Mandarin goby too skinny?

[tcrocker07]

I have Had my tank since December around 4 months and have been adding tigger pods the whole time. Have a mandarin goby that is constantly picking at the sand and rocks. Is he getting enough to eat or is he too skinny. Thank you guys for your input. It's a Red Sea reefer 425 xl.

 

[blaxsun]

Can you upload just an image? (can't view the video)

 

[tcrocker07]

I have Had my tank since December around 4 months and have been adding tigger pods the whole time. Have a mandarin goby that is constantly picking at the sand and rocks. Is he getting enough to eat or is he too skinny. Thank you guys for your input. It's a Red Sea reefer 425 xl.

 

[tcrocker07]

Can you upload just an image? (can't view the video)

Sorry I just seen that. The pictures are hard to tell I'll try to get some better pictures

 

[blaxsun]

From what I can see in the images, no (but there isn't a lot of detail to go on). If his ribs are showing then yes, too skinny. Mandarins literally hunt copepods 24/7, so picking at the substrate and rocks is pretty normal behaviour.

 

[tcrocker07]

From what I can see in the images, no (but there isn't a lot of detail to go on). If his ribs are showing then yes, too skinny. Mandarins literally hunt copepods 24/7, so picking at the substrate and rocks is pretty normal behaviour.

I'll try to get some better pictures after I turn the lights off he moves to the front so I'll try to get some better pictures. Thank you I can't really see his ribs just paranoid he's not eating enough. I put two bottles of tigger pods after every water change and also add phytofeast. I can't see small pods I can see some longer worms, but he's constantly picking at the sand and spitting it out. Is he cleaning the sand of the pods and spitting the sand?

 

[tcrocker07]

My wife had some better pictures as she is as paranoid as me lol. She's a better photographer than I am. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[Miami Reef]

You have a beautiful setup!

If it was me I’d also buy some tisbe pods (they reproduce better in aquariums). Tigger pods are great for the purpose of spot feeding, but long term, I’d really like you to have a stable supply of these pods that are reproducing sustainably.

Are you keeping the lights off 24/7? It appears so solely from seeing the lack of algae.

 

[SyracuseMatt]

Actually looks pretty good. It can be tough to maintain a mandarin in a new tank but, two bottles of pods per water change is going to get expensive (assuming you’re changing water pretty frequently). Some add mandarin feeding stations. Paul B I think does/did this I think. It might be more sustainable long term.
Matt

 

[vetteguy53081]

Doesnt look bad. These guys are eating machines. Just assure there is a constant supply of pods. They eat blackworms too but I despise them as if uneaten, they will spoil

 

[Uncle99]

If he’s pecking, he’s eating.
If he’s cruising around and around, but not much peck, that would indicate low supply.
He’s not fat, but at the same time, does not look skinny.
So he’s getting enough to survive.
This one below, when cruising, is pecking at a rate of approx 1 peck per 10 seconds.
Just keep doing what your doing.
I never keep any other exclusive pod eater with my mandarin so there’s little competition, but, not introduced until 12 months maturity and never added any pods in years.
Nice fish, have fun.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

SHE looks ok to me (males have a larger dorsal fin with a spike on top). Do you know if she was captive bred or wild caught? Some wild caught mandarins can be trained to eat prepared foods (frozen mysis/brine shrimp, flakes, etc) and most captive bred have already been trained to do so. You might do some research on how to train yours to eat things other than pods so you'll know she's always going to find enough to eat. She'll always snack on pods during the day regardless.

 

[G Santana]

You have a beautiful setup!

If it was me I’d also buy some tisbe pods (they reproduce better in aquariums). Tigger pods are great for the purpose of spot feeding, but long term, I’d really like you to have a stable supply of these pods that are reproducing sustainably.

Are you keeping the lights off 24/7? It appears so solely from seeing the lack of algae.

I agree with getting tisbe pods, once seeded well, you will never have to buy pods again. I seeded my tank with a ball of chaeto from my LFS once 12 months ago, I never bought or supplemented since and my mandarin is fat and happy. Buying tiggers will burn a hole in your pocket and they will not seed your tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

I agree with getting tisbe pods, once seeded well, you will never have to buy pods again. I seeded my tank with a ball of chaeto from my LFS once 12 months ago, I never bought or supplemented since and my mandarin is fat and happy. Buying tiggers will burn a hole in your pocket and they will not seed your tank.

Yes. I do agree that seeding with tisbe pods is smart,

I would still ask OP to supplement with tigger pods because with minimal rockwork, no algae, and a new tank, one dose of seeding tisbe pods will not support a mandarin in the conditions above.

If you don’t have your lights on, I’d ask you to turn them on for 2-3 hours a day initially. Add trochus snails and a tuxedo urchin or 2 once you see a light green/brown coating on your rocks.

