I'm living in Egypt & I don't have any access to buy live copepods... Do you think it will be a good idea to add a mandarin fish to my tank & get it to eat anything else? or will I succeed in nothing but killing this beautiful innocent creature?
Mandarin Fish
- Thread starter Tony13
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AlexG
Valuable Member
Are there pods living in the aquarium now? How big is the aquarium? Do you have live rock in the aquarium or access to live rock? If the aquarium is big enough and a pod population can be maintained it would be possible to keep one. Otherwise I would not get one unless it can be seen eating prepared foods and has been on them for a while with a full belly.
I would not risk it. Everything I've read they rarely eat anything but live pods. A while back I ordered pods online put them in my tank and they reproduced like crazy. They were called tiger pods. Good luck.
Dtackett
Valuable Member
you can do it. while mandarins prefer live pods, many will eat other things such as fresh, wild, undyed fish eggs, baby brine shrimp, and some even will take frozen. you can also grow your own pods with the help of rock rubble, cheato, and a sponge. they will breed freely in the rubble and sponge (sponge also makes it easy to transfer to display tank) and the cheato provides them plenty of food.
The answers you seek will only be found from those who have actually kept the Mandarin. My own personal experience has been, after trying to keep 3 over a 2yr period all died. IME these fish cannot be kept thriving on prepared foods alone. It just goes right through them. Leaving them weak and prone to disease. Yes they'll eat it. No they will not survive long. They must have pods period!
Pfisherman
Active Member
The number one question has already been asked, is there a sustained population of pods? If so, I will move you on to the number two question and number three question.
2. Do you have a sufficient amount of live rock for the pods to hide and reproduce? Keep in mind that other fish eat them also.
3. Is your display capable of supporting the goby? They are constantly on the hunt so a bigger tank makes supporting the mandarin more feasible.
Mine has been with me for about nine months at least, maybe a year and he eats rods food and LRS reef frenzy as well as pods. The pods are no longer visible in my 40 us gallon breeder display. They are however thriving in my sump. I no longer add pods
2. Do you have a sufficient amount of live rock for the pods to hide and reproduce? Keep in mind that other fish eat them also.
3. Is your display capable of supporting the goby? They are constantly on the hunt so a bigger tank makes supporting the mandarin more feasible.
Mine has been with me for about nine months at least, maybe a year and he eats rods food and LRS reef frenzy as well as pods. The pods are no longer visible in my 40 us gallon breeder display. They are however thriving in my sump. I no longer add pods
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Pods will readily multiply in a tank. After a few months the population will stabilize and be able to support a mandarin, as long as their is sufficient live rock and no other pod hunting fish. Piles of rubble can create mini refugia for pods to reproduce.
