Are vibrant mandarins hard to come by?

[benha]

Whenever I go to any LFS, the mandarins look nothing like this below:

I thought I wanted a mandarin when I saw this picture, but when I saw them in real life, the colors are no where as vibrant.. Any have similar experiences or is it just me? Wondering if buying one online would be better?

 

[James M]

Photo shop and they are very hard to keep alive

 

[davocean]

I don't think that pic looks shopped, it's just a very nice clear pic under good lighting, and that is probably the issue for OP is often LFS have so so lighting, and the animals may be showing stressed color in those small holding vessels their usually in.

 

[Pbh-reef]

I don't think that pic looks shopped, it's just a very nice clear pic under good lighting, and that is probably the issue for OP is often LFS have so so lighting, and the animals may be showing stressed color in those small holding vessels their usually in.

I agree with this- went to a terrible pet store near my house yesterday to get medicine and the mandarins were beautiful (as they always are) - I think it’s more likely the lighting at your LFS than anything else.

 

[Flexin]

I see them at my LFS from time to time. A stunning fish. But as mentioned, extreamly difficult to keep alive. You may have already, but do a search here on the forum, there are many threads about them.

 

[davocean]

I don't think mandarins are difficult to keep at all, just give them the proper conditions, enough tank volume/live rock and a fuge to keep a constant supply of pods and they do their own thing from there.
It's the people trying to keep them in less space and trying to change the animals diet needs that seem to have problems.
Their size makes many think they are good for smaller tanks, and many try to force that to work, and it's just not ideal for the animal, not unless you take great measures to assure pods are provided.