Mandarin and separate refugium

[Jasper05]

I am planning a 40 breeder w 20 sump and I know under normal circumstances it would be difficult to keep a mandarin. If I plumbed a separate 25 gal refugium (18x18x18) to help in pod production, would that sustain a mandarin? If not, how much bigger would I have to go? I'm tight on space.

 

[Phil D.]

Yes it would. But, eventually the mandarin will learn to eat frozen unless you get one from your LFS that has been trained. But I would wait a year for your tank to mature before adding a mandarin. You can seed your tank with pods from Reef Nutrition or Algae Barn

 

[Webslinger]

+1

 

[Jasper05]

Yes it would. But, eventually the mandarin will learn to eat frozen unless you get one from your LFS that has been trained. But I would wait a year for your tank to mature before adding a mandarin. You can seed your tank with pods from Reef Nutrition or Algae Barn

I agree with the waiting. How long does it take from the point where pods are introduced? Would that be a year as well?

 

[Phil D.]

I got a mandarin from Live Aquaria and he started to eat frozen shortly after I got him.

 

[afboundguy]

I think it's defiantly possible but I agree that you should wait until your tank is established. If you're upgrading a current set up that wait could be shortened. I'm keeping a mandarin in my 25'ish cube and 3'ish gallon HOB fuge but the tank has been up for almost 10 years and I spent 4+ months setting up phyto, pod, white worm and fresh baby brine shrimp hatcheries. I also made an @Paul B spot feeder, a glass jar with a handle to spot feed them white worms and some DIY pod hotels out of corrugated plastic and bought an aquacultured mandarin that was already eating prepared foods...

 

[Jasper05]

So I'm going to get a 24×24x12 (30 gal) tank as a separate refugium. I'm hoping that combined with the display, enough pods will produce. I also plan on getting captive bred.

I'll wait a year until I introduce mandarin, but how long does it take to produce a sufficient pod population to support one.

 

[Fishyfish22]

So I'm going to get a 24×24x12 (30 gal) tank as a separate refugium. I'm hoping that combined with the display, enough pods will produce. I also plan on getting captive bred.

I'll wait a year until I introduce mandarin, but how long does it take to produce a sufficient pod population to support one.

Itll definitely peosuce the pods. But the first thing is it'll take a while for the refugium to be teeming with pods. The second is the fuge should supplement pods to the main tank, meaning you want the rocks and sand bed teeming with pods in addition to the fuge before you add the mandarin.

It might learn frozen. It might not, don't get one counting on it happening. Better to have the pods as a failsafe in case it doesn't. Plus the chaeto growth from the fuge will help with nutrient export as well

 

[Jasper05]

Itll definitely peosuce the pods. But the first thing is it'll take a while for the refugium to be teeming with pods. The second is the fuge should supplement pods to the main tank, meaning you want the rocks and sand bed teeming with pods in addition to the fuge before you add the mandarin.

It might learn frozen. It might not, don't get one counting on it happening. Better to have the pods as a failsafe in case it doesn't. Plus the chaeto growth from the fuge will help with nutrient export as well

Good points all around. Im wondering what the time frame is for a decent pod population to develop?

 

[Fishyfish22]

Good points all around. Im wondering what the time frame is for a decent pod population to develop?

Order some pods online to supplement them. Wait 2 or 3 months. At night put a flashlight to the glas above the sandbed and you'll be able to see how dense the pod population is