Mandarin + pods

[Waters]

In general, do Mandarin's require the constant addition of pods if you don't have a refugium to let them populate? My tank is overrun with pods with nothing that eats them. I will wipe what looks like hundreds of them off the front of my glass and by the next day they are all back lol. Would a 60 gallon tank with 75 lbs of very porous live rock be large enough to support a pod population with a Mandarin or would the single fish just totally wipe them out?

 

[Shawnburg]

You should be ok. Make sure when you buy one that it eats frozen foods. That will help to not run out of pods.

 

[Dustyboots]

I'm jealous, my pods don't last an hour in my tank. Sounds like you need a mandarin.

 

[Waters]

Ok, thanks for the replies. Looks like I will be going Mandarin shopping to eliminate these nuisance pods :wink:

 

[Marshall O]

For the record, a Mandarin should never be bought to handle a "pod problem". Without a healthy refugium, those hundreds you see now could literally be gone within days to a week after introducing one. They will consume hundreds of pods per day. That being said, a 60 gallon may be large enough to sustain a population. The unwritten rule is a 75 gal minimum to sustain one Mandarin, assuming it has a refugium. Make sure you get one that is eating frozen obviously.

If someone is looking to control pods, a small Wrasse is a much better choice as they readily consume all prepared foods.