Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

I picked up some gorgonians.

 

[jeep and goose]

What’s your opinion on keeping 2 pairs of dragonets. I currently have a pair of rubys and I want a pair of mandarins, someone near me is selling a well adjusted male that eats frozen, I remember you said that it isn’t a great food source for them in your book but I feel like it’d help a bit at least cause I feed a lot. I was thinking about buying the male and putting him in my Refugium and then when I (hopefully) find a female I can put him in the main display. I’ve heard about mandarins being mean to each other even in pairs though so maybe it’s better to just keep one. Especially because I have the pair of ruby dragonets already

 

[Anik]

following

What’s your opinion on keeping 2 pairs of dragonets. I currently have a pair of rubys and I want a pair of mandarins, someone near me is selling a well adjusted male that eats frozen, I remember you said that it isn’t a great food source for them in your book but I feel like it’d help a bit at least cause I feed a lot. I was thinking about buying the male and putting him in my Refugium and then when I (hopefully) find a female I can put him in the main display. I’ve heard about mandarins being mean to each other even in pairs though so maybe it’s better to just keep one. Especially because I have the pair of ruby dragonets already

+1 following to see what everyone thinks

 

[Paul B]

I do feel that feeding frozen is not a good food for mandarins, not because the food isn't good, but a mandarin doesn't store food like other fish and needs to eat constantly, like every 10 seconds and I don't think you can do that with frozen food unless you really have no life.

But the bigger problem is that two male mandarins will fight constantly.
You can have two females and one male if you want.

 

[jeep and goose]

I do feel that feeding frozen is not a good food for mandarins, not because the food isn't good, but a mandarin doesn't store food like other fish and needs to eat constantly, like every 10 seconds and I don't think you can do that with frozen food unless you really have no life.

But the bigger problem is that two male mandarins will fight constantly.
You can have two females and one male if you want.

Can I add the male first then a female later? And will it battle my male ruby dragonet. I’m assuming not really because they look fairly different and behave differently

 

[Paul B]

Ruby Red dragonettes and male Mandarins seem to ignore each other. I have both pairs for many years and no issues. But you can't put two of the same type of males in no matter when you add them.

 

[Paul B]

Fantastic beach walk this morning. I went out a little earlier today because it finally stopped raining and I was all excited and tingly.

Unfortunately, I found a dead Osprey or Sea Eagle which are endangered.

Last week I found two dead seagulls. I wrote to the EPA a couple of times, but they don't seem to care.

 

[jsmkmavity]

Another great picture Paul!
I really like that angle and distance.

 

[Paul B]

Another great picture Paul!
I really like that angle and distance.

The beach picture or my tank picture?

 

[atoll]

I picked up some gorgonians.

Nice, I bought a photosynthetic yellow gorgonian yesterday. Not very yellow though. Well not at the moment anyway.

 

[jsmkmavity]

This morning's beach picture.

 

[Paul B]

I bought a photosynthetic yellow gorgonian yesterday.

Atoll, I don't find the yellow ones to be very hardy which is why I try to get the brown ones. They live forever and take over the tank.

 

[atoll]

Atoll, I don't find the yellow ones to be very hardy which is why I try to get the brown ones. They live forever and take over the tank.

Yeah I have the same with my brown ones and frag them often. I get £8 a frag at the LFSs about $9 in funny money.
We shall see how this yellow one goes.

 

[Paul B]

I took a video

 

[atoll]

Very nice Paul.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

I took a video

I saw, "I took a video." Immediately I grew concerned that it was going to be a video of you doind a song and dance routine. I am happy it was of your tank.

 

[Paul B]

I grew concerned that it was going to be a video of you doind a song and dance routine.

I could do that if needed.

 

[Reefering1]

I could do that if needed.

 

[Paul B]

I just did, you weren't watching.

 

[Paul B]

My tank is starting to look like it did before my invasive sponge issue. I love the look of gorgonians and they are very cheap. (here anyway)
The rock the last gorg came on is loaded with polyps, very nice. The guy had them in a dark tank so I couldn't even see the life on the rock but if I did, I would have bought just the rock without the gorgs, thats how nice it is.

Of course none of those fish were ever quarantined, dipped, medicated, observed or read to and some are 10 years old, some are 35 years old and none of my fish ever died of a communicable disease and none ever had all those "new" diseases I never heard of. But, what do I know?