My wild caught Green Mandarin is eating prepared food!

So I picked the little guy up about a month and a half ago, right after I got my ORA Spotted Mandarin. My intention from the get-go was to see if I could wean him off live copepods onto frozen food/pellets and, if I failed, donate him to my local LFS. Failure would be determined when the cost of pods ($20.99/8Oz bottle at my LFS!) sent me into a psychotic rage. All in all, it took me a month and a half, three bottles of pods (I think I spent more feeding this fish for a month and a half than on the rest of my fish this past year, though I'm sure the other Mandarin didn't help much) and endless patience.

In the end, the hard work and patience has finally paid off, as he finally accepted his first nibbles of thawed mysis soaked in Selcon. Now I just need him to accept some Hikari Marine S and I'll be happy

I'll try to take a video at tonights feeding if anyone is interested.

 

I've had success with bloodworms and NLS micro (.2mm) pellets. I am curious if your wild caught saw your ORA eating and figured it out...ya know, Mandarin see, Mandarin do.

 

Actually, promoting Mandarin on Mandarin interaction at feeding time was part of my strategy and, I believe, a major part of my success. I think this would have been significantly less likely and much more time consuming if I didn't have the other Mandarin providing an example.

I've heard if people having success with boyfriend, but for whatever reason my clowns (who are otherwise absolute cows) won't touch then. I decided to work with mysis and brine shrimp to start so that I can feed all of my fish the same food at the same time.

I'll have to look into the NLS micro pellets. I'm afraid even the Marine S may be to large.