Mandarin dragonet advice

[Tomhodg]

Hi guys ,

I currently have a large mandarin kept in my 200 litre tank, I also have a small female mandarin in my 400 litre tank the female has been in my tank for around 3 weeks the male has been around for a long time.

Can I introduce the male to the female or vice versa? Would ideally like to have them both in the same tank, I'm aware that will create competition for food. The female is still eating mainly copepods and the male is eating frozen so minimal competition.

Thoughts/advice would be great.

 

[OrionN]

Even if they eat prepared food, they cannot compete with other fishes in the tank for food since they are so slow. Also, it is in their gene to eat small amount constantly throughout the day. With that said, they need large tanks. The pair will be too much for the 200 liter tank. I would put them in your 400 liter, and make sure you don't have other fish that would compete with them for their natural food wich are the tiny fauna (pods). The male need to be larger or else she will fight him.

 

[Tomhodg]

Even if they eat prepared food, they cannot compete with other fishes in the tank for food since they are so slow. Also, it is in their gene to eat small amount constantly throughout the day. With that said, they need large tanks. The pair will be too much for the 200 liter tank. I would put them in your 400 liter, and make sure you don't have other fish that would compete with them for their natural food wich are the tiny fauna (pods). The male need to be larger or else she will fight him.

Thank you for the reply buddy,

I dont have any other fish that would compete with either of them. I picked my fish very carefully to create a nice community where they all got along, in both tanks both of them go unnoticed by any other fish and are both eating very well.

I thought they might be too much for the 200l, I'm glad that they may work out in the 400l tank, is there anything I need to particularly watch for whilst introducing them? Apart from fighting obviously!

 

[OrionN]

Mandarin are easy pair. They just ignore each other until spawn. No two males and male must be larger than female are the only requirement. I have not put two female together or more than one female in a tank.
I imagine two females will fight too.