Could i keep a mandarin in my tank??

Discussion in 'Tropical Fish' started by Gexx, Sep 21, 2009.

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  1. salsalito25

    salsalito25 Stylophora

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    I guess with all above posted i have a SUPER MANDARIN then... I have a 24 quapod with with good amount of live rock feed Flake ehhh every day or so and for a treat feed frozen.. And well my Gobie Grubb's down on some flake... As of today have had him now for 5-6 months and full of color and fat and happy....

    I would say for every One Mandarin that eats flake or frozen there's like 40 that dont. I know every one has read up on them .. And simply knows they are just Finiky eater's... I wish all the best of luck...

    This is just my salty 2 cents....


    Best of luck to all..!
     
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  3. whippy

    whippy Sailfin Tang

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    Wait guys.....

    I have a 29g that is teeming with pods and my mandarin is also eating fortified live brine. He is doing fantastically and has actually put on weight. It is completely incorrect to just assume that a mandarin CAN'T survive and even THRIVE in a 30g with proper care.

    Just my .02¢
     
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  4. TBELT

    TBELT Ritteri Anemone

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    I have 2 mandarin in a 34 gallon tank. Before all the others bash me for this (like in the past) I will say it was not easy to get them on frozen food. I had to try many different kinds of frozen food and introduce it several times. During this time I have fed them a bottle of copepods a week. I have started weening them off the pods here recently because they are doing so well with frozen and occasionaly flakes. They eat about 4 times a day. My wife knows when they are hungry because they come to the front glass. My wife feeds them during the day twice. Target feed a little to each one. I feed the tank in the morning and again at night. My 2 guys are doing great and are plenty fat. It takes alot of work to keep these little fish happy and it was quite an undertaking but in my opinion well worth it.
    Good luck if you decide to get one. I enjoy mine every chance I get. The colors are wonderfull. They seem to love to float in the currents provided by the pumps. They both do it for hours. By the way I have a spotted and a green.
     
  5. whippy

    whippy Sailfin Tang

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    Good on ya for taking the time to do so as well TBELT. Takes a lot of patience and sometimes never happens. I was very lucky that my experience was about 30-45 minutes of waiting.
     
  6. Gexx

    Gexx Giant Squid

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    thanks to all. i will get to my 30 lbs of live rock and get a skimmer before i add anything (fish, corals, etc) then i will look into more things such as mandarins on frozen food and anemones. thanks to all
     
  7. whippy

    whippy Sailfin Tang

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    Just say no to anemones, LOL.
     
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  9. Gexx

    Gexx Giant Squid

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    LOL thats what i hear.
     
  10. drew3

    drew3 Blue Ringed Angel

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    also set up a fuge and stock it with copepods and that should help out ALOT personally i say its a bad idea but i have heard plenty of succes stories with them in a small tank just more with a big tank or a fuge.
     
  11. Gexx

    Gexx Giant Squid

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    ok. again im not allowed to buy anything alse till i get more liverock and a protein skimmer :(