When to add mandarin

[aaron186]

My tank is about 8 months old and is 4x2x2. I’ve added about 6 jars total over the past 8 months of Algeabarns galaxy pods and a couple eco pods . I have a refugium. I don’t really see any pods in the tank but my eyes aren’t great at it.

How long should I wait till I add a mandarin?

 

[DJF]

What else is in the tank? Assuming that there isn’t too many pod eaters in the mix, that size & pod population should be fine.

 

[Pvtgloss]

Have you thought about getting a BIOTA mandarin?

 

[DaJMasta]

Did you start with live rock?

8 months is plenty for maturity in a tank that size, especially if the mandarin is small and you don't have a ton of other copepod eaters, but if you started from nothing live and just added some copepods... I'd be more hesitant unless you've got a good bit of other livestock (and their associated copepod hitchhikers) already in there.

You could also get one that eats prepared foods or train one to eat them and feed the tank in a way it can get the food, and then you sort of don't have to worry about it.

 

[aaron186]

What else is in the tank? Assuming that there isn’t too many pod eaters in the mix, that size & pod population should be fine.

Melanarus wrasse, coral beauty, 2 clowns, white tail tang, foxface, royal gramma, fire fish, pink spot watchman goby. I also have a fairy wrasse and starks damsel in QT. Might add 1 more tang too eventually if my nitrates and phosphates allow

 

[aaron186]

Did you start with live rock?

8 months is plenty for maturity in a tank that size, especially if the mandarin is small and you don't have a ton of other copepod eaters, but if you started from nothing live and just added some copepods... I'd be more hesitant unless you've got a good bit of other livestock (and their associated copepod hitchhikers) already in there.

You could also get one that eats prepared foods or train one to eat them and feed the tank in a way it can get the food, and then you sort of don't have to worry about it.

No it’s all dry rock

 

[littlefoxx]

My tank is about 8 months old and is 4x2x2. I’ve added about 6 jars total over the past 8 months of Algeabarns galaxy pods and a couple eco pods . I have a refugium. I don’t really see any pods in the tank but my eyes aren’t great at it.

How long should I wait till I add a mandarin?

Should be fine, I added mine around then too when I saw pods in my tank without adding any. Now that Ive got my dude (sooo fat now) I add trigger pods and other pods every few weeks just to keep him fat!

 

[littlefoxx]

This is Target he is a fatty!

 

[DJF]

Melanarus wrasse, coral beauty, 2 clowns, white tail tang, foxface, royal gramma, fire fish, pink spot watchman goby. I also have a fairy wrasse and starks damsel in QT. Might add 1 more tang too eventually if my nitrates and phosphates allow

Pod eaters: melanarus, fairy wrasse, damsel, r.gramma.

Agree you’re probably fine. Monitor and make sure it’s finding food.

 

[littlefoxx]

Yeah and you will see if it is or not getting pods. Belly will be sunken if it doesnt have enough or it will fatten up like my little fatty pretty quick if theres lots of pods!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do you ever add phyto to your tank? Phyto is their food source, add phyto to increase the population, not more pods.

 

[aaron186]

Do you ever add phyto to your tank? Phyto is their food source, add phyto to increase the population, not more pods.

Yea I have the phyto that algeabarn sells with their pods. I typically add a jar of pods when I order from BRS and need to spend more for shipping and can’t decide on what else to buy

I’m also feeding reef jerky from avast via the plank autofeeder which I believe has dried phyto in it

 

[Paul B]

No it’s all dry rock

I would not add a mandarin to that tank yet. Also if you have to buy pods you may fail. Pods in a natural, aged tank will grow plenty fast for one mandarin. I never bought a pod in my life and have 5 or 6 dragonettes. I would give it a few more months especially since you started with dry rock.



This is a mandarin feeder I invented but not needed in an aged tank that is large enough and not sparkling clean.

 

[PotatoPig]

Tank is plenty large enough. What is your refugium setup?

