MANDARINS- ANYONE HAVE SUCCESS WITH THEM

[RJ Harris]

Had mine for aBout a year now. After 6 months I started training him to eat frozen foods. Took a lot of time spent with him but when he ate that first frozen mysis it was so exciting. I've had a lot of people at my lfs say its pretty remarkable that it's happened. But it has been done and I have proof as im sure a few people on here do too

 

[Buskyboy13]

I currently have a pair of mandarins that were spawning in my previous tank. I normally tell people that they need about a 6 month pod population to get them started. In that time period I start offering live brine (I turn all the pumps off, feed the fish, then spot feed the mandarins). Once they are eatting the live brine I start mixing frozen brine. Once they are eatting frozen it's fairly easy to get them to eat PE Mysis. It's also best to feed them a couple times a day when first starting becuase adult live brine lack proper nutrition.

 

[Liquid360]

Massive Copepod Population Explossion
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Massive-Copepod-Population-Explossion.236432/

 

[rjl45]

I have had my red mandarin for 7 months. Rescued him from a LFS, probably a day or 2 before he was going to die. He was clearly starving, severely shrunken belly with the strong "arrow" body shape. Put him into my 24 gallon that had a very healthy pod population, pods so thick on the glass it looked cloudy. Well, he decimated those in 2 days. Fortunately, I had my culture started. I culture phyto and tisbe. Both are very easy to get going and maintain. Also used Algae Barn until my culture was strong enough to support him.

 

[numsie]

Here is mine, now over 2 years old and quite fat. I have a large refugium loaded with pods that I get from The AlgaeBarn.

 

[dark waters]

Im trying useing a galaxy s 2

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THANK YOU FOR SHARING.... CONTINUED GOOD LUCK TO YOU WITH HIM OR HER

 

[dark waters]

They are a great addition to a tank. You need a good pod population. I also have 2 wrasse in my tank. So I culture pods. Not hard at all. But an extra thing to do. I always have a culture of phyto going cause it got expensive feeding phyto. Once started no cost at all to keep going.

WOW WHAT A BEAUTY

 

[dark waters]

My Mojo... chunky & healthy!! I've fed him AlgaeBarn pods since Day 1. I also have a prodiminate wrasse tank.

NOW THIS GUY OR GAL HAS NOT MISSED A MEAL FOR SURE LOL....BEAUTIFUL PIC....THANKS FOR SHARING

 

[dark waters]

Mojo...

I HUMBLY ASK THAT YOU SHARING YOUR METHOD AND SET UP THE KEEP YOUR MANDARIN PLUMP....THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[Crystalsreef]

Well, ive had mine for about 9 months now. He is doing great. When i bought him i started adding tisbe (i think this was the brand) i was getting a 12oz bottle once a month and just dumped the whole bottle for about 3 months. Then, i went about 4 months and added another, and well, thats been it. Once a week i break out the night light to make sure there are still rodifers crawling about. Still a good amount in there. But i was doing my regular frozen mysis feeding of the tank and saw my manderain eating that too. He is beautiful. Im looking for him a mate.
I have a mixed reef that consist of 2 black damselfish, 2 blue chromis, a firefish, a yellow tang, a boxer (coral banded) shrimp, 1 lawnmower blenny, 2 clowns, 2 pajama cardinals, 3 cling fish, a tube anemone, and a mix of corals, snails, a fighting conch, and hermit crabs, oh and my raggid seahare. The only thing besides my maderian that hunts the pods seems to be the coral banded shrimp (he also hunts bristle worms)

 

[Crystalsreef]

Here is another view of my mandee...

 

[Crystalsreef]

My Mojo... chunky & healthy!! I've fed him AlgaeBarn pods since Day 1. I also have a prodiminate wrasse tank.

I think you got a girl. I know with the variety i have, the males have thread like part on the dorsal fin. The female has a flatter one.

 

[dark waters]

Here is another view of my mandee...

WOW VERY BEAUTY..... AND TISBE ONE STRAIN OF COPEPOD. THEY ARE SMALLER BUT MULTIPLY QUICKER FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.

 

[Crystalsreef]

WOW VERY BEAUTY..... AND TISBE ONE STRAIN OF COPEPOD. THEY ARE SMALLER BUT MULTIPLY QUICKER FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.

Oh. I couldnt remember. I know i was getting them at a decent price, and then the price went double, so i just started monitoring to make sure i had a good population going on. They are all throughout my rockwork and sand bed. He is my favorite fish.

 

[dark waters]

I have had my red mandarin for 7 months. Rescued him from a LFS, probably a day or 2 before he was going to die. He was clearly starving, severely shrunken belly with the strong "arrow" body shape. Put him into my 24 gallon that had a very healthy pod population, pods so thick on the glass it looked cloudy. Well, he decimated those in 2 days. Fortunately, I had my culture started. I culture phyto and tisbe. Both are very easy to get going and maintain. Also used Algae Barn until my culture was strong enough to support him.

POOR FELLA.... WELL AT LEAST HIM OR SHE IS GETTING A BUFFET NOW. GOOD LUCK WITH HIM.

 

[Crystalsreef]

I have had my red mandarin for 7 months. Rescued him from a LFS, probably a day or 2 before he was going to die. He was clearly starving, severely shrunken belly with the strong "arrow" body shape. Put him into my 24 gallon that had a very healthy pod population, pods so thick on the glass it looked cloudy. Well, he decimated those in 2 days. Fortunately, I had my culture started. I culture phyto and tisbe. Both are very easy to get going and maintain. Also used Algae Barn until my culture was strong enough to support him.

She is beautiful. I wish i could find a girl. Around here, everyone only has boys.

 

[Maximizer]

Do you think a 100g tisbe culture could sustain a mandarin? Also would they eat flat worms?

 

[Crystalsreef]

Had mine for aBout a year now. After 6 months I started training him to eat frozen foods. Took a lot of time spent with him but when he ate that first frozen mysis it was so exciting. I've had a lot of people at my lfs say its pretty remarkable that it's happened. But it has been done and I have proof as im sure a few people on here do too

Mine just started on his own. He still hunts pods, but seems to like the frozen also.

 

[dark waters]

HEY RJL45, I WAS WONDERING WHY YOU HAVE THREE BOTTLES OF THE PHYTO? I USE ONE. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS A BETTER BENEFIT TO HAVING MORE THAN ONE BOTTLE?

 

[dark waters]

Do you think a 100g tisbe culture could sustain a mandarin? Also would they eat flat worms?

I'm not an expert but here is a bit of info I found...please look in 5.2.5.2. Harpacticoids. It states that a culture could be started with 10-100 gravid females so it is safe to say they you will need way more pods than 100g.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/W3732E/w3732e0t.htm