the sand and live rock.

 

[Reef Ryder]

Hmm,that's strange, I have one, they are beautiful and awesome. Didn't want one at first because I heard that that they are almost impossible to beeed so they are all caught which I don't like but, wifey saw all the copepods one day and threw a fit so to the store I went to buy a fish that 'eats that crap' LOL. I know he will not rid my tank of them but She doesn't know. Anyway, I'm not sure that they are not prone to diseases. I know they are not prone to ich and maybe like flukes because of their slimey coating they have. I know that this is not always the case but I like to think that with any disease (not saying that's what it isn't or isn't) if the fish is not stressed or less stressed he has a better chance of survival and odds are if he's swimming about and eating a lot, he's not stressed. FYI, I eat my breakfast watching my tank every morning LOL and I'm watching my goby as I write this.

 

[sleeping]

Noticed a few white spots on Kermit this afternoon. Any ideas?? I read the mandarins are not prone to any diseases so I'm hoping it's just a defect in his coloring or some sand stuck to him. He is more active every day and moves all over the tank and is constantly picking at the sand and live rock.

Every time my Mandy sleeps he gets white spots like that, first time I saw it I thought he was dead, then I thought it was a sickness until I googled lol.

He also had white spots like that when he was shipped to me, from what I assume was stress. Colored up soon after.

 

[Reef Ryder]

That's interesting, mine doesn't get white spots when sleeping, he turns very pale, almost blending with the sand. First time I saw that I went to scoop him out and he booked LOL.
With that being said, sounds like there's not too much to worry about then.

 

[sleeping]

That's interesting, mine doesn't get white spots when sleeping, he turns very pale, almost blending with the sand. First time I saw that I went to scoop him out and he booked LOL.
With that being said, sounds like there's not too much to worry about then.

I seem to have both going on - sometimes he gets discolored spots and sometimes he gets pale overall. More often than not he gets the discolored spots.

I read something about them "creating" their own blue, so maybe it depends on the depth of their sleep ?

Maybe your little guy was dozing off, if the spots aren't still there, if they are maybe for whatever reason he isn't "making" blue in those spots. ( That's purely speculation )

They're such cool little fish. Def my favorite

 

[Reef Ryder]

I seem to have both going on - sometimes he gets discolored spots and sometimes he gets pale overall. More often than not he gets the discolored spots.

I read something about them "creating" their own blue, so maybe it depends on the depth of their sleep ?

Maybe your little guy was dozing off, if the spots aren't still there, if they are maybe for whatever reason he isn't "making" blue in those spots. ( That's purely speculation )

They're such cool little fish. Def my favorite

That's so interesting to me, I never knew that about them, I thought they just turned pale. I definitely learn something everyday on this forum.
They are really cool fish, the ones at my LFS are really cool to watch, mine didn't come out while people were around for months. Now he will come out only if it's just me and my wife. He hides when we have company over, it's the funniest thing. Last weekend we had guests and they were looking at the aquarium and he was 'floating' or 'gliding' back and forth but behind my LR set up. It's like he wanted to see what was going on but did not want them to see him. So freaking funny.

 

[Reef Ryder]

I'm finding him not growing much though. He has a full belly all the time but I think he is the same size he was 6 months ago when I got him. How about in your guys' Goby?

 

[Gaines69]

I'm finding him not growing much though. He has a full belly all the time but I think he is the same size he was 6 months ago when I got him. How about in your guys' Goby?

The first time I saw Kermit sleeping it freaked me out. I thought he was dead. Did some research and found out they sleep. My guy is getting more and more active. I think me turning off the pump/filter every time I feed helps. He tends to come to the front of the tank and wait. I leave everything but the light off until he's had his fill and he swims away. I'm not even sure if I have a male or female lol. I see him more than I see my black ray goby. I wish I knew how to make the goby less shy. I got a video of Kermit eating his frozen food this morning. I'll try to attach the video to this thread. Wish me luck.

 

[Gaines69]

Anyone know how to attach a video??

 

[Gaines69]

 

[Gaines69]

Hope this link works. Might want to turn your volume all the way down. The yard guys were here and there is a lot of background noise. Lol

 

[sleeping]

I'm finding him not growing much though. He has a full belly all the time but I think he is the same size he was 6 months ago when I got him. How about in your guys' Goby?

