Mandrin and brine shrimp

HockeyRooster · Oct 2, 2020

I added an ORA mandarin a couple of weeks ago to my 2ish year old 90g. I added rotifers and copepods several times I’ve the past 6 months in preparation for the mandarin.

I am currently hatching brine shrimp on an almost daily basis and adding them live to the tank. I am also cultivating phytoplankton in hopes of growing some pods to supplement the tank but that is probably at least a month away.

My question, is it a problem to feed this many brine shrimp? The only other fish that eats them is my cleaner wrasse (who looks fat all the time now). I don’t know a lot but I believe brine shrimp are not the most nutritious food so is there a problem with these two fish eating a lot of them? Right now I just want the mandarin to eat but long term she will need healthy food to live a long life.

56cbr600rr · Oct 2, 2020

Thought I read that newly hatched brine were more nutritious than adults.. Maybe I'm wrong. Had something to do with the yolk.

nereefpat · Oct 2, 2020

Yes, if you're hatching bine shrimp, that's pretty good stuff.

A 2 year old 90 gallon with a reasonable amount of rock and a sump should support a mandarin.

HockeyRooster · Oct 2, 2020

Thanks for the info. I will keep on with it. She’s pretty shy still and very small so she doesn’t get in the mix for frozen food yet but I’m hoping she will over the next few weeks. She was eating pellets and blood worms at the store so hopefully she starts doing that in the tank soon.