In terms of adding pods - once your tank is up and running (you’d is) you should only need to add each type of pod once, adding to the refugium. Either they’ll colonize or they won’t. If they don’t it’s likely because the tank isn’t suited to them (too warm, for example) and they won’t colonize no matter how many you add. If you’ve added inverts (snails, crabs, etc) you’ve almost certainly got random wild pods in there too.

If you’re going to add any more bottle pods add Tisbe, which typically colonize reef tanks well and are a good size for the mandarin while being too small to interest many other pod eaters.

All the pods you list though are tiny. The only way you’ll see them in your tank is at night and if you turn your power heads off, turn your lights off, turn your room lights off then wait about 10-15 mins. Then in the dark use a small flashlight to light up a pane from the side with your light pressed against the glass. Look at the glass from around the corner - this will light up the pods on the glass without the light drowning out your vision. You should see tiny specks moving around on the glass.

Alternatively, although this is less effective, send a flashlight beam through the tank, then very carefully look at it from the side. In the still water you’ll see tiny flecks swimming around.

With the power heads and so on on there’s just too much movement a lot of the time to separate out the pods from everything else sloshing around in there.

 

[doubleshot00]

My tank is a year plus and i just added a mandarin. But I've probably added 25 or more jars and 3 more coming this week. Is it necessary IDK but makes me feel better. I would add more and maybe get a Biota one.

Also don't be surprised if you never see it. Mines been in my tank for a few months now and has doubled in size but i have never seen it out in the open. Always inside the rocks.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

My tank is a year plus and i just added a mandarin. But I've probably added 25 or more jars and 3 more coming this week. Is it necessary IDK but makes me feel better. I would add more and maybe get a Biota one.

Also don't be surprised if you never see it. Mines been in my tank for a few months now and has doubled in size but i have never seen it out in the open. Always inside the rocks.

Wow, where I live those pods cost $30 each, thats an expensive mandarin.

 

[doubleshot00]

Wow, where I live those pods cost $30 each, thats an expensive mandarin.

Order from Jays reef bugs and its WAY cheaper. I order then 96oz pack for a few tanks and get some phyto. I do it every 2-3 months. Keeps the tank cleaner to as the large amount of pods clean everything or at least it seems that way.

 

[PotatoPig]

My tank is a year plus and i just added a mandarin. But I've probably added 25 or more jars and 3 more coming this week. Is it necessary IDK but makes me feel better. I would add more and maybe get a Biota one.

Also don't be surprised if you never see it. Mines been in my tank for a few months now and has doubled in size but i have never seen it out in the open. Always inside the rocks.

!!!!

What type of pods are you adding?

 

[doubleshot00]

!!!!

What type of pods are you adding?

Look up jaysreefbugs(dot)com

 

[aaron186]

Tank is plenty large enough. What is your refugium setup?

In terms of adding pods - once your tank is up and running (you’d is) you should only need to add each type of pod once, adding to the refugium. Either they’ll colonize or they won’t. If they don’t it’s likely because the tank isn’t suited to them (too warm, for example) and they won’t colonize no matter how many you add. If you’ve added inverts (snails, crabs, etc) you’ve almost certainly got random wild pods in there too.

If you’re going to add any more bottle pods add Tisbe, which typically colonize reef tanks well and are a good size for the mandarin while being too small to interest many other pod eaters.

All the pods you list though are tiny. The only way you’ll see them in your tank is at night and if you turn your power heads off, turn your lights off, turn your room lights off then wait about 10-15 mins. Then in the dark use a small flashlight to light up a pane from the side with your light pressed against the glass. Look at the glass from around the corner - this will light up the pods on the glass without the light drowning out your vision. You should see tiny specks moving around on the glass.

Alternatively, although this is less effective, send a flashlight beam through the tank, then very carefully look at it from the side. In the still water you’ll see tiny flecks swimming around.

With the power heads and so on on there’s just too much movement a lot of the time to separate out the pods from everything else sloshing around in there.

My fuge is chaeto and has those ceramic bio balls on bottom. I’ll try some tisbes next time. My LFS has them