Mandarins...

I wasn't sure where to put this, but I'm interested in getting a madarin down the road. I have a HOB refugium filled with chaeto. If I order some copepods and put them in there, will enough of them "overflow" into the main tank for the mandarin to eat? I can also put some directly into the main tank to with the live rock so maybe the overall population won't drop off too sharply.

Any suggestions?

 

You would really have to see how the population does. Usually, mandarins require at least a 55, as I see you have, in order not to deplete the population too fast. I believe you have a good plan, but you may need to supplement the population from time to time, or you may get lucky and get one that eats prepared foods.

 

my friend as had luck for quit some time now with his dragonet by useing a bine shrimp hatchery alot of people think they should stay in the ocean good luck and keep on reefing

 

Please do a search before you post as there is a awesome data base here if you would just use it. This is some in the last couple days:

http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropica...m-new-fish-help-me-decide-mandarin-54173.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/mandarin-53978.html

 

A very mature tank is required. Be careful or you may kill one of the prettiest fishes out there. I seeded my tank with about 3000 copepods a month ago. My tank is six months old tomorrow. I am not even going to think about getting one until next May and that is only if tank conditions are close to perfect.

 

I've found that many can maintain the pod level for 6 to 8 months then over the next 3 to 5 months the dragonet slowly starves to death. I would recommend 100G or more to keep them long term

J

 

I heard that even if they eat prepared foods , they cannot survive ?

Is it true ?

 

they should stay in the ocean

 

Mandarin

I have a 46 gallon with about 60lbs of LR and have had a mandarin for more than a year and he is very fat and doing great. for a 55 gallon tank you should have roughly 75 lbs of LR and the tank should be running for a year before you buy one. Every few months I get some Reed Mariculture Tiger Pods and throw the bottle in at once. I dont have a refugium myself mainly because I dont have any algae problems. The refugium would definetely help though since then you could add the bottle of copepods to the refugium and let them grow in there.
Adam

Also they do not eat prepared foods even if in a store they once ate a piece of shrimp or something. They pick all day long at LR and LS and the glass