13.5 Gallon Build Thread.

Sharkbait19 · May 13, 2021

NashobaTek said:
My only input is stay away from the mandrins until you have a bigger tank. Gorgeous fish but hard to keep in small tanks due to their diet

+1
I always toy with the idea but just would not be able to feed it in that tank.
Any dragonet really needs at least 30 gallons. Maybe more for a big mandarin.

NashobaTek · May 13, 2021

I have 3 in a 125 and I am always looking to make sure they're fat and eating.

NoahLikesFish · May 13, 2021

grantfoster02 said:
Good to know. They will definitely be put in my bigger thank that I’m getting in a few months.

They need about 15-25 lbs of real live rock (gulf rock) to do well in a tank imo. You should have a fuge for em too if you do that

NoahLikesFish · May 13, 2021

That’s for wild, captive can eat frozen but they still need pods. I’ve heard of wild mandarins eating flake but it takes lots of time

grantfoster02 · May 13, 2021

NoahLikesFish said:
They need about 15-25 lbs of real live rock (gulf rock) to do well in a tank imo. You should have a fuge for em too if you do that

After this convo earlier, I was looking into it. I’m definitely going to have a sump with a fuge and skimmer in it anyways.

NashobaTek · May 13, 2021

@NoahLikesFish I have 3 in my tank and I have 0 live rock. It's the pods that count plus I feed fresh hatch brine shrimp in a target feeder for mandrins.

NashobaTek · May 13, 2021

grantfoster02 said:
After this convo earlier, I was looking into it. I’m definitely going to have a sump with a fuge and skimmer in it anyways.

If you do eventually get mandrins, there's several videos on how to make a target feeder and a brine shrimp hatchery.

grantfoster02 · May 13, 2021

NashobaTek said:
If you do eventually get mandrins, there's several videos on how to make a target feeder and a brine shrimp hatchery.

Sounds fun actually haha. My family doesn’t get how fun fish keeping is to me and they’re just like uhhh whatever

NashobaTek · May 13, 2021

grantfoster02 said:
Sounds fun actually haha. My family doesn’t get how fun fish keeping is to me and they’re just like uhhh whatever

It's a lot of fun. I started by seeding my tank with 5 bottles of tsebe pods from podyourreef and when they got here I had brine shrimp babies hatched and a ton of pods in the tank.
Also if you want more than 1 , make sure only 1 is male and the rest female.

NashobaTek · May 13, 2021

Females

grantfoster02 · May 13, 2021

NashobaTek said:
Females

Gotcha. So the mandarins just go and eat the pods that the shrimp make? And if they are lucky enough to hatch they eat the baby shrimp?

NashobaTek · May 13, 2021

Male

NashobaTek · May 13, 2021

grantfoster02 said:
Gotcha. So the mandarins just go and eat the pods that the shrimp make? And if they are lucky enough to hatch they eat the baby shrimp?

Pods and shrimp are 2 different critters. Ever see the ads for sea monkeys?? That's brine shrimp and you can get the eggs and hatch them.
Pods are a detris eater that's great to have in the tank.

grantfoster02 · May 13, 2021

NashobaTek said:
Pods and shrimp are 2 different critters. Ever see the ads for sea monkeys?? That's brine shrimp and you can get the eggs and hatch them.
Pods are a detris eater that's great to have in the tank.

Ahh okay. I was a little confused for a second lol

grantfoster02 · May 15, 2021

5/15/2021
New location and new stand. I had it sitting on our wine rack but decided to move it. Bought this nice wood table for a steal and moved it whilst doing a water change. I also inserted a pic of them this morning. Seems like they’re enjoying it.
Glass is a little dirty cause we have a small child who loves to look and touch.