Any Success With Mandarins?

[rhyan]

I am starting up a 55 reef tank and want to know if anyone has ever tried breeding green mandarins or any dragonets for that matter. I plan to introduce some pods to my tank soon so they can start breeding for the dragonets. I would like to try breeding these fish and maybe teach the fry (if it works) to eat flakes or brine shrimp. Anyone know specifics on how to go about doing this, or maybe tips on keeping them too. Thhank you for your help!

 

[Jake Levi]

I have had pairs of Greens and Spotted spawn in reef tanks, trick is to capture the eggs which I never did as I didn't have foods or time. They will spawn readily if they have proper food, not only pods but a full range, gamarus, etc you name it, that's their normal diet. They will also eat enriched adult brine shrimp.

I am right in the middle of a move, but once settled in I am going to set up a 29H as a reef tank for Mandarins. Just for them. Its high enough for their spawning rise, and it will make a good coral tank also. Hopefully by fall I'll have some mandarins spawning.

 

[rhyan]

Thanks for your feedback! I was beginning to think nobody on R2R had done this!

 

[Jake Levi]

Mandarins are one of my favorites, and of the tanks getting set up and cycled theirs will be one of the first. If, all goes well I hope a week from this weekend.I was going to also put them in the bigger tanks but will give them their own, along with some shrimp and other smaller residents.

 

[Windy]

Mandarins are pelagic fish and so do not care for their eggs. They require a very tall tank so they can make a mating run vertically. They release their eggs at the top of the run and both dive back to the safety of the reef. The larva are very small. There have been several successful attempts to raise them, but I believe they had to capture plankton to raise them.

 

[Jake Levi]

Right, that's why I said the trick, first, is to capture the eggs. Then the real fun begins. It will be. This is a species that really needs to be captive bred, so many are captured and then starve to death under not meeting their needs. Slowly that is turning around, I could easily see a ban on importing .

 

[rhyan]

So, what is the best way to capture the eggs? With an eye dropper? Just carefully moving them into a container?

 

[Jake Levi]

So, what is the best way to capture the eggs? With an eye dropper? Just carefully moving them into a container?

That's one way, ateap cup works well, while you are there to see them, there are also various snaggers that are in use, helps for when there are spawns after you have gone to bed. So many of the eggs are extremely hard to see so the snaggers have much to be said for them. I am looking for different versions now. I am considering modifying an overflow return box with a box added to the front to allow eggs/larvae to collect without going on out.

 

[bioteacher]

We lost our girl and just have not found a nice looking replacement. Most stores seem to only get the boys in. The two we had never cared much for each other anyway. They stayed at opposite ends of the tank and never seemed to cross the mid line. Maybe some Barry White would have helped

 

[4FordFamily]

I bought one off of craigslist with a whole setup that I purchased it was a giant red mandarin and he ate frozen foods. Had him for a year until my heater died...

 

[Humblefish]

We lost our girl and just have not found a nice looking replacement. Most stores seem to only get the boys in. The two we had never cared much for each other anyway. They stayed at opposite ends of the tank and never seemed to cross the mid line. Maybe some Barry White would have helped

This is the only place I've found that lets you buy male/female: https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=1&pid=670&cid=16

I got my pair from them about 3 years ago, but I haven't ordered from Bluezoo in over a year. I've heard their customer service/shipping techniques have gone downhill, so Caveat emptor. :neutral:

 

[bioteacher]

thanks for the advice and source info!

 

[Emery]

Does anyone know where I can purchase a tank raised and/or mandarin that eats frozen prepared foods?

 

[manny mandarin]

I had a pair of target/spotted mandarins i had the female first and got the male 3 months later and boy did they fight it took 3 attempts as the female was the aggressor i put her in a breeder box in tank and after 24hrs he dominated her and peace there after on the pod front i bought a reef shot of phytoplankton to encourage the pods already in tank to breed seemed to work