Crazy Question-Taking a fish on vacation

Tired · Feb 21, 2023

If you dump multiple days worth of copepods in, the mandarin won't eat them all the first day and run out. They can only eat so much in a day. The copepods, of course, won't die or lose nutrition from being added early.

You can also gain some time by stuffing him with newly-hatched (not gut-loaded! they're far more nutritious when fed fresh than if you wait to feed them) BBS, so he won't be eating pods for a little while.

Reefer911 · Feb 21, 2023

SeaHorseQueen said:
Yes, I'm in Fort Wayne.

Check with Summit City to see if he will house the fish for you

Reefer911 · Feb 21, 2023

Might be cheaper

JTP424 · Feb 21, 2023

What about.. a Copepod Ato.... might be something worth inventing

Basically a copepod tank.. with a pump that sends in new pods...
wait... that's basically a refugium. nevermind....

SeaHorseQueen · Feb 21, 2023

JTP424 said:
What about.. a Copepod Ato.... might be something worth inventing
Basically a copepod tank.. with a pump that sends in new pods...
wait... that's basically a refugium. nevermind....

The refugium is on the top of my list. Lol I lost hours at work and just got them back so it was a little hard to fit in the budget.

Sir Bubb · Feb 21, 2023

You can modify an aquaclear filter to make a pretty decent HOB refugium that will work in a pinch. It’s as simple as cutting the bottom off of the media basket and using super glue to attach it to where the water flows back into the tank (keeps macros and the like from flowing in along with it.). Trim the impeller blades to reduce flow, fill with rock rubble, macroalgae, etc…, and done.

I’m sure you can find more detailed instructions with pics on modifying aquaclear filters than what I mentioned, but I thought I’d throw that out there as a quick and easy option.

Tired · Feb 21, 2023

I'm not sure how many pods those will really produce. Won't hurt anything to have, but it seems like it'd be more of an "occasional extra fish snacks" situation than a "provides plenty of food" situation. Otherwise people would keep mandarins fat and happy off those 3-gallon HOB 'fuges you can buy.

SeaHorseQueen · Feb 21, 2023

Sir Bubb said:
You can modify an aquaclear filter to make a pretty decent HOB refugium that will work in a pinch. It’s as simple as cutting the bottom off of the media basket and using super glue to attach it to where the water flows back into the tank (keeps macros and the like from flowing in along with it.). Trim the impeller blades to reduce flow, fill with rock rubble, macroalgae, etc…, and done.

I’m sure you can find more detailed instructions with pics on modifying aquaclear filters than what I mentioned, but I thought I’d throw that out there as a quick and easy option.

I was looking at trying that since they were bigger.

62518161 · Feb 21, 2023

RIP little fish.

Sir Bubb · Feb 22, 2023

IMO, A mandarin kept in an established tank will be fine going 10 days without being directly fed. Assuming this fish is wild caught, it has likely done so already from the time of collection and through the chain of custody. Adding a bunch of pods to the DT before you leave for vacation should help as well. As mentioned, he won’t be able to hunt them all down at once. If you also load up a HOB fuge with a jar of two of pods going for a slow release, he’ll get the occasional bit of food, and at the very least, you’ll have a little more peace of mind while you are away.

SeaHorseQueen · Feb 23, 2023

This is what I have planned at the moment because I don’t have anyone to check on these guys without paying a lot of money per visit (and that’s after checking a professional company). Since I can’t feed the pods in my culture, I’ll harvest my whole culture the night before I leave into the display. Any die-off’s I’m sure he’ll still eat them regardless. The tank should be able to hand all pods being 9 months old. But it would be better to feed him than let them die in the culture tank and waste them. I can buy more when I get back. At least then I can do better on my next culture.

Lost in the Sauce · Feb 23, 2023

vtecintegra said:
I would just buy several bottles of copepods and pour them in before leaving.

Thank you!!

Why did it take So long for someone to state the obvious.... The Mandy needs pods... Pods will live and Breed in OP tank.. PUT PODS IN THE TANK OP.

davidcalgary29 · Feb 23, 2023

I'd also consider dumping in a bunch of chaeto or halymenia if a) you don't mind the potential contamination and b) can get a clean source. That stuff is always loaded with 'pods, and is a great nursery for them, as well.

SeaHorseQueen · Feb 23, 2023

Lost in the Sauce said:
Thank you!!

Why did it take So long for someone to state the obvious.... The Mandy needs pods... Pods will live and Breed in OP tank.. PUT PODS IN THE TANK OP.

Did you even read my above post about dumping my whole culture pods in? I doubt you did or you wouldn’t be yelling.

Lost in the Sauce · Feb 23, 2023

SeaHorseQueen said:
Did you even read my above post about dumping my whole culture pods in? I doubt you did or you wouldn’t be yelling.

Nope. Read your first post where you had come to the conclusion that Taking a fish on vacation, was the only option to feed it, which is quite honestly a laughable thought.

You're either overestimating how much it eats in ten days, underestimating how long it can go without a top off of pods(which is a full different issue), underestimating the difficulty in transporting and safely housing a fragile fish, maybe underestimating how many pods there actually are.

Possibly all of the above to come to the conclusion that Taking it is the Only option.

Unless you've got a tank full of pod hunters that are starving it out (in which case, you shouldn't have gotten it in the first place) you will not kill a Mandy, by not topping off pods for ten days. They live in mostly sterile, 8x8 boxes at shops for weeks and months. They aren't dumping pods in for it.

Tired · Feb 23, 2023

Dumping the entire culture in sounds like an excellent plan. Maybe leave a scattering in the culture tank and see if they've bred by the time you get back; copepods don't need that much care. I had 'em breeding in a newly established quarantine tank after accidentally introducing some in LFS bag water.

Regardless of what conditions they manage to not die of in LFS holding, fish should be well-fed, and concern about feeding a fish appropriately is a good thing. Better to be overly worried than under-worried, even if the conclusion would be impractical.

MelancholyBlenny · Feb 23, 2023

Lost in the Sauce said:
Thank you!!

Why did it take So long for someone to state the obvious.... The Mandy needs pods... Pods will live and Breed in OP tank.. PUT PODS IN THE TANK OP.

This, anytime i leave for more than 4-5 days I just buy a bottle or 2 of 5280 pods and dump them in the night before. Mandy has always been fine when I get back.

SeaHorseQueen · Feb 24, 2023

Lost in the Sauce said:
Nope. Read your first post where you had come to the conclusion that Taking a fish on vacation, was the only option to feed it, which is quite honestly a laughable thought.

You're either overestimating how much it eats in ten days, underestimating how long it can go without a top off of pods(which is a full different issue), underestimating the difficulty in transporting and safely housing a fragile fish, maybe underestimating how many pods there actually are.

Possibly all of the above to come to the conclusion that Taking it is the Only option.

Unless you've got a tank full of pod hunters that are starving it out (in which case, you shouldn't have gotten it in the first place) you will not kill a Mandy, by not topping off pods for ten days. They live in mostly sterile, 8x8 boxes at shops for weeks and months. They aren't dumping pods in for it.

He’s the only pod eater in there. My situation is whether he’ll go through all the pods because they’re typically gone in a couple days not matter how many I put in there. I dumped two jars of ecopods in and never seen them again two days later. Top reason why I hatch BBS (gut loaded) constantly for him so the pods can catch a break. Otherwise, I’ll mix in tiger pods with what is in the display. If I just dump practically my whole 5.5g culture in then he’ll likely be fine until I get home. I’ve had him since late October and is wild caught.