How to quarantine a mandarin goby

[Miami Reef]

My tank cannot afford to take a single ich parasite. I quarantined everything wet.

I really want a mandarin goby. How can I be positive it’s not carrying parasites that will infect my other fish?

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Tamberav]

My tank cannot afford to take a single ich parasite. I quarantined everything wet.

I really want a mandarin goby. How can I be positive it’s not carrying parasites that will infect my other fish?

@Jay Hemdal

Buy a captive bred one that eats prepared foods directly from the breeder. Like off biotas website. Not only will it be easier to QT it since it is eating (I had to use very small foods like crushed pellets and ova as they are tiny) but way less chance it is carrying anything.

Don’t buy from a LFS or Live Aquaria. Get it from the breeder. No changing of hands.

I would not QT it with copper. I would use CP or hybrid TTM. Some use observation but they are disease resistant fish. Chances will be low it has something since it is from the captive source so you could just take a chance and add it.

Keep in mind. These fish are tiny! They do grow at a good pace though.

If you do go with a wild one then take a month to culture live white worms and then hatch fresh baby brine shrimp (do not buy live brine, they are already too old) or culture pods to dose and feed in QT.

You could also just buy one from a place that QTs fish if you trust someone else to do it for you like dr reef or TSM.

 

[Little c big D]

I've heard good things about TSM. Also captive bred from biota is a fantastic suggestion. You could QT that but it's likley in good health.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

My tank cannot afford to take a single ich parasite. I quarantined everything wet.

I really want a mandarin goby. How can I be positive it’s not carrying parasites that will infect my other fish?

@Jay Hemdal

I don't have a good answer to that - Mandarins are an issue for me as well. As @Tamberav said - getting a tank raised one direct from the breeder is key. What I typically do is put one in our fishless coral prop system for 90 days and feed it live brine and live mysids (that we raise).

Another option, that I haven't tried myself, would be buy some live pods and run it through TTM. Mandarins hate unstable tanks with no food (like TTM buckets) but with live pods, I think that would help keep their energy up during the process. The trouble with TTM is that it works well from Cryptocaryon, but doesn't do anything for flukes. Its efficacy against velvet is also suspect.

Jay

 

[Flame2hawk]

I understand Mandarin are very parasite resistant. Especially tank raised ( biota). While they might be resistant, can they be a carrier and thus give it to others?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I understand Mandarin are very parasite resistant. Especially tank raised ( biota). While they might be resistant, can they be a carrier and thus give it to others?

Definitely! They don't seem to develop certain fluke infections, but they can carry marine ich and velvet, as well as Brooklynella. The Biota fish, if you get them directly, or if the dealer doesn't mix them into tanks with other fish, are going to have a VERY low parasite load. Trouble is; dealers get these tank raised fish and put them in systems with wild caught fish, exposing them to whatever disease might be present.

Jay