Mandarin is Jumping!!!

[cpalminteri]

My Mandarin keeps going crazy trying to jump out. I have a tiny sliver of an opening on my lid and she got out the other day I picked her up and put her back, she lived. Last night again she went crazy and I’ve realized the trigger is when I turn the aquarium lights off. Anyone experience something like this before??

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very unusual as it’s a bottom dweller
Any rapid breathing or dots on the body?
I’m suspecting flukes

 

[CoralB]

Is it a new tank ??? Is it cycled ? how long has it been up ? What are you parameters ? Have they been stable ? What are you feeding him ? Is their any ammonia in the tank ? Enough Oxygen? What type of filter is there ?

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I agree this unusual behavior for a mandarin. Double check your set up. Put your hand in the tank to check for false temp or stray volt

 

[cpalminteri]

Very unusual as it’s a bottom dweller
Any rapid breathing or dots on the body?
I’m suspecting flukes

When I turn the lights off the past two days yes heavy breathing until she calms down. Otherwise totally normal and no dots on the body. Everyone else in the tank seems normal

 

[cpalminteri]

Is it a new tank ??? Is it cycled ? how long has it been up ? What are you parameters ? Have they been stable ? What are you feeding him ? Is their any ammonia in the tank ? Enough Oxygen? What type of filter is there ?

Fairly new (about 3 months). Cycled. Ammonia 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates are usually around 5 ppm. I supplement feed her copepods while also keeping a refugium in chamber 2 with chaeto and an led in there (feeding them phyto). Oxygen seems fine I have a rfg and even had to turn off my powerhead as the sicce 1 & that were creating too much flow but there is a lot of water movement and aeration. I have a protein skimmer and use floss/chaeto

 

[cpalminteri]

I agree this unusual behavior for a mandarin. Double check your set up. Put your hand in the tank to check for false temp or stray volt

That’s a good idea since it seems to be happening when I turn off the lights. It’s weird

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

you know that it needs to eat all day nonstop right? A new tank like that usually shouldnt have a mandarin. Mandarins arent known for jumping, if its doing it repeatedly (instead of hunting), something is off.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Fairly new (about 3 months). Cycled. Ammonia 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates are usually around 5 ppm. I supplement feed her copepods while also keeping a refugium in chamber 2 with chaeto and an led in there (feeding them phyto). Oxygen seems fine I have a rfg and even had to turn off my powerhead as the sicce 1 & that were creating too much flow but there is a lot of water movement and aeration. I have a protein skimmer and use floss/chaeto

Mandarins need lots and lots and lots and lots of pods, all the time. They do not really eat food you feed. Perhaps looking for food, stressed, bullied or a mix of both.

 

[SlugSnorter]

That’s a good idea since it seems to be happening when I turn off the lights. It’s weird

when you turn lights off suddenly. it looks like a shadow passing over, something which in the ocean means a big thing is coming to feed. This is part of the reason most lights are setup to slowly turn off over time.

 

[rmorris_14]

Hey, not to be that person... but I recognize that tank. Its a 13.5 evo, correct? If so, long term that tank is really too small to have a fish with that constant appetite for Pods, probably even with a refugium.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Hey, not to be that person... but I recognize that tank. Its a 13.5 evo, correct? If so, long term that tank is really too small to have a fish with that constant appetite for Pods, probably even with a refugium.

only way would be to have a few pod cultures.

 

[jp1986]

I concur with what SlugSnorter said. I accidentally turned my lights off the other day when I was trying to adjust their programming and my mandarin did try to jump out. Only time it's happened.

 

[cpalminteri]

when you turn lights off suddenly. it looks like a shadow passing over, something which in the ocean means a big thing is coming to feed. This is part of the reason most lights are setup to slowly turn off over time.

Mmmmmm gonna look into that. I have the AI prime have to look into the settings

 

[cpalminteri]

I concur with what SlugSnorter said. I accidentally turned my lights off the other day when I was trying to adjust their programming and my mandarin did try to jump out. Only time it's happened.

!!! Okay I’ll try to fix it for tonight and see, thanks!

 

[cpalminteri]

Hey, not to be that person... but I recognize that tank. Its a 13.5 evo, correct? If so, long term that tank is really too small to have a fish with that constant appetite for Pods, probably even with a refugium.

I have a 5 gal that I’m looking into setting up to culture

 

[SlugSnorter]

I have a 5 gal that I’m looking into setting up to culture

Do you have a way to culture phyto and source of pods in the meantime? It may be better to stay away from mandarins until you have more experience, and a more mature tank.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

You’re gonna love this stretch. But I’ve had a spawning pair of mandarins (still do) for 3+ years. As my lights ramp down in the evening, this is the time that the female and male together swim to the top of the tank. She hits the surface expels her eggs an makes a quick u-turn for the bottom of the tank. The male quickly follows after he’s fertilize the eggs. So here’s what I don’t know , your female Mandarin may be exhibiting a sort of readiness to breed? This may be the case in the wild where they actually not just break the water but also come out of it. Mandarins spawn in late sunset or when lights are ramping down because most fish are already finding their places to rest for the night. Also the Mandarin eggs float on the water’s surface. Not great odds of survival when you have a large tank with an overflow.

 

[SlugSnorter]

You’re gonna love this stretch. But I’ve had a spawning pair of mandarins (still do) for 3+ years. As my lights ramp down in the evening, this is the time that the female and male together swim to the top of the tank. She hits the surface expels her eggs an makes a quick u-turn for the bottom of the tank. The male quickly follows after he’s fertilize the eggs. So here’s what I don’t know , your female Mandarin may be exhibiting a sort of readiness to breed? This may be the case in the wild where they actually not just break the water but also come out of it. Mandarins spawn in late sunset or when lights are ramping down because most fish are already finding their places to rest for the night. Also the Mandarin eggs float on the water’s surface. Not great odds of survival when you have a large tank with an overflow.

they will not preform mating displays and rituals without a mate. Likey lights suddenly turning off and spooking them for OP.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

only way would be to have a few pod cultures.

Shoooot mandarin feeder for the win! Kept mine in a ten gallon observation tank for a month, no pods just pvc and a feeder.