[Sad day] My ORA Mandarin - Progress Log

Do you have a local reef club? I would try there or possibly even Craig's list. Someone in my local club had some extra, saved me shipping cost on frozen food. I needed it for my OSFF, but the Mandarins started to pick it off of the bottom. In a few weeks they started spawning. The LPS love it, too. It's excellent food.

 

Thanks. I'll try to find some. It sounds good!

 

If you do find some, just thaw out a very small amount in tank water, and blow it in the tank with a baster or feeding tube in an area that the Mandarin likes to hang out in. If you have other fish, it may be an issue, but the Mandarin will find the eggs in the gravel. Don't expect her to swim out and pick it from the water column. It may take a few days, and they are so small you will not see her actually eat them. If you see her pecking around in the area where you put the eggs, then you will know she is eating them.

 

Do you have a turkey baster? I found target feeding to help too.

 

I added garlic juice (from fresh garlic) to frozen blood worms and my two mandarins started eating frozen.
They will now eat any frozen food even out of the water column and from off the bottom or macro.
They had been looking mighty thin before that, but are now fat and happy. I sure hope she starts eating better and fills out.

 

I've tried spot feeding. I shoot it right at her.

 

Thanks. Me too. It's sad

I haven't tried blood worms yet. I will give that a go tonight. Thanks for the idea.

 

Any luck with the blood worms tonight? Have you tried a feeding cup? I've seen a video where a guy layed a glass jar on it's side on the sand bed then squirted the food in there and the mandarin would go and grab things out of the jar after he left the tank. Just a thought.

 

Ugh. Can you list all the food you've tried so far?

 

I haven't tried blood worms yet. I feed late, like around midnight, so I'll try then.

That cup idea sounds pretty good. I think I might try that. I've found she really likes the left side of the tank, so I could try sticking it there.

Ugh is right! It's so frustrating. Especially since I see her hunting, but she keeps getting skinnier!

I've tried....

Cyclopeeze (not frozen, can't find it)
ON pellets
ON flakes (various kinds)
Hikarii marine pellets
ON frozen foods
Mysis
Brine