Mixing Dragonet Species

[mgoesma]

I have had my aquarium for about a year and i have always planned to get a mandarin. i have actually purchases different pods at a couple different points. My aquarium is a 90 gallon mixed reef. I have a refugium in my sump with all kinds of macro algae also. I have been preparing for this seance i purchased my tank. I want to put in both at the same time. My question is can i have a red and green mandarin in the same tank? or there 2 species that are more comparable? I am thinking one male one female.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Honestly not 100% sure on the red green question. Id go with just go with the pair personally just because its generally not great to have two really close species like that.
I have a male Mandy now, and a pair of ruby reds and there fine togeter. The scooter blenny is also easy with them. Ive only had problems with a psychedelic dragonet bullying both the mandy and the scooter(3/4in long terrorist lol).

 

[locito277]

I've had different mandarins with. O problem but my current set up my tiny green spotted mandarin picked off a much larger male and female green mandarins

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I've had different mandarins with. O problem but my current set up my tiny green spotted mandarin picked off a much larger male and female green mandarins

So it want just me?

 

[locito277]

Mind you it's a 720. Not a small tank. Got him tiny now he's really beefed up big time. I was thinking of adding a pair amd maybe a por of scooter blennies to even out the aggression. The aggressiveness really took off from one day to the next

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Mind you it's a 720. Not a small tank. Got him tiny now he's really beefed up big time. I was thinking of adding a pair amd maybe a por of scooter blennies to even out the aggression. The aggressiveness really took off from one day to the next

Yea mine was trying to be king from day one...

 

[mgoesma]

my current thought after a lot of research is a Spotted Mandarin and a Green Mandarin. I have read quit a few have had luck keeping them together. has anyone had issues?

 

[locito277]

my current thought after a lot of research is a Spotted Mandarin and a Green Mandarin. I have read quit a few have had luck keeping them together. has anyone had issues?

Me

 

[mgoesma]

ok scratch that ill go with the same then. lol

 

[cdmckinzie]

I would like a green, a blue and maybe a red scooter, I'm watching this thread to see what people say. I'd also like a couple of gobies and a blue spotted jaw fish. My tank is a 150

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

@eatbreakfast #reefsquad.

 

[Eva Rose]

Blue spotted jawfish require cooler temps. But pearly jawfish are a beautiful option for reef tanks. Pretty iridescent white with yellow head. Very striking.

 

[mgoesma]

So I keep seeing photos with multiple drainers in one tank. Has anyone had it worked?

 

[Maritimer]

I have an established female target mandy in a 65 gallon, and tried to introduce a pair of blues. Big mistake.

It's amazing how aggressive something with such a tiny mouth can be . . .

~Bruce

 

[spiraling]

I don't have experience but have been reading up on this for a while. Either the mandarins are a pair, or its a real crap shoot if they will kill each other (green, blue, red, target). Two males will almost always be a bad mix. The can coexist with a single or pair of ruby reds pretty well. (don't know about scooters) But at this point you have multiple pod eaters and the chance of starving one or more goes up quite fast unless you have a big refugium and/or breeding enough pods. Some may take prepared foods, but often stop so you need to be prepared with a constant live food supply.

 

[4FordFamily]

I've mixed red and target without aggression issues but found that what I thought was a massive pod population quickly depleted in that 125 gal and one starved before I noticed

 

[spiraling]

I've mixed red and target without aggression issues but found that what I thought was a massive pod population quickly depleted in that 125 gal and one starved before I noticed

Did you have a refugium?

 

[4FordFamily]

Did you have a refugium?

Sump/fuge combo yes

 

[spiraling]

Sump/fuge combo yes

disappointing to hear. I want to get 2 mandarins in my reefer 525 (140 total volume) and it sounds like it might not be feasible Thank you so much for your input.

 

[4FordFamily]

disappointing to hear. I want to get 2 mandarins in my reefer 525 (140 total volume) and it sounds like it might not be feasible Thank you so much for your input.

Well, in fairness, I had 7 leopard wrasse in the tank and they tear through pods pretty quickly as well. That just dawned on me, believe it to not. So I think it depends on several factors -- but no way they could have outcompeted 7 leopard wrasse..