Mandarin Dragonet

[Ksturg]

I am picking up a mandarin on Sunday I have a whole crap load of pods. I know he will go through them pretty quickly so my question is what is the best way to replenish the population?

 

[Reef man 89]

I got a mandarin a couple of mouths ago and before for I got him the pod population in my tank was unreal there they were every were and in my fuge was loaded. And in 2 months he has wiped them all out to the point he could see he was getting skinny. So I started to raise brine shrimp which he has taken a good taste for. So I would make sure you have a back up plan for food for him.

 

[Ksturg]

Yeah that's what I'm doing I think I will have a month or so before he wipes them out. Just not sure really how to do it

 

[Reef man 89]

I took the idea of a brine shrimp hatchery from you tube. The DIY King Joey I think that's his name and it works perfect. The eggs are only like 8 bucks for a jar and you get like 10 million eggs. They hatch in about 18-24 hours. I fill a turkey baster of the shrimp and putt them in the tank. And all the fish go after them. IMO the only way you could have enough pods is if you grow your own or buy them once a week and that's to expensive. So the brine shrimp works well for me. And super cheap.

 

[Ksturg]

Ok I will you tube it and see how to do it...I definitely don't want him to starve thanks for the info

 

[Eva Rose]

Look @Paul B's mandarin feeder using baby brine shrimp. Directions for it here:
http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/diy-target-feeder-mandarinfish-pipefish-2804/
I like this mandarin feeder design best . The other fish (tangs, anthias...) leave this feeder alone, so the mandarin can eat the baby brine shrimp.
Paul B. also has a brine shrimp hatchery design.