13.5 Gallon Build Thread.

[Sharkbait19]

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]

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

 

[NoahLikesFish]

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]

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]

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]

@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]

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]

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]

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]

Females

 

[grantfoster02]

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]

Male

 

[NashobaTek]

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]

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]

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.

 

[grantfoster02]

The video I took of it wouldn’t upload, any way to upload one?

 

[Sharkbait19]

I think it’s easiest to link to YouTube.

 

[NashobaTek]

Sorry wrong thread

 

[Sharkbait19]

OMG!!!!

Wrong thread, but I appreciate the reaction to that post.

 

[NashobaTek]

Thanks sharkbait