Will a Mandarin Goby play dead?

GibsonGuitars

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hello, I just purchased a Mandarin after waiting a few months for the tank to truly stabilize and the pods I seeded to become abundant. Purchased at 7:00, drive home til 8:00, Floated the bag for 45 minutes, drip acclimated for 1 hour 15 minutes. So purchased at 7:00 pm , introduced at 10:00 pm. He dropped to the bottom and was on his side like he was dead. I used my coral feeder to give him some localized flow and he started to swim. The He/she slowly swam to the lowest corner of the tank, and laid down... and even occasionally stops his fins completely. (the little side ones that are always on, are only coming on for 10 seconds am every minute. Is this normal? I put the light out completely in hopes that would be calming, figured he is stressed? Are they known to play dead? Sorry if it’s a dumb question , I am just worried.
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John Genmel

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Mine did that first couple days let him get used to his surroundings and make sure water is good my luck they was sensitive to bad water parameters.. good luck best looking fish out there to me..
 
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GibsonGuitars

GibsonGuitars

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We're you heating the water as you drip acclimated?
No, darn it... makes sense. I figured the water from his bag was Tank Temp, and I siphoned from the heater chamber... assumed heated tank water would keep the temp up... but now that you are mentioning it, he probably got cold. Darn it. I even have a really small 75 watt for that same 1 gallon container for when I dip, and I leave it in when I dip... why didn’t I think to leave it in when acclimating. Let’s hope that’s not a fatal mistake
 

Copingwithpods

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No, darn it... makes sense. I figured the water from his bag was Tank Temp, and I siphoned from the heater chamber... assumed heated tank water would keep the temp up... but now that you are mentioning it, he probably got cold. Darn it. I even have a really small 75 watt for that same 1 gallon container for when I dip, and I leave it in when I dip... why didn’t I think to leave it in when acclimating. Let’s hope that’s not a fatal mistake
Most likely and one of the reasons I don't drip acclimate anything but the most sensitive critters. Unless you are heating the container the temp will drop to ambient and cause shock when you dump the fish in reef temp water.
 
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GibsonGuitars

GibsonGuitars

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Most likely and one of the reasons I don't drip acclimate anything but the most sensitive critters. Unless you are heating the container the temp will drop to ambient and cause shock when you dump the fish in reef temp water.
I have only been in the hobby for about 4-5 months , and I have been doing that since day one (that slapping sound is my palm firmly striking my forehead). I am reasonably intuitive, and it seems so obvious I can’t believe I missed it. Ambient is 70-72 in my house, typically even my stored 5 gal water jugs never drop below 68... that said the best case was a 6 to 8 degree i tank temp change, worst case 10 degree. I don’t know much about it, but I assume only the strongest fish would survive that shock, let’s hope he was in great health. The only thing in my favor is that the LFS just got it yesterday, so he hasn’t been swimming in medicated sewage for very long.
 

Copingwithpods

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I have only been in the hobby for about 4-5 months , and I have been doing that since day one (that slapping sound is my palm firmly striking my forehead). I am reasonably intuitive, and it seems so obvious I can’t believe I missed it. Ambient is 70-72 in my house, typically even my stored 5 gal water jugs never drop below 68... that said the best case was a 6 to 8 degree i tank temp change, worst case 10 degree. I don’t know much about it, but I assume only the strongest fish would survive that shock, let’s hope he was in great health. The only thing in my favor is that the LFS just got it yesterday, so he hasn’t been swimming in medicated sewage for very long.
There is a very good chance he will pull through it. Don't beat yourself up we all have facepalm moments. My reason for not doing lengthy acclimations is the fish come highly stressed in very gunky water, the cleanest most stable water around that will help them recover the fastest is in my display, the fastest I can get them in there, the better. Some people do that some don't up to you but if you must acclimate keep it oxygenated and temperature matched. Least amount of stress possible.
 
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GibsonGuitars

GibsonGuitars

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There is a very good chance he will pull through it. Don't beat yourself up we all have facepalm moments. My reason for not doing lengthy acclimations is the fish come highly stressed in very gunky water, the cleanest most stable water around that will help them recover the fastest is in my display, the fastest I can get them in there, the better. Some people do that some don't up to you but if you must acclimate keep it oxygenated and temperature matched. Least amount of stress possible.
Thank you very much, I will post an update in a day or two and let you all know if that beauty pulls through. Mandarins , to me, are one of the most beautiful fish in the hobby... I was very patient in preparing for it, then dropped the ball on the 1 yard line.
 

