how to quarantine mandarins?

[Acalin]

Hello, all,

I am planning to add a mandarin to my tank this year, and knowing that they are finiky creatures, I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to quarantine them.
Reason I am asking is because I've read they feed mostly (or only) on pods.
As part of my quarantine regimen, I will have a copper treatment, to make sure they don't bring ich to my DT.
My worry is that if I add pods to the QT, they will die from the copper and was wondering if the mandarin would still eat them.
After the copper, I plan a round or two of prazi and then maybe metroplex. (any counter indications, or advice in regards to this plan)?

Any other suggestions you might have in regards to feeding or caring for them both during quarantine and after, are welcome!

Thank you in advance!

 

[Spare time]

Surprisingly, I have seen copepods do perfectly fine in 2-2.5 ppm copper power. You can also try and target feed the fish a few times a day.


You can also breed your own copepods which will give you a nearly endless supply to add.

 

[Sean Clark]

I would qt them in a system with lots of copepods and rock. I wouldn't medicate a mandarin prophylacticly. But that is just me.

 

[Miami Reef]

Really? I thought copepods die instantly in copper?

If I had to QT a mandarin I’d do tank transfer method and dose a lot of copepods throughout the QT period.

I believe it is stress free and a gentle way to get a mandarin through QT.

 

[Acalin]

Surprisingly, I have seen copepods do perfectly fine in 2-2.5 ppm copper power. You can also try and target feed the fish a few times a day.


You can also breed your own copepods which will give you a nearly endless supply to add.

thanks! I didnt' know they can survive copper, but that's good news.
as far as growing them, yes, that's the plan for long term.
thank you!

 

[Acalin]

Really? I thought copepods die instantly in copper?

If I had to QT a mandarin I’d do tank transfer method and dose a lot of copepods throughout the QT period.

I believe it is stress free and a gentle way to get a mandarin through QT.

ok, but what I want to avoid is that mandarin bringing ich in my DT.
I maybe need to read more but are mandarins extremely sensitive, or why do I see suggestions here that are advising agianst prophylactic treatment of mandarins?
just want to make sure I do it right!

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Just get already QT mandarins from a vendor that specializes in their conditioning. Also biota mandarins are better option captive bred and accept readily available food sources.

 

[Spare time]

thanks! I didnt' know they can survive copper, but that's good news.
as far as growing them, yes, that's the plan for long term.
thank you!

Yes I am not sure what species I saw in the copper but basically they survive a store fish only system. @AlgaeBarn might be able to recommend one species over another for copper

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Where mine was sourced through TSM. Lucky they are close and Cracker Barrel is on the route. Lol

 

[Miami Reef]

ok, but what I want to avoid is that mandarin bringing ich in my DT.
I maybe need to read more but are mandarins extremely sensitive, or why do I see suggestions here that are advising agianst prophylactic treatment of mandarins?
just want to make sure I do it right!

Doing tank transfer will remove the fish from ich! That’s the whole purpose.

We recommend against copper for mandarin because copper WILL kill copepods you will need to dose a lot more than what the mandarin will actually eat since the pods will die prematurely.

I personally think tank transfer is the smartest way to do it.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Look into the tank transfer method to rid the mandarin of ich if he has it.

 

[Miami Reef]

Look into the tank transfer method to rid the mandarin of ich if he has it.

^^^ This!

 

[Spare time]

Doing tank transfer will remove the fish from ich! That’s the whole purpose.

We recommend against copper for mandarin because copper WILL kill copepods you will need to dose a lot more than what the mandarin will actually eat since the pods will die prematurely.

I personally think tank transfer is the smartest way to do it.

No copper will not kill all copepods. See my post.

Also ttm does nothing for velvet.

 

[Hermie]

IMO buy a captive bred and dont QT it

 

[Hermie]

Just get already QT mandarins from a vendor that specializes in their conditioning. Also biota mandarins are better option captive bred and accept readily available food sources.

they are healthier, younger (live longer), conditioned to live in aquariums, have a virtually nonexistant chance of ich or parasites. It's what I did and I don't regret it one bit. I love my little mandarin.

 

[Acalin]

they are healthier, younger (live longer), conditioned to live in aquariums, have a virtually nonexistant chance of ich or parasites. It's what I did and I don't regret it one bit. I love my little mandarin.

The problem is that I live in Canada and it gets a bit more complicated with trying to get the fish from US. If I can avoid adding the extra stress, I would, but then again I am thinking the Canadian LFSs likely import them from the same suppliers in the US.

The other thing is that if my LFS already has a captive breed manadrin for sale, I would assume (but also ask them) that the fish is trained in eating other foods too, not just pods. That would make it easier for QT'ing the fish.
I'm honestly scared of putting a fish that's not QTd in the DT.
Whether I'll end up with doing the tank transfer or something else, I will QT everything that goes into the DT.
I don't want to go through the hassle of having to pull everything out to treat if by chance a new fish is carrying the parasite or another disease. I've been through this pain once and it wasn't a funny experience for me.

Unfortunately I don't really trust any of the local stores to get any fish from them and not QT before putting them in the DT.

Which one would be your trusted source if purchasing the mandarins from US.
If you give me some vendor names, I can do my research, contact them and then decide which way to go.
Thank you for everyone's help and input!