Red Mandarin Questions

[NWAquarium]

I have an 8 mos old tank. Lots of rock work and a large amphipod/copepod population.
Got a red Mandarin this past Sunday and added more copepods at that time.

How often do you add pods for your Mandarin fish? Where do you get them? What’s your preferred brand?

 

[W31Olds]

Depends on the size of you tank and what other fish you have. That looks like a scooter blenny to me. Still a Pod eater. Tank size and some types of Wrasses make a difference. I supplement my Mandarin with pellets in my 180 gallon system. Probably don't have to but they are nutritious and easy for him to catch. If they are hunting pecking, they are finding Pods. When you see them stop for long periods that means the population is exhausted.

 

[NWAquarium]

Depends on the size of you tank and what other fish you have. That looks like a scooter blenny to me. Still a Pod eater. Tank size and some types of Wrasses make a difference. I supplement my Mandarin with pellets in my 180 gallon system. Probably don't have to but they are nutritious and easy for him to catch. If they are hunting pecking, they are finding Pods. When you see them stop for long periods that means the population is exhausted.

Thank you! Yes it’s a ruby red dragonette (Synchiropus sycorax). I tried to change the post title, but couldn’t figure it out.
The tank is 75 gal display (92 total).

I’ve been building my pod population since I started it 8 mos ago. My sump is full of amphipods and copepods. I do have a six-line wrasse, but he seems more interested in prepared foods.

Should I continue adding/supplementing bi weekly or monthly?

I don’t think he’s been trained to frozen or pellets

 

[W31Olds]

My thought is your good to go. If you can see pods in your tank I wouldn't do anything. 75 gallons should be a large enough system. Let her settle in then you could try feeding other types of food. Mine will eat frozen brine shrimp and TDO Chromaboost Pellets- small slightly crushed but you must target feed with a Pipet with the flow off and sometimes distract the greedy other fish. It's fun to do and they get used to the Pipet.