I've only had my guy for a little while and I've def. noticed growth. I feed Nutramar and PE Calanus. He was advertised as eating Mysis but I've never seen him eat it personally. Maybe offering other types of foods for variety might help your little guy sprout?

The first time I saw Kermit sleeping it freaked me out. I thought he was dead. Did some research and found out they sleep. My guy is getting more and more active. I think me turning off the pump/filter every time I feed helps. He tends to come to the front of the tank and wait. I leave everything but the light off until he's had his fill and he swims away. I'm not even sure if I have a male or female lol. I see him more than I see my black ray goby. I wish I knew how to make the goby less shy. I got a video of Kermit eating his frozen food this morning. I'll try to attach the video to this thread. Wish me luck.

Mine comes to the front to wait for food too. He's super friendly. If you look at the fin they "display" you can tell the gender -if it has a point it's a boy.

 

[Gaines69]

I've only had my guy for a little while and I've def. noticed growth. I feed Nutramar and PE Calanus. He was advertised as eating Mysis but I've never seen him eat it personally. Maybe offering other types of foods for variety might help your little guy sprout?




Mine comes to the front to wait for food too. He's super friendly. If you look at the fin they "display" you can tell the gender -if it has a point it's a boy.

I also feed Nutramar and I mix it with the frozen brine shrimp. Next I'll get the frozen mysis. I'm also growing up the live brine shrimp I hatched. It just takes a while. I don't think I have to worry about left overs. I have at least 5 bristle worms that come out every time I feed. They eat along side the goby and shrimp.

What fin do they display? Lol. Guess it's time for more research.

 

[sleeping]

I also feed Nutramar and I mix it with the frozen brine shrimp. Next I'll get the frozen mysis. I'm also growing up the live brine shrimp I hatched. It just takes a while. I don't think I have to worry about left overs. I have at least 5 bristle worms that come out every time I feed. They eat along side the goby and shrimp.

What fin do they display? Lol. Guess it's time for more research.

The little "pointed" part on his back indicates male. They raise it like a cockatoo would raise its crest. Females don't have the long tip. It's smaller.

My mandarin doesn't show much interest in mysis. The lady I got him from had a few she trained on a mysis/calanus mixture but once he got to me he could care less about mysis. I think he might've been just eating the calanus because he came to me a bit skinny. Once I started feeding Nutramar he ate immediately and is starting to fatten up.

 

[Gaines69]

Of course I sat at the tank and tried to get a good look and a good pic of Kermit but he's staying behind the rock. Guess I'll try when I feed them dinner later. Lol
I can't wait to get a hob fish breeder box so that I can make a mini Refugium and cultivate pods.

 

[sleeping]

Of course I sat at the tank and tried to get a good look and a good pic of Kermit but he's staying behind the rock. Guess I'll try when I feed them dinner later. Lol
I can't wait to get a hob fish breeder box so that I can make a mini Refugium and cultivate pods.

Looks like he's a he from your pictures you posted so far. I threw some pods in from Algae Barn, he snacks on them but only early in the morning when they're all on the glass so they've actually had time to multiply with no fuge.

 

[Gaines69]

Looks like he's a he from your pictures you posted so far. I threw some pods in from Algae Barn, he snacks on them but only early in the morning when they're all on the glass so they've actually had time to multiply with no fuge.

I have added four bottles of the live pods so far. I made a little pod hotel in the back corner. Saw pics of one someone else had made so I copied

I drilled a bunch of small holes in a plastic bowl and turned it upside down and put cheato algae in it. Had to weight it down with a piece of live rock. I also have a rock pile in the other back corner where the pods can hide as well.

 

[sleeping]

I have added four bottles of the live pods so far. I made a little pod hotel in the back corner. Saw pics of one someone else had made so I copied

I drilled a bunch of small holes in a plastic bowl and turned it upside down and put cheato algae in it. Had to weight it down with a piece of live rock. I also have a rock pile in the other back corner where the pods can hide as well.

That looks cool, my mandarin is reluctant to my efforts to make feeding him easier. I've tried a few contraptions but he much prefers me putting food directly on the rocks or in the "cave" area. But I guess since it's working so far there's nothing to fix lol