Prepping tank for a Mandarin

SC017

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As in title, would like to add a Mandarin Dragonet to my tank in the relative future, and it's a relatively fresh one at about a month old (the tank).
Tank is dry rock/live sand combo, so it seems relatively sterile of bio-diversity and in the UK, or at least down in Cornwall, it's nigh impossible to get live rock to seed things like that.
Current livestock is 2 1" long Bangai Cardinals and 2 Skunk Cleaner shrimps.

We currently have a tig californicus pod culture on the go to grow copepods to seed the tank, though unaware of how long to let the culture grow before taking out to add to tank.
The LFS nearby claims that they only sell Mandarins that are eating frozen foods, which the Cardinals are currently on already, but I think that having a tank seeded with copepods will provide much better chances for them to survive.

Curious to hear some opinions or methodology for bringing a just-cycled system to being Mandarin-ready, or just generally increasing bio-diversity to help support it I guess.
Any possible problems with the above plans, or suggested timeframes for when things are right etc.

IMG_20211101_194515.jpg

The tank has only live-rock+flow for filtration at the moment, image shows all equipment. So no sump or refugium etc.
 

blaxsun

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The more rock you have the more copepods you'll end up with. Even if they're eating frozen it never hurts to have an ample supply of pods (mandarins tend to snack 24/7). My mandarins loved calanus and brine, and mysis once they got large enough.
 

homer1475

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My mandy LOVES calanus! Took a long time for him to start eating it, but once he did, he's front and center during feeding time.
 

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Just FYI, you can generally have a pod bloom in a newly set up tank. They will be everywhere. Try not to jump the gun as the bloom will disappear as fast as it came.

As far as getting sustainable pods... you need nutrients and microalgae. Add corals and macroalgae which will naturally bring in diversity.

You can only have so many pods as they have food and places to hide. Macroalgae is your best friend. Live phyto is another great food source for them.

Mandarins are readily available so no reason to rush it really.

I found feeding mandarins with cleaner shrimp in the tank to be a nightmare.
 

davidcalgary29

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Add corals and macroalgae which will naturally bring in diversity.

You can only have so many pods as they have food and places to hide. Macroalgae is your best friend. Live phyto is another great food source for them.
This excellent advice bears repeating. Get some macro and put it in your tank! But nice macro, like halymenia, which is pretty and undemanding in its light requirements, and not something gross and messy like chaeto.

I'm always astounded by the 'pod population on the macro whenever I give it a freshwater dip (for aiptasia). They're just loaded with it.
 

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Just FYI, you can generally have a pod bloom in a newly set up tank. They will be everywhere. Try not to jump the gun as the bloom will disappear as fast as it came.

As far as getting sustainable pods... you need nutrients and microalgae. Add corals and macroalgae which will naturally bring in diversity.

You can only have so many pods as they have food and places to hide. Macroalgae is your best friend. Live phyto is another great food source for them.

Mandarins are readily available so no reason to rush it really.

I found feeding mandarins with cleaner shrimp in the tank to be a nightmare.
(Side question) Can I ask why it what hard to feed with cleaner shrimp please
 
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SC017

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50g tank. Obviously I know that the tank isn't going to be able to support a Mandarin right now, hence this thread asking for the best way to go about it..

I was looking at trying some Zoanths (Mother is very fond of them and the Mandarin) and Plating Montis as corals, but hadn't considered that they might bring in bio-diversity. Mostly waiting on cash to grab the test/dosing kits to properly try keeping them.

What kind of nutrients and other things do I need to have present in the tank for the copes to settle?
I could add copepods from my culture to the tank, but unsure if the culture could sustain losses like that yet and whether the copepods would survive or be able to seed my tank as it currently is.
 

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(Side question) Can I ask why it what hard to feed with cleaner shrimp please

They are little jerks who steal food. Feeding them first didn't do much good. They know what a turkey baster is.. and spaz out. Those butts will rip food right from coral mouths. Mandarins may just swim away rather than deal with this and mandy's are slow deliberate eaters while cleaner shrimp act like they are at a eating contest.
 
