My New Mandarin Goby!

[huckjai]

Super excited. Went to the lfs today to see what they had in stock. They had one last Green Mandarin Goby. This one appears to be a male. 4 came in on Wednesday. I always wanted one, but at a later time. I was hesitant to buy it becasue of feeding. I have pods in my display tank, but nothing ready for my quarantine tanks. The staff there said there is a low chance they will eat frozen, but if you never try, you would never know. So decided to pick him up at a super price. Decided that if I couldn't get him to eat frozen, I'd start cultivating pods if need be.

Brought him home and acclimated him to my quarantine tank. He was fine as soon as he went in. Didn't hide or anything. 20 minutes later decided to put some brine shrimp in to see if he does anything. I put a couple small pieces. One went by him on the floor. It looked like he pecked at it. Then later one flew right at his mouth and stayed there for a few seconds. Then he sucked it in. So I added a bit more, and they were hovering around him. He just curiously observed them and swam away.

Kept watching, but he just stared at them. I was happy he ate least tried one piece. So that's a good start.

Then later he started going for more of them. Picture of him going after a piece attached. I hope he continues with the frozen food.

How do people normally train them on frozen foods? Just dump it in and hope for the best?

Also, I read they don't do well in copper. Are they ok with Prazi and Metro?

Thanks

 

[Twìsted~Coral]

I would try to train them if it fails just send them in

 

[blstravler]

In my experience they rarely keep eating frozen food. They aren’t fast fish so once in your DT they could struggle to get to the food you add before it’s all eaten by your other fish. Start putting pods in your tank and sump/refugium asap. I added pods to my tank for 3 months prior to adding my green spot mandarin and I check pod activity during lights out and if it seems low I’ll add some but at this point a have a large enough population for probably two mandarins.

 

[Treenk]

That's my favorite fish, still dont have the pod count for one yet. Going to watch let us know if you get him to eat frozen

 

[Dine]

Look up mandarin feeders. It’s a DIY tool you can use to target feed them.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

You got a blue mandarin actually, just like me. I got pods in may refugium that I harvest, and if I just don’t feel like harvesting I just re-seed my DT. Had mine almost as long as I’ve had the tank. Tank started late july. Got my blue mandarin in early September. I kno I kno, breaking the rules of reefing. So what?!? Lol they’re a cool fish to have hovering around the tank. You’re going to enjoy having it in there

 

[ReefHomieJon]

 

[MERKEY]

I have a green in our 32g that eats frozen and swims for it and a spotted in QT right now for our 75g and he is also eating frozen, he is a pig!!

Yours is WAY bigger than the one I have in QT and I feed 4 times a day while the power head and HOB filter are off.

At first he would do what yours does and kinda look at the stuff and peck at one maybe 2. I would leave the food in for an hour or so while he packed at it and siphon out the left overs when he went back to his corner lol

This is day 9 and he now swims up to us when we go to feed and he swims up to the floating food to get it while I pour it in.

Give him time and start your pod population regardless if you see him eat frozen or not. They eat so much it's crazy. They really are the hummingbirds of the sea!!

Once you get it eating you should be pretty good. I have added a 1.5" purple tang to the QT yesterday and he has no problem getting food while the tang eats. The mandy actually follows the tang around picking at the food the tang kicked up while the powerheads off.

One of my favorite fish for sure!

 

[MERKEY]

This is day 1 when I got him. Please excuse the really bad video skills and messy QT but I wanted to show you how much I actually started feeding him before he really started taking to the food.

Knowing they are notorious for not eating frozen food and already having 1 that took to frozen food I probably did this way different than others. I'm sure I'll get slack for putting that much food in at once....but he took to it

I always siphoned the food out after about an hour and follow QT rules other than over feeding for him lol. I no longer drop that much in the tank and what is on the bottom he finishes within 20 min of grazing the bottom.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

I'm running into video problems give me a sec.