You definitely need to start lighting the tank to get your tank on the path of maturation. You can’t hide in the dark forever. :)

The reason I tell you to keep the lights on for 2-3 hours initially is because your rocks are new and algae will start to grow rampant with long photoperiods. Herbivores will not consume long unruly algae, so reduced lighting keeps the algae at bay while the herbivores get to work.

After a few weeks you start adding more time to the photoperiod until you reach the goal conditions you wish to achieve.

 

[tcrocker07]

You have a beautiful setup!

If it was me I’d also buy some tisbe pods (they reproduce better in aquariums). Tigger pods are great for the purpose of spot feeding, but long term, I’d really like you to have a stable supply of these pods that are reproducing sustainably.

Are you keeping the lights off 24/7? It appears so solely from seeing the lack of algae.

Thank you I'm new to the hobby. I'll check out online and my lfs near me and get some Tishri pods. Yeah I currently don't have lights. I plan on getting some, but haven't yet could this be a problem? I don't have any corals yet. I have a one spot fox face, 2 mocha clowns, flame angel, blue green chromis, 3 firefish gobies, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp, and a engineer goby

 

[tcrocker07]

Actually looks pretty good. It can be tough to maintain a mandarin in a new tank but, two bottles of pods per water change is going to get expensive (assuming you’re changing water pretty frequently). Some add mandarin feeding stations. Paul B I think does/did this I think. It might be more sustainable long term.
Matt

Thank you yes it's very difficult and can get costly m. I do a 15-20 percent water change every 2 weeks. I'll look into the feeding stations thanks for the advice.

 

[tcrocker07]

Yeah I don't have any lights yet. I had some snails and crabs but most of the snails died. I guess from the lack of algae. I keep the lights on in the room during the day but I know this is not sufficient enough to grow anything. I was easing the window but only the back end of the tank was growing some algae or brown discoloration in the sand. Do I not have enough rock also? I have the big arch and some white rock bought at lfs. I was gonna add some more rock, but I'm scared to now that I have an engineer goby and don't want to put loose rock in top of the sand bed. Thanks for the detailed response I don't know much and need all the info I can get

 

[tcrocker07]

SHE looks ok to me (males have a larger dorsal fin with a spike on top). Do you know if she was captive bred or wild caught? Some wild caught mandarins can be trained to eat prepared foods (frozen mysis/brine shrimp, flakes, etc) and most captive bred have already been trained to do so. You might do some research on how to train yours to eat things other than pods so you'll know she's always going to find enough to eat. She'll always snack on pods during the day regardless.

Idk I bought them at the lfs and it was in a tank by itself. My little boy fell in love with it. I feed frozen brine and mysis, but I don't ever see Her eating any. I didn't know she was a female that's interesting to know thank you. She's swimming and eating something all day long.

 

[tcrocker07]

Yes. I do agree that seeding with tisbe pods is smart,

I would still ask OP to supplement with tigger pods because with minimal rockwork, no algae, and a new tank, one dose of seeding tisbe pods will not support a mandarin in the conditions above.

If you don’t have your lights on, I’d ask you to turn them on for 2-3 hours a day initially. Add trochus snails and a tuxedo urchin or 2 once you see a light green/brown coating on your rocks.

You definitely need to start lighting the tank to get your tank on the path of maturation. You can’t hide in the dark forever. :)

The reason I tell you to keep the lights on for 2-3 hours initially is because your rocks are new and algae will start to grow rampant with long photoperiods. Herbivores will not consume long unruly algae, so reduced lighting keeps the algae at bay while the herbivores get to work.

After a few weeks you start adding more time to the photoperiod until you reach the goal conditions you wish to achieve.

Yeah I don't have any lights yet. I had some snails and crabs but most of the snails died. I guess from the lack of algae. I keep the lights on in the room during the day but I know this is not sufficient enough to grow anything. I was easing the window but only the back end of the tank was growing some algae or brown discoloration in the sand. Do I not have enough rock also? I have the big arch and some white rock bought at lfs. I was gonna add some more rock, but I'm scared to now that I have an engineer goby and don't want to put loose rock in top of the sand bed. Thanks for the detailed response I don't know much and need all the info I can get

 

[tcrocker07]

If he’s pecking, he’s eating.
If he’s cruising around and around, but not much peck, that would indicate low supply.
He’s not fat, but at the same time, does not look skinny.
So he’s getting enough to survive.
This one below, when cruising, is pecking at a rate of approx 1 peck per 10 seconds.
Just keep doing what your doing.
I never keep any other exclusive pod eater with my mandarin so there’s little competition, but, not introduced until 12 months maturity and never added any pods in years.
Nice fish, have fun.

That's a beautiful fat mandarin. Very nice I hope one day mine will be as healthy as yours.