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SC017

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They are little jerks who steal food. Feeding them first didn't do much good. They know what a turkey baster is.. and spaz out. Those butts will rip food right from coral mouths. Mandarins may just swim away rather than deal with this.
My cleaner shrimp go outright berserk when food gets added to the tank.
 

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50g tank. Obviously I know that the tank isn't going to be able to support a Mandarin right now, hence this thread asking for the best way to go about it..

I was looking at trying some Zoanths (Mother is very fond of them and the Mandarin) and Plating Montis as corals, but hadn't considered that they might bring in bio-diversity. Mostly waiting on cash to grab the test/dosing kits to properly try keeping them.

What kind of nutrients and other things do I need to have present in the tank for the copes to settle?
I could add copepods from my culture to the tank, but unsure if the culture could sustain losses like that yet and whether the copepods would survive or be able to seed my tank as it currently is.
For me @SC017 my aquarium new also, since February, copipods appeared out of nowhere, I would also like to know how to sustain these, as I was thinking mandarin but not to starve within a month/ week
 

davidcalgary29

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For me @SC017 my aquarium new also, since February, copipods appeared out of nowhere, I would also like to know how to sustain these, as I was thinking mandarin but not to starve within a month/ week
It's less of an issue with the captive-breds as long as you can use some type of transition food to ease the process to mysis acclimation. I added grindal worms, which are small white worms, and my Mandarin seems to realy like those. They're not a lot bigger than some 'pods, and probably easier for these fish to consume than larger, bulkier foods.
 
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SC017

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So to summarize?

Buy macroalgae or corals to seed biodiversity in tank.
Give copepods time to acquire a stable population as it may bloom and die-off initially.
Rockwork is important to provide safe copepod room to breed if a refugium isn't available.


I remain unsure on what I want in my tank to make sure copepods have something to eat, as dosing phyto right now is something I'd be concerned about. (Due to the amount I'd need for my tank size and how regularly I might need to dose, I don't know anywhere to buy it here in the UK etcetc)
Also unsure when a copepod culture will have numbers to be self-sustaining reliable. Currently I feed that with a refrigerated liquid food that I assume is phytoplankton (came in a culture pack).
 

Pistondog

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So to summarize?

Buy macroalgae or corals to seed biodiversity in tank.
Give copepods time to acquire a stable population as it may bloom and die-off initially.
Rockwork is important to provide safe copepod room to breed if a refugium isn't available.


I remain unsure on what I want in my tank to make sure copepods have something to eat, as dosing phyto right now is something I'd be concerned about. (Due to the amount I'd need for my tank size and how regularly I might need to dose, I don't know anywhere to buy it here in the UK etcetc)
Also unsure when a copepod culture will have numbers to be self-sustaining reliable. Currently I feed that with a refrigerated liquid food that I assume is phytoplankton (came in a culture pack).
Buy from your lfs that sells frozen food eating mandarins.
Make sure to get a demo of fish eating before purchase.
 

davidcalgary29

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Again..

This is thread asking how to get your tank ready for it.
That is advice. You can't force or rush tank maturity if you are seeking to provide these fish a home with the best conditions that we can provide in a home aquarium. There are many excellent posts in this thread about 'pod propogation, which will be your most imporant "natural" food source. :)
 

Brucealmighty

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I had a mandarin for about 3 years before a tank catastrophe with an anenome (different story) my tank was 160 litres, sorry for metric measurement, I had about 40kg of live rock in there with an external cannister filter and a protein skimmer on 24/7 he was happy as Larry lurking in and out of the rocks all day a big yes from me to getting more rocks. The tank was around 6 months old when I got him but I overdid it with rock to compensate for no sump. Try searching the Berlin method for marine fish tanks if you don't have a sump may be helpful for your future reef keeping.
 
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SC017

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I had a mandarin for about 3 years before a tank catastrophe with an anenome (different story) my tank was 160 litres, sorry for metric measurement, I had about 40kg of live rock in there with an external cannister filter and a protein skimmer on 24/7 he was happy as Larry lurking in and out of the rocks all day a big yes from me to getting more rocks. The tank was around 6 months old when I got him but I overdid it with rock to compensate for no sump. Try searching the Berlin method for marine fish tanks if you don't have a sump may be helpful for your future reef keeping.
May I ask how you got copepods into the tank/how you fed it?
 

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