 

[MERKEY]

I can't figure out why it wont upload the mp4 to video, I'm terrible with this tech stuff....but heres a snap shot of the action and the amount of food. There are 3 or 4 different things in the mix but he really likes the blood worms.

 

[huckjai]

This is day 1 when I got him. Please excuse the really bad video skills and messy QT but I wanted to show you how much I actually started feeding him before he really started taking to the food.

Knowing they are notorious for not eating frozen food and already having 1 that took to frozen food I probably did this way different than others. I'm sure I'll get slack for putting that much food in at once....but he took to it

I always siphoned the food out after about an hour and follow QT rules other than over feeding for him lol. I no longer drop that much in the tank and what is on the bottom he finishes within 20 min of grazing the bottom.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

I'm running into video problems give me a sec.

Video works for me. Very nice. Yours is a green spotted Mandarin. Yeah mine seems pretty big. Definitely a bit older. Thanks for the tips!

 

[huckjai]

You got a blue mandarin actually, just like me. I got pods in may refugium that I harvest, and if I just don’t feel like harvesting I just re-seed my DT. Had mine almost as long as I’ve had the tank. Tank started late july. Got my blue mandarin in early September. I kno I kno, breaking the rules of reefing. So what?!? Lol they’re a cool fish to have hovering around the tank. You’re going to enjoy having it in there

I'm breaking the rules too! Tank was cycled from live rock in October. Added 2 clowns 3 weeks ago. As first inhabitants after the snails and crabs. Have since added a tailspot blenny, diamond goby, firefish, royal grama, 2 urchins, a torch coral, gorgonian coral, and sympodium coral. Everyone is doing great! All the fish were quarantined with TTM.

 

[Hermie]

I would definitely get it eating regularly before medicating. Medication too soon could sap the appetite and result in a downward spiral.

 

[huckjai]

I would definitely get it eating regularly before medicating. Medication too soon could sap the appetite and result in a downward spiral.

Thanks! Will medicate in a few days if eating regularly.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

I'm breaking the rules too! Tank was cycled from live rock in October. Added 2 clowns 3 weeks ago. As first inhabitants after the snails and crabs. Have since added a tailspot blenny, diamond goby, firefish, royal grama, 2 urchins, a torch coral, gorgonian coral, and sympodium coral. Everyone is doing great! All the fish were quarantined with TTM.

Lol but did you put SPS in your tank 3 weeks after first adding water? I’m guilty. But they’re thriving

 

[ReefHomieJon]

Anyone know if a blue and a green spot can co-inhabit a tank?

 

[MERKEY]

It's a gamble....best bet is to make sure they are opposite sex..... It really is a 50/50 chance.

But I'm watching along for when you do it!!

 

[ReefHomieJon]

It's a gamble....best bet is to make sure they are opposite sex..... It really is a 50/50 chance.

But I'm watching along for when you do it!!

HAHA I like to break the reefing rules but I don’t like to do unwise things, especially if it’ll disrupt the peace in my tank or be detrimental to a fish or corals health. I don’t want 2 beautiful fish fighting to the death. Everyone loses: but if there is a way to do it successfully then I’m open to trying it!

 

[huckjai]

HAHA I like to break the reefing rules but I don’t like to do unwise things, especially if it’ll disrupt the peace in my tank or be detrimental to a fish or corals health. I don’t want 2 beautiful fish fighting to the death. Everyone loses: but if there is a way to do it successfully then I’m open to trying it!

No SPs for me yet, haha. May be able to do 2 Mandarins if your tank is big enough to give them space.

 

[Hermie]

HAHA I like to break the reefing rules but I don’t like to do unwise things, especially if it’ll disrupt the peace in my tank or be detrimental to a fish or corals health. I don’t want 2 beautiful fish fighting to the death. Everyone loses: but if there is a way to do it successfully then I’m open to trying it!

the fish would be fighting over food resources, do you have 1 mandarin yet? how long have you had it? how big is tank? one healthy fat mandarin in your tank for 3+ months is a sign the tank could support another