mandarin in a nano...

[majestikmoose]

i've been reading, and have read that they can't, they can, and everything in between!
i figured it would be the same here, but thought i would ask, to see if i could get more that a yes, or a no, so thanks guys!

the one at the store has been there a while, and he IS eating frozen(i know, cause i work there, and i feed his greedy butt)-he's taking brine, blood worms, black worms, cyclops(which are frozen pods, i believe) and mysis shrimp.

he IS a bit on the thin side still, but honestly, i think on my days off, hes only getting fed once a day, when im there, i make sure its at least 3 times(his tank mates are getting FAT, LOL.)
When he came in, he wasn't eating, and was REALLY thin, and only about an inch long, we claimed him as dead, and waited. We added a scooter, and i guess he saw it eating the frozen, and hes been eating ever since.

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I am not going to get in a debate about this but you even stated, "I see go for it....just know that you gotta turn off the pumps, feed daily, and make sure he gets his share!!! You are good to go!! IMHO" so you are contradicting yourself. I know more than I care to about mandarins and from my knowledge think its irresponsible for a hobbyist to tell another too "go for it" when your case is merely a fluke and you run the risk of a fish dying. But hey, to eat his own.

All i am saying is what others have said....IT'S a Commitment....Just like if you buy non-photosynthetic gorgonians or a sun coral....you got to take the time. So are you telling me everyone else that has been successful was a fluke too??

 

[Dylan]

If he's eating, I say pay for it at the LFS and try and keep feeding it, if they let you. When it's fat and plump then take him home. I don't know if it helps much, but I would enrich it in selcon/other vitamins just to help.

 

[Gabe]

Keeping a Mandarin in a nano is one of those things that generally is advised against if you have to ask if its possible. People get really emotional and go up in arms over the issue when you talk about keeping a Mandarin in a sub-75 gallon tank, let alone a nano.

HOWEVER, the Mandarin can live in a nano just fine assuming it takes prepared foods. Furthermore, it isn't very hard to train a Mandarin to eat frozen and other prepared foods. There is a really good guide on nano-reef.com from "SeeDemTails" explaining how she has not only had success training multiple Mandarins to take frozen foods, but has kept them for long periods of time with this method. The hardest part of having long term success with them is keeping up with feeding them (will need to be done from a syringe frequently, if you follow her successful method).

 

[Just Clownin Around]

Studies indicate that 90 percent of all pods make the trip thru pumps so I do not believe that it would be a cause for problems. If this fish is trained on brine then I would also add some mysis and other preped foods to the mix. I think that and being ready to pull the fish if a problem arises might be okay

 

[Emc]

If you wait until the Spring ORA will be selling tank bred mandarins raised trained and raised on prepared foods.

 

[subielover]

If you wait until the Spring ORA will be selling tank bred mandarins raised trained and raised on prepared foods.

Where did you get this information??

 

[Dylan]

^ If that's true I'll buy like 5 lol.

 

[Emc]

Where did you get this information??

I ran into Vince Rado (the ORA Sales Manager) at Frazer Zoo.

 

[Dylan]

That's awesome!

 

[Emc]

That's awesome!

That's what I said. :)

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I know this is a little late but finally caught a recent pic of Oliver. Also his colors are much brighter too!

before and after shots

Before (July '09)

Today (Jan '10)

 

[fenderguy1]

Looks very healthy in that last pic!

 

[Freather And Fins]

i am trying to figure out how to post a ???

 

[Makbarracuda]

I have kept 2 scooter blennies at the same time both eating frozen brine shrimp in a 20g long; A target mandarin eating frozen mysis and brine in a 29 biocube; and now a green mandarin eating frozen brine in a 29 biocube; all but the green mandarin which has been recently aquired thrived and grew until i did something stupid that killed them. If they are eating prepared foods and getting enough of it when you are feeding to get visibly fat, there is no reason that feeding them prepred foods is a way you can't go. Copepods are not necessary if they are getting food elsewhere.

 

[stealle]

See thats a no go for mandarins, odds are the pump will chop up or injure the pods. You ultimately want a gravity fed fuge with no other fish that eat pods. IE no wrasses, gobies or other major pod eaters.

That statement is most likely incorrect. Awhile back I contacted Dr. Adelaide Rhodes (world recognized expert on copepods) and asked her about copepods getting injured in return pumps. This was her response.

Dr. Rhodes stated - When people are concerned about copepods getting chopped, they are probably referring to the species with long antennae. Honestly, most copepods will swim against the current or cling to surfaces. Any harpacticoid copepods that pass through which have small antennae will make it. All of my species are harpacticoids, which are compact, torpedo-shaped bugs.

Here is a picture. Notice the smallest copepod (harpacticoid) is the most common in our aquariums is only about a half mm in size.

Based on the information I obtained from Dr. Rhodes and from experienced marine aquarists who keep refugiums under the tank for copepod propagation, I say the odds are most copepods are going to make it through the pump just fine. The few that get injured will probably get eaten by something as well.

I'm not saying mandarins are good or bad in nano tanks. Just talkin copepods and pumps here.

 

[blueridgereef]

Captive bred mandarin gobies soon commercially available from ORA
;)

 

[inTank]

Mine in the Office Max, RSM owned it for 1.5 years

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

yes, i know its a "no-no".

Its not a no-no. Just prove the rule wrong. There are no rules set in stone in reefing. What I will tell you is this: That fish cannot get enough live food from that aquarium. I have seen them starve in established 125g's with tons of LR. Good luck. Tell us if it works.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Have any of you tried a captive bred Mandarin from Biota in a nano? Could one live a healthy life fed pellets in the afternoon, LRS Reef Frenzy frozen at night (about an hour before the light goes out), and add some copepods once a month?

https://www.algaebarn.com/product/biota-captive-bred-green-mandarin/