mandarin vs. scooter dragonet. Which one would be better?

[Neros503]

I've been keeping fish for a bit now and am looking to get my first dragonet after lots of research. I know I want to get a captive bred, but I'm not sure which is the best to start with. What would you recommend?
-> link to Biota mandarin
-> link to ORA scooter dragonet

 

[xxkenny90xx]

They are both pretty hardy if you have a ton of pods so this will come down to personal preference. Fwiw I like the mandarin

 

[OrionN]

Mandarin Dragonet, Synchiropus splendidus, wins hands down. Bring on the best picture of a Scooter Dragonet, Synchiropus stellatus, you can find. There is no way it can compare to the beauty of a Mandarin.

Maybe a Synchiropus sycorax, the Ruby Red Dragonet but but not the Scooter Dragonet

 

[Neros503]

They are both pretty hardy if you have a ton of pods so this will come down to personal preference. Fwiw I like the mandarin

So scooters aren't easier to acclimate to aquarium foods like frozen? Also, I'm definitely leaning towards mandarin. Just thought that if scooters were easier to feed, and are cheaper than it would make more sense to get one.

 

[Neros503]

Mandarin Dragonet, Synchiropus splendidus, wins hands down. Bring on the best picture of a Scooter Dragonet, Synchiropus stellatus, you can find. There is no way it can compare to the beauty of a Mandarin.

Maybe a Synchiropus sycorax, the Ruby Red Dragonet but but not the Scooter Dragonet

I 100% agree that mandarins (especially the blue and green ones) look a lot more beautiful, but as I already stated, I thought the scooters were easier to care for.

 

[lavoisier]

I have had both and although I really liked my scooter you can tell from my profile which I like best.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

So scooters aren't easier to acclimate to aquarium foods like frozen? Also, I'm definitely leaning towards mandarin. Just thought that if scooters were easier to feed, and are cheaper than it would make more sense to get one.

I have heard that but I wouldn't let that be a deciding factor. Scooters and mandarins eat copapods. That is their diet. If yours will eat frozen foods then that is great but it will only be a small part of it's diet

 

[Neros503]

Thank you all for the advice. I think it's pretty obvious which one I'm going to get. I've been contacting my lfs if they can get captive bred fish for me, but they haven't said if they can for sure yet, so if I can't get it at the lfs, whats the best place to get it from? and should I get it from ORA or Biota?

 

[Rubymoon286]

I have a pair of each, and love them, though, a complete antecedent for you, I feel as though I see fewer pods in the tank with the mandarins than with my scooters, and they seem to be hardier.

That said, if you're willing to keep up on adding pods and be super vigilant on water quality, go with mandarins if that's what you prefer the look of

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Thank you all for the advice. I think it's pretty obvious which one I'm going to get. I've been contacting my lfs if they can get captive bred fish for me, but they haven't said if they can for sure yet, so if I can't get it at the lfs, whats the best place to get it from? and should I get it from ORA or Biota?

I believe algae barn has them in stock. And algae barn is a great company to order from. Hey have you looked into breeding baby brine shrimp and making a diy Paul b mandarin feeder?

 

[Neros503]

I believe algae barn has them in stock. And algae barn is a great company to order from. Hey have you looked into breeding baby brine shrimp and making a diy Paul b mandarin feeder?

That's where I was going to order but I'm still waiting for now for my pod population to increase more. I am familiar with the Paul b feeder, but I have know idea how he made it. Does he show how anywhere? I don't currently have a brine shrimp hatchery, but I plan to make one in the near future.

 

[Neros503]

I have a pair of each, and love them, though, a complete antecedent for you, I feel as though I see fewer pods in the tank with the mandarins than with my scooters, and they seem to be hardier.

That said, if you're willing to keep up on adding pods and be super vigilant on water quality, go with mandarins if that's what you prefer the look of

I don't have much money to spend on buying too many copepods and the scooter dragonets are cheaper so I think maybe I'll just think about it for awhile.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

That's where I was going to order but I'm still waiting for now for my pod population to increase more. I am familiar with the Paul b feeder, but I have know idea how he made it. Does he show how anywhere? I don't currently have a brine shrimp hatchery, but I plan to make one in the near future.

@Paul B talks about it a bit if you scroll down on this page. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/thanks-paulb-mandarin-feeder.263752/
I always have trouble finding the actual instruction page.

And if you scroll down on this page I talk about my diy hatchery https://www.pnwmas.org/forums/topic/48789-brine-shrimp-hatchery/?tab=comments#comment-473586

 

[Neros503]

@Paul B talks about it a bit if you scroll down on this page. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/thanks-paulb-mandarin-feeder.263752/
I always have trouble finding the actual instruction page.

And if you scroll down on this page I talk about my diy hatchery https://www.pnwmas.org/forums/topic/48789-brine-shrimp-hatchery/?tab=comments#comment-473586

Thank you!

 

[Paul B]

This may help you.

 

[N.Sreefer]

This is a good video for a brine shrimp hatchery. Buddy has ALOT of click bait crap on his YouTube page but the brine shrimp hatchery set up works really well.

 

[N.Sreefer]

This is a good video for a brine shrimp hatchery. Buddy has ALOT of click bait crap on his YouTube page but the brine shrimp hatchery set up works really well.

 

[Neros503]

This may help you.

Thank you. How often do you have to add live brine to the feeder?

 

[Neros503]

I've watched this one quite a few times and think it's a great design and I'm going to try it as soon as I can.

 

[Paul B]

Thank you. How often do you have to add live brine to the feeder?

Every day