Can my tank feed a mandarin?

[mbixler1537]

I'm putting together a biocube 32 and creating a refugium in the back using the intank refugium insert. I was watching a youtube video from ocean state that was saying a mandarin should be in at least 65 gallon tank with a sump. Should I avoid adding the mandarin or will it work in my tank? Side note...my tank is not up and running. I plan on starting the cycling process in the next 6 weeks, and adding a refugium starter pack once it is cycled. I don't envision adding this fish for at least 3 months.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Your tank probably will not be able to sustain a mandarin without substantial help from you. Paul B has a mandarin feeder that would allow you to keep a mandarin in your tank. It could be possible in the future provided you seed the pod population and get a good culture going, as well as supplement pods directly into your DT every so often. Getting a captive bred mandarin is also a must if you’d like the best chances of success I know that AlgaeBarn.com has captive bred green mandarins in stock right now that eat pellets and prepared foods. Feeding these a few times a day along with establishing and maintaining a healthy pod population will definitely allow you to successfully keep a mandarin! If the mandarin is the only pod eater in the tank (so you can have other fish like clownfish because they don’t eat the pods, but something like a seahorse/wrasse would be an issue because it will compete with the mandarin for pods) then doing all of this plus getting a healthy fish from the start will give you a pretty good chance of success! Good luck!

 

[mbixler1537]

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, that is exactly what I was planning. Algae Barn has captive bred mandarins that are a little more expensive but worth it in the long run IMO. I don't expect to have any other pod eaters in the tank (cardinalfish, sand sifting goby, clownfish, don't eat pods, right?). Also, I plan on making sure the refugium is active and will run this system for a couple months to make sure everything runs smoothly. Again, thanks for the feedback.

 

[LegendaryCG]

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, that is exactly what I was planning. Algae Barn has captive bred mandarins that are a little more expensive but worth it in the long run IMO. I don't expect to have any other pod eaters in the tank (cardinalfish, sand sifting goby, clownfish, don't eat pods, right?). Also, I plan on making sure the refugium is active and will run this system for a couple months to make sure everything runs smoothly. Again, thanks for the feedback.

Clownfish definitely eat pods.

 

[Phil D.]

I had a Mandarin in a JBJ 28g for 3 years. He eats frozen and pods and is now in my Red Sea E-260 and is very happy

 

[PicassoClown04]

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, that is exactly what I was planning. Algae Barn has captive bred mandarins that are a little more expensive but worth it in the long run IMO. I don't expect to have any other pod eaters in the tank (cardinalfish, sand sifting goby, clownfish, don't eat pods, right?). Also, I plan on making sure the refugium is active and will run this system for a couple months to make sure everything runs smoothly. Again, thanks for the feedback.

No problem! I’m actually looking at getting a mandarin right now so I’ve been doing a TON of research. I’d hate to be another failure story where it slowly starves to death. I think I’m gonna buy the mandarin feeder kit from algae barn along with my fish after I seed the tank properly with pods. It’s been up for 6ish months now so I do have a pod population, but I’d feel better if I also seed it. Make sure to put rock/rubble/pod hotels in your refugium along with your algae so they have a safe place to breed. Right now, I’d get a mixed pod pack from algae barn, wait a month or two, check at night with a red light/flashlight for pods then buy the mandarin and mandarin feeder kit together. I’d also subscribe to receive pods every 6-8 weeks (probably starting at 6 and upping to 8 as I figure out how much the mandarin eats). So, pricey fish but very very beautiful, of course, the Paul B feeder would be much cheaper but I’ve only got a 20 peninsula so not an option for me (no space), you might be able to do it in the bio cube though

 

[mbixler1537]

I had a Mandarin in a JBJ 28g for 3 years. He eats frozen and pods and is now in my Red Sea E-260 and is very happy

What did you do to sustain him in the 28 gallon?

 

[PicassoClown04]

Clownfish definitely eat pods.

I seed my tank with pods every so often and my perculas have never ever shown any interest, even though I’m squirting pods directly into my DT with them right next to the area I dose them into.

 

[LegendaryCG]

I seed my tank with pods every so often and my perculas have never ever shown any interest, even though I’m squirting pods directly into my DT with them right next to the area I dose them into.

Mine go nuts

 

[Phil D.]

Nothing special, fed brine, fish eggs and rotifers. Added pods every 2 months. As I said he eats frozen.

 

[Adamantium]

If you can, go to an LFS that has mandarins and ask if they can feed them. I got lucky and found a target mandarin that eats frozen, so I’m good to go. Even the captive bred ones are NOT a sure thing. I had one that refused to eat anything but pods. It was also incredibly small (like half an inch).

