Spotted Mandarin

[meagheavz]

i want one really really bad

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Your tank isn't ready for one.

 

[NYreefNoob]

this is not a beginner fish, they need a well established tank to survive, they live off the live rock and co-pods

 

[meagheavz]

oh i know i hav a ways to go

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I would say that if people stopped buying these fish they would stop catching them. That way they would stop starving in in tanks throughout the world.

 

[NYreefNoob]

All mandarins and their relatives in the scooter blenny's are dragonets, although they are often refered to as goby's. Known as both one of the most popular marine fish and one of the highest rated death's in the hobby, the mandarins are quite an odd but fascinating addition. Their only major food substance is the live copepods and amphipods found on very well established live rock, at least 6 months, preferably more. Some report that they can be fed brine, but only under ideal conditions will they be able to capture them. A pretty good choice for an appropriate setup, but a horrible one for anything but.

 

[ireefny]

when I first started I had one eating flakes.....Im sorry I sold him when I upgraded my tank, he was so fat he had troubles turning.

 

[meagheavz]

lol thats awsome.. wut do u mean byt teh right set up

 

[Bob 1000]

I don't know anyone with a tank under 2yrs old that has kept one of these for more than 2yrs..An even then they disappear or die suddenly.....Beautiful fish horrible survival rate even in the best suited tanks..

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The best suited tank for these fish is the ocean.

 

[Bob 1000]

The best suited tank for these fish is the ocean.

Agreed...

 

[Dj Orion]

The best suited tank for these fish is the ocean.

well stated chief.

 

[aaron23]

wow dex you had it eating flakes??? GEEZ

 

[EmilyT]

usually the very pretty and colorful stuff is hard to take care of. with some exceptions.
take my snail-eating-snail for example. not very good for a tank with only 3 snails in it.

 

[meagheavz]

ok....i know many people on the site that hacv them

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

:banghead:

 

[meagheavz]

haha
..maybe ill get ill get something..
im thinkginf of getting corals but im scared

 

[NYreefNoob]

:banghead: once you learn to get past the impulse buying you will enjoy the hobby so much more, and save alot of money. 3000 members can't be wrong:idea:

 

[KathyC]

Meg..the folks that do have them successfully thriving in their systems have had those tanks up for more that a year, are greater than 100 gallons, and mostly have a fuge where additional pods can grow to feed the Mandarin. I recall hearing they can eat hundreds of pods in a day (they do not eat all types of pods)
It is not common to find a Mandarin that will eat anything other than pods on a regular basis. For the sake of the Mandarin, it would be best to wait until a year after your tank attains stability.

Sorry about your head Chief..

 

[meagheavz]

i wassnt gonna get it till next summer..