Mandarin Goby Died. No Pods?

[BSej]

Hi all, my Mandarin just died. I have a 150 gallon tank up for one year now. Did it starve because of lack of pods? I didn't notice it looking thin or anything.

Thanks.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

A picture would have helped answer that question lol.

If the mandarin is skinny, you will be able to clearly see the horizontal bone that runs along their body, they should be fat enough that the bone is not visible. (I'm sorry I don't know what that line is called). It will also have a visible pinched stomach.

You should see it moving very slowly over rocks, picking at a pod every 4-5 seconds. If its moving quickly over rocks and not picking every few seconds, then it can't find any more pods. When its too hungry to move, it will sit on the sand and not move much anymore until it dies.

 

[Daz_1978]

I still can't wrap my head around people keeping these! Back in the day, experienced people wished that the LFS would stop carrying them... because it wasn't if they starved, it was when they starved.
Times have changed, but I still can't bring myself to try one... even with pods all over the place.

I guess people are keeping them now for years, right?

 

[John Neuzil]

I still can't wrap my head around people keeping these! Back in the day, experienced people wished that the LFS would stop carrying them... because it wasn't if they starved, it was when they starved.
Times have changed, but I still can't bring myself to try one... even with pods all over the place.

I guess people are keeping them now for years, right?

Get one from Biota. Their tank raise mandarins eat frozen and pellets. Mine is going on three years.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Get one from Biota. Their tank raise mandarins eat frozen and pellets. Mine is going on three years.

Same - the captive bred mandarin I have eats all types of food besides pods, which he also will readily eat.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I still can't wrap my head around people keeping these! Back in the day, experienced people wished that the LFS would stop carrying them... because it wasn't if they starved, it was when they starved.
Times have changed, but I still can't bring myself to try one... even with pods all over the place.

I guess people are keeping them now for years, right?

Wild mandarins are a huge problem with feeding. I wish they wouldn’t be sold.

Biota captive raised ones will eat TDS pellets, but are still easily outcompeted for food.

 

[Paul B]

I guess people are keeping them now for years, right?

Yes, simple fish if your tank is set up correctly and is old enough.
This guy lived about 10 years and constrantly spawned.





This one is only a few years old but I have no doubt he will live to about 10.



If you have a newish tank with white rocks and ASW, don't buy one of these. But if you have an old tank, not medicated and no algaecides or any other stupid chemicals, there is no reason these guys won't live at least a decade.

I do find the males live longer but that may be because the males annoy the females if they are in spawning condition. I also never have to feed them or do anything else to them. They just live.



I also would not quarantine one, but I don't quarantine anything so don't go by me. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

I did invent this Mandarin feeder but I don't need it. I just built it for fun and my pipefish and all dragonettes love it.
Someone sells them now called Paul B brine shrimp feeder or something like that. But I have nothing to do with that.