Mandarin - When to get?

So it's essentially the hummingbird of Marine Aquariums. Has to eat 25/7 to be able to "fly". I really don't see what's so hard about buying pods for a mandarin. We buy flakes and veggies and what not for our other guys, what's another type of food going to do? Maybe I just don't know how expensive pods really are?

I didn't know Mandarins were such a touchy subject because a lot of people seem to have them. We're transforming our sump into a fuge in the near future, and the minimum tank requirements I've seen online for Mandarins is 30 gallons, so I don't see why a 46 can't have one. Heck, we might even add to the live rock down the road. Buying a bottle of bugs once or twice a month is worth it, to me, if you care enough to do it. Growing your own food isn't the only option it looks like.

 

The problem is with a smaller tank is that you would most likely have to buy at least a "bottle" a week. Once or twice a month is for those with bigger tanks, as the pods have a chance to breed in tank before being consumed. Keep in mind that a good "pod bottle" worth your time will run you about $30+. Now, if you have to buy one, two, or even three of those per week to sustain your mandarin, you can see how old and expensive that is going to get very quickly. That is why I am culturing my own.

 

One of my coworkers was a bit to eager to get a mandarin, but fortunately he was able to take the guy back to the LFS where he got him and they happily put him in the holding tanks for LR and LS to fatten him up, then he got to take him back home.

 

i like how brandon is, straight forward and tells it as is instead of having to cut corners. pods like packleader said, anything that is worth buying is $30+ a bottle, is that worth it to buy once or twice a week? maybe you have the money for it, but i don't have that kind of money, $60 a week, more than $200 a month just to sustain a mandarin? follow packleader's lead or it's going to be tough

 

this thread has been a blast to read, very entertaining. But seriously, as has been mentioned, there is no one correct way to do anything in this hobby. As for long term success, it really depends upon your perspective. If you keep an octopus alive for a year or two, that by many is a long term success. If I buy a black tipped reef shark, stick it in my 55 and it stays alive for 3 days, that might be a success to some. Most will judge success by years, growth, appearance, or size, again no right or wrong way. All philosphy aside, and practically speaking, I would measure success for a mandarin in years and growth. (a side note, as people and animals starve, the bellies tend to actually bloat first)

 

I think people got a wee bit overzealous here.
Since your question was ah... answered... I am closing this one.