Mandarin Dragonette advice please! :)

[829282610]

I’m sorry, I missed that. That’s awesome pod growin operation. Yes, mysis over brine and bloodworms even nutramar ova. Good luck

 

[BuddyBonButt]

I’m sorry, I missed that. That’s awesome pod growin operation. Yes, mysis over brine and bloodworms even nutramar ova. Good luck

I'll have to look into bloodworms. I'm gonna try mysis now. Do not have high hopes but I'll let you know

 

[Paul B]

They eat pods constantly, like every ten seconds. If you have to buy pods to keep him fed, that is not good enough. They need pods that self replicate constantly as you won't be able to buy enough for even one mandarin. They should live about ten years and spawn every couple of weeks.

You could build one of these "Paul B " feeders. (I didn't name it) Notice how many times a minute a mandarin eats a pod or in this case, a new born brine shrimp.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

They eat pods constantly, like every ten seconds. If you have to buy pods to keep him fed, that is not good enough. They need pods that self replicate constantly as you won't be able to buy enough for even one mandarin. They should live about ten years and spawn every couple of weeks.

You could build one of these "Paul B " feeders. (I didn't name it) Notice how many times a minute a mandarin eats a pod or in this case, a new born brine shrimp.

I culture and sell pods. So don't worry. I make mention of that in the pod towards the bottom. I have 6 ten gal tanks of pods and make 15 gallons of phyto a week.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

I’m sorry, I missed that. That’s awesome pod growin operation. Yes, mysis over brine and bloodworms even nutramar ova. Good luck

Not a care in the world for the mysis, but I did get this video

 

[BuddyBonButt]

I’m sorry, I missed that. That’s awesome pod growin operation. Yes, mysis over brine and bloodworms even nutramar ova. Good luck

Nevermind on the video. It won't load. But there were a few pods lol

 

[GHOSTLY]

What did you do to get in the pellets? Was he tank bread? I'm pretty sure mine came from the ocean because he's fully grown and has a sunken belly and he was there for a while. I got into the hobby because I saw one of these fish and decided I had to have one. I didn't think I was quite ready but when I saw him suffering at the shop I kind of just broke and picked him up. Didn't want to see him die so I know I can sustain his diet it's just I need to know how to do it better

I got him tank bred luckily but I've seen wild ones get trained to eat pellets. I do suggest supplementing

 

[BuddyBonButt]

I got him tank bred luckily but I've seen wild ones get trained to eat pellets. I do suggest supplementing

Supplementing what?

 

[secret_reefer337]

I have mandarins in my 210gal. They pick on rocks and sand all the time but will be first in line when the pellets are dropping on the sand. My male is wild caught and after a while started eating pellets.

Years ago I have another pair that are both wild caught and eat pellets. I lost them when we have a 16 hours of power failure.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

I have mandarins in my 210gal. They pick on rocks and sand all the time but will be first in line when the pellets are dropping on the sand. My male is wild caught and after a while started eating pellets.

Years ago I have another pair that are both wild caught and eat pellets. I lost them when we have a 16 hours of power failure.

Sorry to hear that. I'm hoping I can bring this guy back

 

[Koh23]

I was tackling idea of growing pods (since i culture phyto), but, really unsure how to start without any "starter culture"....

I was thinking to add some (more) rubble in some container into sump, then after some time (not sure how long) transfer that rubble to jar, and add phyto, then... Then i got lost, simply dont know.....

 

[BuddyBonButt]

I was tackling idea of growing pods (since i culture phyto), but, really unsure how to start without any "starter culture"....

I was thinking to add some (more) rubble in some container into sump, then after some time (not sure how long) transfer that rubble to jar, and add phyto, then... Then i got lost, simply dont know.....

You could get a pod motel. Where are you located, I'll send you some of you're close enough. Just cover shipping

 

[Koh23]

Thank you for your offer, really, but i'm too far away for sending.....

But, i talk to friend, he think he saw live copepods in one store (the ones in bag), he will check tomorrow, so, if i manage to get one bag, i hope for some advice.....

Btw, i forgot to say, i think mine eats frozen and dry boodworms, maybe i'm wrong but it seems that he peck them from sand after feeding.....

 

[GHOSTLY]

Supplementing what?

Copepods, unless you have a big population. My buddy's 150 has 2 mandarins but never doses. Its just so established already

 

[BuddyBonButt]

Copepods, unless you have a big population. My buddy's 150 has 2 mandarins but never doses. Its just so established already

Oh ok. Yeah I got literal GALLONS of pods at my disposal

 

[GHOSTLY]

Oh ok. Yeah I got literal GALLONS of pods at my disposal

What do you use to breed them? I'd love to start breeding them again

 

[BuddyBonButt]

What do you use to breed them? I'd love to start breeding them again

Oooh happy to tell you.

Banana peel. Toss one whole one in (a strip not the whole peel) and keep it in there. Take out when it turns black and replace. It'll take about a month. Feed sparingly spirulina at the begining, tint water slightly green with it. And Tetraselmis Phytoplankton. Not nanno. Nanno is smaller but has a hard shell. Pods can't digest it. I recommend apo pods. They are so fast at reproduceing. Then I recommend a 15% maybe 20% water change every month

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

Mine is wild caught. I see him constantly hunting during the day and sleeps at night. I dose pods at night when I do unless there’s too few then I’ll supplement some during the day knowing he needs access all the time. I typically hatch baby brine with a new set up about every day when I do it because now my two clowns are eating them with the mandarin so now I have to hatch extra. I “spot light” trained him to the bbs and now he hunts them faithfully when a light holds them towards the glass to feed. Sometimes though he gets overwhelmed by the amount of bbs that is sitting there and moves away for a moment then comes right back after them.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

Mine is wild caught. I see him constantly hunting during the day and sleeps at night. I dose pods at night when I do unless there’s too few then I’ll supplement some during the day knowing he needs access all the time. I typically hatch baby brine with a new set up about every day when I do it because now my two clowns are eating them with the mandarin so now I have to hatch extra. I “spot light” trained him to the bbs and now he hunts them faithfully when a light holds them towards the glass to feed. Sometimes though he gets overwhelmed by the amount of bbs that is sitting there and moves away for a moment then comes right back after them.

I definitely have the tools and space to start BBS... thank you.

 

[Neptune 555]

Please a few more details... I have a 180 gallon reef where my mandarins will eventually be housed.

In my 20 gallon QT/refugium I have placed 2 green spotted mandarins (male/female pair I hope) and a male ruby red dragonet. My thinking was that since I was getting one mandarin I would need to add BBS daily anyway so why not enjoy a few of them. and I saw photos of Paul B doing this... I have kept a single mandarins in the past in a 55 gallon with no extra feeding.

A few questions:
Re BBS: How do you get your mandarins to eat the BBS? In a 180 reef how will the mandarins not be outcompeted for the BBS? I have tried the paul b feeder in the past and the mandarins never sat on top of it... and the other fish ate the pods. Also many BBS died in the holder and never swam out?

re pods: I have 4 jars of eco pods arriving yesterday (Ha ha they are LOST!) but I was going to add them 1/4 jar to 20 gallon refugium where my mandarins are waiting and 3/4 jar to my 180 reef (split between my tank and sump). I am now rethinking that? Should I instead set up a 10 gallon right now and harvest the pods b/c it now seems like 3 ddragonettes will decimate my pod population?

re pods: How do you harvest the pods? I can barely see them EVER! I can feed the pods banana peel... and spirulina. Can I see a photo of the 10 gallon refugium? Do you put in live rock?

thanks 3 mandarins and a delayed shimpment of pods... oh my!

Neptune