Copingwithpods

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Thank you very much, I will post an update in a day or two and let you all know if that beauty pulls through. Mandarins , to me, are one of the most beautiful fish in the hobby... I was very patient in preparing for it, then dropped the ball on the 1 yard line.
They truly are beautiful fish I wish I could have one. You should see some of the mistakes I've made, truly bone headed brainless moves lol
 

Rick.45cal

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I’m personally not a fan of drip acclimating fish, I find it’s significantly less stressful to float the bag for 10 mins to equilize the temperature and then dump them into a wet net over a bucket and put them in the tank as quick as possible. I generally only use the nets with the very fine soft white mesh netting, it seems much easier on them than the normal nets.
 

Uncle99

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I just dump 25% of the water out, add 25§ back, leave the bag in the DT ( held to the side by a clip) then repeat 3 more times.

I want temp and salinity to be close.

Fish can be bagged in 1.020 (ish) water so a jump to 1.026 is stressful in my mind.

But you don’t need to drip for hours.
 
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GibsonGuitars

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Thank you! So far Mando Calrissian (Lol, I know I know) is doing ok, he ate some frozen Cyclops first off next morning and just ate a brine shrimp last few minutes... so doing well and should adapt to the tank very well since he is willing to eat more than live pods.

I will definitely start altering my acclamation based on the fish, not just a standard drip for everybody. Seems like drop acclimation that all the “literature” I states as “it’s the only way to go” isn’t really the case as I hear more and more from experienced reefers. it seems like depending on the fish and the circumstances it’s really not the best way to go more often than not.
 

Copingwithpods

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Glad to hear he is doing good and eating.

Truth is it depends, no matter where I buy my stuff from I ask for their Salinity and Alkalinity, if they are close to mine I'll just dump them in both fish and corals. Haven't lost anything. Obviously there are exceptions, some snails, clams, starfish, sponges, inverts and fish don't tolorate even small swings so a short acclimation period is a must so don't go doing hail mary passes from a cross the room with your new purchases.

Example I keep my alk around 9 some of my lfs stores keep there's around 8 and others at 10 so 1 dkh difference isn't going to kill anything. However if your alk is say 7 and your lfs is 10 or 11,you might want to do the float acclimation where you float the bag and every 5 minutes or so you add a cup of your water to the bag while still floating it to maintain temperature.

Same with Salinity, note that some lfs run fish only systems at hyposalinity (under 1.020) so you'll want to ask before you do a dump and pray. One or two points is OK but more than that it's best to do the bag float acclimation.

Just wanted to clear that up. A correctly executed dump and pray can be very successful but only if backed by research, experience and knowledge.
 
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GibsonGuitars

GibsonGuitars

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Hmmm I have a salinity probe and getting a Hanna Alk tester as well. Maybe I can pull a tube of the bag water and do a quick test of the parameters... as I doubt the Token Smokin Hot college girl at my LFS would be accurate with that info regardless..lol, she carries her cell phone and the landline to the store tucked into her yoga pants... sweet girl but trust factor is low lol. . I do know the run a **** ton of medications, and I think even copper. At this point I only shop for fish there that arrived within 72 hours... to many “floaters on arrival” when I get home.
 

Copingwithpods

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I know your pain man all too well, I once asked an lfs employee (young college guy) at what Salinity they kept their water and he goes "uhhh I think today we got 14ppm"...... Hmmmm OK 14ppm..... Thanks!

When in doubt, test yourself.
 

K7BMG

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Hmmm I have a salinity probe and getting a Hanna Alk tester as well. Maybe I can pull a tube of the bag water and do a quick test of the parameters... as I doubt the Token Smokin Hot college girl at my LFS would be accurate with that info regardless..lol, she carries her cell phone and the landline to the store tucked into her yoga pants... sweet girl but trust factor is low lol. . I do know the run a **** ton of medications, and I think even copper. At this point I only shop for fish there that arrived within 72 hours... to many “floaters on arrival” when I get home.

Humm, I think we go to the same LFS. LoL.
 

iBleedSaltwater

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I just bought 2 big 3” green mandarins (male and female). After floating each bag for 10 mins, I drip acclimated them for 20mins. I scooped them both up together in the net and as soon I let them out, the female went upside down in shock and the male acted like he’d been there his whole life! After about another 10 minutes of her convulsing every 30 seconds or so, but breathing steadily, one of my peppermint shrimp started picking at her. At that point the post-mortem slime got released and it shot away. That’s when I knew her fight was over. It was sad because the male was watching her the entire time.
 
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