Mandarin Fish question

[Stew18]

I have a couple questions regarding Mandarin Fish......

How do you QT Mandarin fish if you don't have a pod population in your QT?

I also heard that madarin fish do not get ich? Is this true?

 

[melypr1985]

I have a couple questions regarding Mandarin Fish......

How do you QT Mandarin fish if you don't have a pod population in your QT?

I also heard that madarin fish do not get ich? Is this true?

It's difficult to quarantine mandarins that arn't eating frozen. You can buy pods and add them to the tank. Quarantine is a good place to start trying to get them to eat frozen foods as well. I like tank transfer method for ich treatment since it's fast and pretty easy to accomplish especially if they arn't eating you want to get them through it pretty quick. They CAN get it, but are resistant to it because of their thick slime coats. I still suggest running TTM for them since they dont do well with copper.

 

[4FordFamily]

It's difficult to quarantine mandarins that arn't eating frozen. You can buy pods and add them to the tank. Quarantine is a good place to start trying to get them to eat frozen foods as well. I like tank transfer method for ich treatment since it's fast and pretty easy to accomplish especially if they arn't eating you want to get them through it pretty quick. They CAN get it, but are resistant to it because of their thick slime coats. I still suggest running TTM for them since they dont do well with copper.

Yes. They are resistant to it but can ABSOLUTELY carry ich and velvet. You are taking a gamble by doing TTM so cross your fingers. This only because velvet is unaffected by it.

 

[Stew18]

Meredith,

So I took out my 4 fish from the display 5 days ago to start my 76 days I gave 2 fish away and kept 2 and put them in a 30 gallon qt. I bought the copper and the copper test kit that I am told I do for 3 weeks. It is also my understanding that when I get fish from live aquaria I will put them in my QT and do the 3 week cycle of the the copper?

All this being said I am planning to hold off on the copper treatment until the last 3 weeks because I plan on buying a couple more fish. Is this idea ok?

Thanks

 

[melypr1985]

Yes. They are resistant to it but can ABSOLUTELY carry ich and velvet. You are taking a gamble by doing TTM so cross your fingers. This only because velvet is unaffected by it.

very true. They just dont handle copper well and it's really hard to feed them live pods in the copper. Eh. I mentioned TTM as an option because you can feed live pods and it doesn't use copper to do.
Absolutely a gamble with the velvet that they can carry into the tank. CP is a good option for that though

 

[4FordFamily]

Meredith,

So I took out my 4 fish from the display 5 days ago to start my 76 days I gave 2 fish away and kept 2 and put them in a 30 gallon qt. I bought the copper and the copper test kit that I am told I do for 3 weeks. It is also my understanding that when I get fish from live aquaria I will put them in my QT and do the 3 week cycle of the the copper?

All this being said I am planning to hold off on the copper treatment until the last 3 weeks because I plan on buying a couple more fish. Is this idea ok?

Thanks

Sounds good but I would do 4 weeks.

 

[melypr1985]

Meredith,

So I took out my 4 fish from the display 5 days ago to start my 76 days I gave 2 fish away and kept 2 and put them in a 30 gallon qt. I bought the copper and the copper test kit that I am told I do for 3 weeks. It is also my understanding that when I get fish from live aquaria I will put them in my QT and do the 3 week cycle of the the copper?

All this being said I am planning to hold off on the copper treatment until the last 3 weeks because I plan on buying a couple more fish. Is this idea ok?

Thanks

I dont like mixing fish in QT. You have one batch in there already with a parasite. Then you add more from somewhere else and possibly introduce a different parasite, or the same one but a different strain. It makes it hard to keep up with what your treating for. Though, if your going to do it, wait until all the fish are in there then treat.... just like your planning. Just remember it's a risk. 3ford is right... 4 weeks would be better

 

[Stew18]

ok I am learning thank you

 

[melypr1985]

ok I am learning thank you

Smart and you have a good thought process going there. keep asking questions!

 

[Stew18]

ok another one..........

My QT tank is in the garage on my workbench. It is an acrylic tank but does not have a light. It just has the light from the garage that I keep on during the day. But no where near as bright as my display. Do I need a light? I just feel bad for the 2 fish. Im sure the betta likes it cause they like the dark.

My other fish is a diamond goby and with no sand in the tank I feel like he is going to go insane ?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I've been trying to figure this out myself. I really want a mandarin in my next tank, but with ll the tangs I'm planning for it, there's no way I will risk putting any fish in it that hasn't been treated for ich. Not sure what to do...I've thought about using a big wad of chaeto from my fuge for feeding (since it would be pod infested), but I think any ich treatments would kill the pods, right?

 

[melypr1985]

ok another one..........

My QT tank is in the garage on my workbench. It is an acrylic tank but does not have a light. It just has the light from the garage that I keep on during the day. But no where near as bright as my display. Do I need a light? I just feel bad for the 2 fish. Im sure the betta likes it cause they like the dark.

My other fish is a diamond goby and with no sand in the tank I feel like he is going to go insane ?

Dont worry about the light. They dont. I just use the ambient light in my living room for light, unless I need to be able to see them really well to view for spots/stress whatever else. But they dont need a bright light, just enough to tell them when it's day and night.

 

[melypr1985]

I've been trying to figure this out myself. I really want a mandarin in my next tank, but with ll the tangs I'm planning for it, there's no way I will risk putting any fish in it that hasn't been treated for ich. Not sure what to do...I've thought about using a big wad of chaeto from my fuge for feeding (since it would be pod infested), but I think any ich treatments would kill the pods, right?

Copper would, and I'm sure CP would as well- never tried it. I think your best bet, is to QT the mandarin and start off with observation and try getting it weened onto frozen foods. When you get it eating frozen enough so it doesn't starve during the 30 days copper treatment, then start. That's my best advice.... get it eating then do it. Afterwords it doesn't really matter if it keeps eating the frozen cause it will go into the DT, although it's a plus if it keeps eating the frozen food.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Copper would, and I'm sure CP would as well- never tried it. I think your best bet, is to QT the mandarin and start off with observation and try getting it weened onto frozen foods. When you get it eating frozen enough so it doesn't starve during the 30 days copper treatment, then start. That's my best advice.... get it eating then do it. Afterwords it doesn't really matter if it keeps eating the frozen cause it will go into the DT, although it's a plus if it keeps eating the frozen food.

That's a good process. It would take some time, but I think that makes excellent sense. Just wish it was easier to get these guys eating frozen.

 

[melypr1985]

That's a good process. It would take some time, but I think that makes excellent sense. Just wish it was easier to get these guys eating frozen.

Truer words my friend. It's hard, but it's the best road I can see.

 

[Stew18]

Meredith - what is the best way to get them to eat frozen in a qt? Whats the process and what if they don't?

 

[melypr1985]

Meredith - what is the best way to get them to eat frozen in a qt? Whats the process and what if they don't?

Just try different frozen foods, target feed. The hope is that he will get hungry and start eating it. Pretty much keep trying and hope. lol Patience is key as with everything in this hobby.

 

[dnyceli]

That's a good process. It would take some time, but I think that makes excellent sense. Just wish it was easier to get these guys eating frozen.

I have been wanting a mandarin for a long time. Going to my LFS all the time to see if they have one that is eating frozen. Found one and now he eats frozen and small pellets