 

[mbixler1537]

No problem! I’m actually looking at getting a mandarin right now so I’ve been doing a TON of research. I’d hate to be another failure story where it slowly starves to death. I think I’m gonna buy the mandarin feeder kit from algae barn along with my fish after I seed the tank properly with pods. It’s been up for 6ish months now so I do have a pod population, but I’d feel better if I also seed it. Make sure to put rock/rubble/pod hotels in your refugium along with your algae so they have a safe place to breed. Right now, I’d get a mixed pod pack from algae barn, wait a month or two, check at night with a red light/flashlight for pods then buy the mandarin and mandarin feeder kit together. I’d also subscribe to receive pods every 6-8 weeks (probably starting at 6 and upping to 8 as I figure out how much the mandarin eats). So, pricey fish but very very beautiful, of course, the Paul B feeder would be much cheaper but I’ve only got a 20 peninsula so not an option for me (no space), you might be able to do it in the bio cube though

Sounds like you have been researching the same things as me! Yes, I plan on getting some sort of rubble to fill the refugium as well as making sure there is enough of a pod population to feed the mandarin. I will look into the feeder but I'm hoping the refugium as well as consistent dosing will do the trick.

 

[Adamantium]

Sounds like you have been researching the same things as me! Yes, I plan on getting some sort of rubble to fill the refugium as well as making sure there is enough of a pod population to feed the mandarin. I will look into the feeder but I'm hoping the refugium as well as consistent dosing will do the trick.

You’ll have to dose quite a lot to keep the population up. It gets expensive fast. I’d really try to find one that eats frozen in a tank that small. Otherwise, it will just wither away.

 

[92Miata]

We've got two Biota mandarins in a Nuvo40. They come in really tiny from Biota. They've about tripled in size since we got them (6 months now?). We had hoped for a pair - but it looks like we've got 2 males. One will eventually end up in my tank.

My wife feeds a lot of brine naupalii, but I've also seen them take a bunch of frozen foods. Captive bred ones are way easier to keep.

 

[mbixler1537]

The other tricky part is I want the mandarin to be the first fish in the tank. Due to their temperament, I don't want to introduce it after others. I will have some rock flower anemones first and then I will introduce the mandarin. So, I want to make sure the pod population is up and running shortly after my cycle.

 

[Paul B]

I would not put a mandarin in a 6 month old tank, not even with my feeder.
Besides anything you can feed them, it is not enough as they also have to hunt and find pods.

 

[Sosuke]

I got a spotted mandarin for my biocube and it was really tiny when I got him, and has now gotten way bigger! I do think that despite the amount of feedings you can offer you would still need a very established tank.
Mine is pretty chubby, once a day I shut off the pumps and spray frozen cyclops on my rock work and he eats it very well but I think he gets most of his food from the pods on my liverock, and my enormous amphipod population. Although he is eating well and chubby I am probably going to setup a mandarin feeder too just to make sure.

 

[mbixler1537]

I would not put a mandarin in a 6 month old tank, not even with my feeder.
Besides anything you can feed them, it is not enough as they also have to hunt and find pods.

How long should I wait until introducing a new mandarin into my tank? Also, will introducing the mandarin in after adding the other fish I'm interested in (clown fish, cardinalfish, sand sifting goby/pistol shrimp combo, baby blue tang) affect the mandarin's acclimation?

 

[Paul B]

You need to wait until there is growth on the rocks, not just a little but plenty. The more the better. You also want to see pods all over the place. A mandarin will not live on purchased pods no matter what you read. Mandarins will eat all the pods you can supply in one day. They need to be naturally living in the tank, and they will as long as you don't keep a really clean tank.

Feeding clams to the other fish because the tiny particles in the clam juice will feed pods. Even throwing some pellets in behind the rocks will help grow pods as they won't multiply without food.
It will take at least a year. The longer, the better. Mandarins live about 10 years if they are well fed.

 

[92Miata]

How long should I wait until introducing a new mandarin into my tank? Also, will introducing the mandarin in after adding the other fish I'm interested in (clown fish, cardinalfish, sand sifting goby/pistol shrimp combo, baby blue tang) affect the mandarin's acclimation?

This question is going to be totally dependent on whether you're talking about captive bred mandarins or wild caught, and what level of maintenance you're comfortable with.

I would not recommend a wild caught mandarin in a 32. I would say, from my experience with Biota's captive bred mandarins, you'll be fine as soon as the tank is stable, as long as you're willing to feed them frequently. I can not make any claims about ORA's captive bred mandarins as I don't know if they go to the same extent to get them eating prepared foods.