Biota mandarin missing

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 23, 2017

Hey everyone. After my mandarin jumped out of the tank in April (He was my favorite fish too [emoji24]), I decided to wait until the biota mandarins came out before getting a new one. When she came in, I was suprised to see how small she was (.5-.75"). After acclimating her, I put her in the tank, and she swam behind a rock never to be seen again. I have a pile of rock with lots of holes that I am sure she could be hiding in, but its been about 24 hours since she was introduced. Do you think she was eaten? I have 2 clowns, a flame angel, and a melanarus wrasse but I find it hard to believe they ate her. Thanks!

Tallison · Nov 23, 2017

I'd check ammonia. Ammonia spikes are probably the best way to determine if something died in your tank

Apotack · Nov 23, 2017

Mandarins can take a long time to get comfortable. You will not see an ammonia spike in an established tank especially with something that small.

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 23, 2017

Apotack said:
Mandarins can take a long time to get comfortable. You will not see an ammonia spike in an established tank especially with something that small.

Can't find my ammonia test kit to check, but I would agree with you that a fish that small wouldn't cause an ammonia spike. I am still hopeful that she'll get comfortable enough to come out in the next few days, as her dying (or anything killing her) seems very unlikely. My first mandarin was full grown and came from my LFS so he was surely less stressed, and it took him a few days to really be out and about.

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 23, 2017

Fingers's crosss for you. Baby fish hide.
It's possible there is some bullying.
If i may suggest. , the the reefsquad
With a #. Reefs quad tomorrow and this weekend. Here could be a comparability issue. More so becuse of the size.

A fwiw. I've never had a Mandy or dragonet jump. Thus my compatibility question.

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 23, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
Fingers's crosss for you. Baby fish hide.
It's possible there is some bullying.
If i may suggest. , the the reefsquad
With a #. Reefs quad tomorrow and this weekend. Here could be a comparability issue. More so becuse of the size.

A fwiw. I've never had a Mandy or dragonet jump. Thus my compatibility question.

The wrasse and angel occasionally pick on the clowns but they never seem injured or scared. Usually the four of them all swim together with no aggression whatsoever. I don't recall my mandarin getting bullied by the other fish, occasionally he had a split fin that healed in a day or two. When he jumped, it seemed like a freak accident to me.

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 23, 2017

Good news, I caught her in the open when I turned my light on just now. I'll keep putting Nutramar Ova in the tank, but feeding her is gonna be tricky. Hopefully the copepods I added a couple weeks ago will keep her full!

125gSW · Nov 23, 2017

Did you get her from Algae Barn? I'm planning to get one in the future when I have enough pods. So far how has the feeding been?

Apotack · Nov 24, 2017

Check out the Paul b feeder. You can make one in a few minutes, simple and works great.

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 24, 2017

125gSW said:
Did you get her from Algae Barn? I'm planning to get one in the future when I have enough pods. So far how has the feeding been?

Yes, was gonna get a male but they sold out in minutes. Like I said, she is too shy to really feed in person so I am gonna use algaebarn's buy one get one free deal on their 5280 pods so she has something to eat. I'll tell you if I catch her eating nutramar ova. The eggs are a perfect size for her, it's just a matter of getting her to the food in the first place.

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 24, 2017

Apotack said:
Check out the Paul b feeder. You can make one in a few minutes, simple and works great.

Are baby brine shrimp healthy enough to serve as her main food source? Hopefully she eats the nutramar since that is apparently very healthy.

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 24, 2017

125gSW said:
Did you get her from Algae Barn? I'm planning to get one in the future when I have enough pods. So far how has the feeding been?

Just saw her pacing the glass so I shut the circulation pumps off and put the nutramar in. Took her while to show any interest, but she began picking at the sand where the nutramar was at. Good sign!

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 24, 2017

A very good sign. One she gets the hang of the Ova, rotate with other small frozens like baby brine shrimp. Even try small pellets that have been soaked in water so they sink.

Apotack · Nov 25, 2017

Baby brine shrimp have the egg sac still attached, so yes very nutritious. Grown brine shrimp not so much.

K. Steven · Nov 25, 2017

Mandarins eat newly hatched brine shrimp, V20 cyclops, and B1 TDO at Biota before going to AlgaeBarn. Try these first, then slowly introduce new foods.

Reef of Fillory · Nov 25, 2017

My BIOTA Mandarin is so small that it's very hard to find her in the tank but mine has been picking and moving around constantly. I haven't been successful Target feeding her, as she swims away from the acrylic tube I feed with

125gSW · Nov 25, 2017

Reef of Fillory said:
My BIOTA Mandarin is so small that it's very hard to find her in the tank but mine has been picking and moving around constantly. I haven't been successful Target feeding her, as she swims away from the acrylic tube I feed with

K. Steven said:
Mandarins eat newly hatched brine shrimp, V20 cyclops, and B1 TDO at Biota before going to AlgaeBarn. Try these first, then slowly introduce new foods.

Since theyre so small, would it be ok if I were to house one in my refugium for a couple days as I introduce newer foods?

Reef of Fillory · Nov 27, 2017

125gSW said:
Since theyre so small, would it be ok if I were to house one in my refugium for a couple days as I introduce newer foods?

I can't think of any reason that wouldn't be okay, just make sure that it can't get sucked into a section where it shouldn't be and/or get caught in a pump intake [skimmer, reactor, return etc.]

Mine is skittish of the feeding tube, and swims away when I try to feed her. I have a big pod population though so i'm sure she's got enough to eat without target feeding [going to continue trying though]

PetuniaTheCat · Nov 29, 2017

Well, I am having more issues. I have not seen her since I switched my lighting schedule from the acclimation schedule to the full schedule. Do you think she has gone nocturnal? I have only seen her in the dark, but dhe eventually goes to sleep in a spot that she has used for the past few days. She is not there anymore. I severely doubt she passed but I am starting to worry again.