Can I get a Mandarin? Please! Oh Please?

because i currently cannot own a bigger aqaurium. my step would throw a fit if i got bigger. it took lots of begging and a lot of my out of my tennage pocket for him to let me have my 29 tall.

 

Hmmm. Your tank is small, and will not sustain a pod population large enough to keep a Mandarin alive. Buying pods long term is very expensive, and I assume out of your budget. What would be your plan if you did get a Mandarin, and you couldn't get it to eat prepared foods?

 

A very valid question that I don't have an answer for, but I had actually planned on cultivating pods. I've read a few articules on cultivating ur own pods lol and I honestly found it fasinating and it was very inexpensive. I was going to cultivate for a month or so before I bought the Mandarin but I don't want to start a cultivation until I decide for sure

 

honestly, if you're going to try and cultivate i would just setup a refugium. Not only will the provide a wonderful place for a pod colony to thrive and grow but you'll have the added benefit for other critters/bacteria/chaeto/ect. I seeded my fuge a few months back and the thing is absolutely crawling with the little guys. All i do to take care of them is... well, nothing! Dumped them in and that was pretty much it. Now, if i ever do get one of these guys i'll have to figure out a good way of transferring them from the fuge as i don't see a heavy population in the DT. I did just basically double my live rock so maybe that will help change the situation...
So.
1. Read more
2. Setup fuge
3. Allow for good population to cultivate in fuge and DT

 

and you could always do an ac20 hob fuge it would be less expensive than setting up a sump and it may not completely solve the problem being so small but it will help

 

in this case if you don't have a sump that would probably even help as you could setup the Fuge in whatever room under the stand you have. bigger the better. Honestly, i wouldn't mind having a nice one setup next to my tank in view. I think they look pretty cool when done right...

 

what vinny is saying is true yes some people have had success with them in a nano tank, i'm one of them if you call over 5 years a success, i have no facts to back this up but from what i've seen for everyone that makes it 10 want, but if your gonna do it at least get a backpack sump with cheato algae for pod growth this will help some imo. the fish are beautful thats for sure.

 

okay, I don't mind advice, but I don't like rudeness. I posted this because I really wanted to hear advice. And there was no reason to bring my mom into this. If u can't be nice and give advice don't post.

 

Well I believe your mind has already been set. You are most likely going to get this fish, yes? I have one in my 55, I also have a fuge (waited over a year and a half to get mine). I don't believe this fish can survive long term without a fuge. I seed once every two months. In your case you will have to seed much more often. This will become very expensive. Your better bet is to pass on this fish for the time being. Get a bigger tank and setup a refugium. This is my advice.

 

no I have decided not to get it.