Eienna
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Getting mandarin to eat frozen, nothing works
- Thread starter sredzins
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Read up on copepods, very important for the Mandarin's long term survival.
Speaking from experience, no matter how much or how long you feed prepared your Mandarin will not survive for long without a healthy, thriving pod population. There is no way you or anyone for that matter can keep up with the feeding requirements these fish demand. As stated above, 10 feedings a day! Imagine what that will do to your tank alone long term.
I did it for a year! It was hell!! And my Scooter died anyways
I know how bad you want a Mandarin! Most reefers do! But a responsible reefer knows when to love from afar. I do now!!!
I'm not saying you could never have one in a 50g. But at least wait until your tank has had time to mature. At least two years.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_2/copepods.htm
Speaking from experience, no matter how much or how long you feed prepared your Mandarin will not survive for long without a healthy, thriving pod population. There is no way you or anyone for that matter can keep up with the feeding requirements these fish demand. As stated above, 10 feedings a day! Imagine what that will do to your tank alone long term.
I did it for a year! It was hell!! And my Scooter died anyways
I know how bad you want a Mandarin! Most reefers do! But a responsible reefer knows when to love from afar. I do now!!!
I'm not saying you could never have one in a 50g. But at least wait until your tank has had time to mature. At least two years.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_2/copepods.htm
My pod population is fine from what I can see on the glass and in the refugium but I will be dosing pods every few weeks just to stay on top of it. I'm just happy its feeding on something besides the pods in the tank. I've done ridiculous amounts of research. From other reading, feeding mysis and other food is much higher in protein and other nutrients than pods. I realize I am not relying on frozen food for a main food source at all, but it will sure help to supplement with it. I've done my research and waiting for the fish. But you're right I will have to watch my self for over feeding
Eienna
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IMO, if you can get it eating new life spectrum small fish pellets, you'll be ahead of the curve. Those pellets are jam-packed nutritionally.
you guys are crazy!
my first sw tank about 15 years ago, I went into petco :doh: bought a 29g eclipse "sw system" sand,rock, snails, a 3" sohal tang 2 damsels and a mandarin! DONT BUY YOUR FIRST TANK FROM PETCO!!! anyway I had the fish floating waiting for the water to clear from the sand. no pods in this system at all and again 29g tank
I started reading about the fish I just bought. :brick:
I got the mandarin eating "bloodworms" within 3 days (like I said with nothing but prepared food to look at they figure out fast it is food) he lived 3 years in my care eating formula 1 & 2 pellets, fresh maine shrimp eggs.
he only died because I was messing around in the tank and he got stuck under some macro algae
the mandarin i have now ive had 8-9 years and she started eating in the first 2 days as well. I have also trained more mandarins,scooters than i can count to eat this way......
my first sw tank about 15 years ago, I went into petco :doh: bought a 29g eclipse "sw system" sand,rock, snails, a 3" sohal tang 2 damsels and a mandarin! DONT BUY YOUR FIRST TANK FROM PETCO!!! anyway I had the fish floating waiting for the water to clear from the sand. no pods in this system at all and again 29g tank
I started reading about the fish I just bought. :brick:
I got the mandarin eating "bloodworms" within 3 days (like I said with nothing but prepared food to look at they figure out fast it is food) he lived 3 years in my care eating formula 1 & 2 pellets, fresh maine shrimp eggs.
he only died because I was messing around in the tank and he got stuck under some macro algae
the mandarin i have now ive had 8-9 years and she started eating in the first 2 days as well. I have also trained more mandarins,scooters than i can count to eat this way......
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Hello All
I am new here but anyways
My Mandarin went into the tank and for the first 6 months would not eat any prepared food at all. Then all of a sudden one day when I was feeding the rest of the tank he came up to the top and ate with the rest of the fish.
Now he eats right from the end of the turkey baster but it is key to distract the other fish while doing so.
So I guess with my experience is to be patient and I guess he will tell you when he wants to eat.
Currently he eats Mysis, Rod's, Bloodworms (Fresh and Frozen)
I am new here but anyways
My Mandarin went into the tank and for the first 6 months would not eat any prepared food at all. Then all of a sudden one day when I was feeding the rest of the tank he came up to the top and ate with the rest of the fish.
Now he eats right from the end of the turkey baster but it is key to distract the other fish while doing so.
So I guess with my experience is to be patient and I guess he will tell you when he wants to eat.
Currently he eats Mysis, Rod's, Bloodworms (Fresh and Frozen)
Ozzy
Active Member
Would love to see a pic!!Are you saying that a Mandarin can be kept happy & healthy by eating nothing but prepared foods?
Here ya go. I am sure he eats on pods in my tank as well, but he does eat like a hog when I feed prepared. As I do keep a close eye on him just in case. Worst case I would just have to dose pods on occasion. But keeping them in a 40g w 20g sump/fuge works for me. I would love to get him into a larger system just don't have the room and really don't want to tear down a larger tank when i get orders for a different base.
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laga77
Active Member
I started 2 pod cultures 3 weeks ago. They consist of 2 five gallon buckets, with an airline, heater, a few small pieces of live rock from my sump and a spare filter pad. The water parameters are the same as the tank. I bought some pods on-line and split the bottle between the two buckets. I am running two buckets just in case one of them crashes. I let them sit for ten days only topping off. Now, every 3-5 days I siphon half of the water out of the bottom of the buckets into a sieve and get hundreds of pods. After rinsing, they go into the tank. My Mandarin looks very healthy. He also will eat bloodworms if it floats right at him.
