Mandarin Dragonet

Sam071

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Hello,

I was hoping to get some opinions on when to add a mandarin. It looks like most people say after 6-12months. Our tank is about 2 months old and we already have pods covering the glass, refugium and live rocks. Is there a way to know that the population of pod is sustainable or the mandarin will wipe it out in a couple days? I plan to redose pods monthly and we dose phyto at night. I also have live baby brine shrimp hatcheries and plan to supplement frozen food.

Also, any opinions on keeping a scooter blenny and a mandarin together?

55G tank with refugium, live rock and chaeto

Thank you!
 

Jekyl

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Hello,

I was hoping to get some opinions on when to add a mandarin. It looks like most people say after 6-12months. Our tank is about 2 months old and we already have pods covering the glass, refugium and live rocks. Is there a way to know that the population of pod is sustainable or the mandarin will wipe it out in a couple days? I plan to redose pods monthly and we dose phyto at night. I also have live baby brine shrimp hatcheries and plan to supplement frozen food.

Also, any opinions on keeping a scooter blenny and a mandarin together?

55G tank with refugium, live rock and chaeto

Thank you!
I would think it's fine now. I'd recommend dosing live phyto also. It'll help with algae and feed your pods at the same time.
 

Pistondog

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Welcome to the forum.
Mandarins are gorgeous creatures.
They can be bought raised on frozen mysis, which would make them less dependent on yhe pod population, increasing chances of sutvival.
 
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Sam071

Sam071

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I would think it's fine now. I'd recommend dosing live phyto also. It'll help with algae and feed your pods at the same time.
Thanks! We are currently dosing phyto in the evenings
 
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Sam071

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Welcome to the forum.
Mandarins are gorgeous creatures.
They can be bought raised on frozen mysis, which would make them less dependent on yhe pod population, increasing chances of sutvival.
Thank you. I've heard Biota typically raises their Mandarins to eat frozen mysis correct?
 
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Sam071

Sam071

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I got my mandarin at the 4 month mark that was 1.5 yrs ago my tank glass was covered in pods and that's all he eats.
How big is your tank.
As long as the tank isn't too small he should not eat himself out of the pod supply.
Good luck, these fish are jewels
It's a 55G with a refugium. I'm hoping to have a mandarin and a scooter blenny. Thoughts?
 
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Sam071

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Although Captive bred mandarins eat mysis and other prepared foods they still need a ton of pods
Of course :) That's why I said I would be supplementing frozen mysis. I don't expect it to be the core of their diet but it would be nice if they'll accept it.
 

Jekyl

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@Jay Hemdal if feeding a mandarin frozen, how many times per day should you be feeding? Don't they have small digestive tracts?
 

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It's a 55G with a refugium. I'm hoping to have a mandarin and a scooter blenny. Thoughts?
My tank is a 130 gallon with a 30 gallon sump and he has no competition for the pods.
You should be fine but keep an eye on the pod population on the glass before getting the scooter.
My glass always has pods and he is rather plump so I don't worry about him.
 

Lavey29

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I recently added one to my 80g system with fuge and 19 months old. The pods go fast and I have had to supplement with jars of pods. However, now the fish seems to be sampling other foods off the sandbed too. They really seem to like Coral Feast Ova fish eggs but it is expensive. Mine is over a month now and seems to be healthy. If you raise your own pods you should be fine but they eat thousands per day.
 

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I have a 90g without a sump. Added pods once at beginning of tank. Mandarin is about 5 now and fat
 
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Sam071

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My tank is a 130 gallon with a 30 gallon sump and he has no competition for the pods.
You should be fine but keep an eye on the pod population on the glass before getting the scooter.
My glass always has pods and he is rather plump so I don't worry about him.
Will do. Thank you
 

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Do you have or plan to have any other fish that will hunt pods actively? That will become a problem if so. having lots of rock in the display helps to provide areas fish can’t get at for them to reproduce in the display. I notice you have a refugium so that is already a bonus for pod population. Mine eats frozen but it would not survive on frozen or pellets alone. They need to eat often because they don’t have a large stomach to eat big meals so they eat small amounts much more frequently. Paul b has written lots of good posts on here about them and has a cool feeder design for them.

Like others mentioned phyto seems to help. This is just anecdotal but I notice way more pods when I have been consistently dosing phyto than the few times I ran out for a couple weeks. No idea the effect the small amount I dose (20ml in about 80 gallons per day) has on corals though but I don’t care. I have had my Mandarin for 8 months or so now and him in my display around the 4 month mark of my tank. Only had a hob filter at that point so no fuge and I attribute being able to keep a steady supply of pods to phyto as I only added two small bottles of reef nutrion pods to the tank ever.
 

Jay Hemdal

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Hello,

I was hoping to get some opinions on when to add a mandarin. It looks like most people say after 6-12months. Our tank is about 2 months old and we already have pods covering the glass, refugium and live rocks. Is there a way to know that the population of pod is sustainable or the mandarin will wipe it out in a couple days? I plan to redose pods monthly and we dose phyto at night. I also have live baby brine shrimp hatcheries and plan to supplement frozen food.

Also, any opinions on keeping a scooter blenny and a mandarin together?

55G tank with refugium, live rock and chaeto

Thank you!
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That size tank won’t be sustainable for producing food for a mandarin long term. I think others have mentioned this, get a Biota captive raised mandarin where you can be assured it will feed well on prepared foods.

Jay
 
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