Mandarins in my system

[kangadrew]

Hello,

I am planning my large dream system to be built and am wondering if it would be suited well for a Mandarin pair.

I'll have a 375 gallon display - with lots of Wrasses, and some angelfish and pyramid butterflies. I'd prefer to have them not in here though, as I feel like they won't be noticed as much.
There will be another tank - a 20 long for keeping zoanthids. Would a single or two mandarins be okay in here?
The system will have a 95 gallon refugium (with a few dwarf cuttlefish and display macroalgaes), and part of the sump will be a chaetomorpha refugium with pods (sump will be 130 gallons, fuge maybe 40-50 gallons of volume). So lots of "refugium" volume.

Would the 20 gallon work for a Mandarin pair, tied into a roughly 850-900 gallon system? Or would they need to be kept in the 375 gallon display.
Thanks for any input
Drew

 

[Ranjib]

If you have a larger refugium, then it might be ok. Its still little risky though. Make sure you have ample nukes and crannies. It will safer to get frozen food trained mandarin as well.

 

[eatbreakfast]

For mandarins system size, not tank size is the most important aspect. A system that large will support them just fine. However 20g may not provide enough space for 2. As females need space to avoid males if they aren't in the mood for spawning.

 

[kangadrew]

Thanks for your help. I think they will go into a 40 breeder - so I will do a rack of 4 of these tanks. They will be the only fish in this tank, two mandarins.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Load it up with pods. Your mandarins will love you for it