MANDARINS- ANYONE HAVE SUCCESS WITH THEM

dark waters · Feb 25, 2016

twobytwo said:
Here's the two in my 120g. Some users may not agree with how I started with them.

I got them when my dt was fallow, fighting ich. I had a QT going with my fish but had medications in the tank and didn't want the mandarins with them. They both lived in a 5.5gal for about 2 months. It wasn't ideal but it was the only spare tank I had on hand. I think I put in about 20oz of bottled Copepods each month, supplemented with frozen brine and Mysis, and used MarineSnow every few days. They thrived. While the DT was fallow, the Copepods and Amphipod population EXPLODED... it was pretty creepy seeing them everywhere! Anyhow, I put them in the DT when they were ready and they have become nice and fat and just enjoy the day looking for food.

I'm pretty sure I have a male and female. They get along but I haven't seen any type of mating. Do they mate easily in captivity?
I can probably get a better picture up tonight:

PS my source for copepods is Canada Copepods

Glad they are doing good now...and they are beautiful... FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THEY DON'T MATE WELL IN CAPTIVITY....this is why so many are wild caught...

dark waters · Feb 25, 2016

IF ANYONE HAS SUCCESSFULLY BREEDED THEM PLEASE CHIME IN...AND IF YOU DON'T MIND PUT UP SOME PICS OF THE PROCESS...I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW THEY LOOK FRESHLY HATCHED....THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR SHARING

pokerdobe · Feb 25, 2016

dark waters said:
Glad they are doing good now...and they are beautiful... FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THEY DON'T MATE WELL IN CAPTIVITY....this is why so many are wild caught...

They mate fairly often. It's getting the fry to adulthood that is the issue. There is a member on Nano-reef who breeds them.

svogun · Feb 25, 2016

I heard that mandarins did great weaning to Nutramar Ova which isn't available. Does anyone know if/when that is going to be available again?

dark waters · Feb 25, 2016

pokerdobe said:
They mate fairly often. It's getting the fry to adulthood that is the issue. There is a member on Nano-reef who breeds them.

Ok gotcha..... so they do the do easy but dont live well in captivity lol.... that is strange because most animals wont breed if they dont live well in capitivity....lol it
is like making love with two people having the flu lol....if at all possible can you put up the link....thanks in advance

dark waters · Feb 25, 2016

svogun said:
I heard that mandarins did great weaning to Nutramar Ova which isn't available. Does anyone know if/when that is going to be available again?

I talked to them today as a matter of fact....the lady said and I quote....I think they may be working on a plan but I'm not sure.... some animals that are on our site are not available... the lady of them is at lunch and she should be back in an hour....lol that was 2 hours ago eastern time lol

svogun · Feb 25, 2016

Yeah I've been getting the same run around for months with them. This has been ongoing for like two years now.

dark waters · Feb 25, 2016

svogun said:
Yeah I've been getting the same run around for months with them. This has been ongoing for like two years now.

Just talked to them...

dark waters · Feb 25, 2016

FRESH OFF THE PRESS...LOL....I JUST HAD A LENGTHY CONVO WITH LORA FROM ORA... THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY FOR SALE AT THE MOMENT BUT THEY ARE WORKING ON HAVING A HAND FULL AVAILABLE FOR STORES NOT REGULAR FOLKS LIKE US....THE REASON THEY STOPPED WAS THAT FACT THAT WE THE BUYERS WENT FOR THE CHEAPER WILD CAUGHT MANDY AND WE DID NOT WANT TO BUY THE TRAINED ONES AT A HIGHER PRICE.... FROM HER WORDS..."IT TOOK US 2 YEARS TO GET THEM TO THE SELLING STAGE AND THEY DID NOT MAKE CENT OF THE PROJECT".... they have switched to the brown and red scooters....they may be ready in a month or so....

ANOTHER KEY POINT FROM HER.... THE SPOTTED MANDYS ARE MORE HARDY AND LESS FRIEGHTENED THAN THE RED BLUE AND GREEN....AND MAKE SURE THE MANDYS GET A VARIETY OF FOODS...ex. Orange pods tisbe rodifers brine shrimp etc....Keep in mind that if you wish to request one find a local shop that you trust and see if that store has an account opened with them.....

MORE IMPORTANTLY SHE SAYS THAT ALL THE MANDYS FROM THEM ARE TRAINED TO GO INTO A MASON JAR TO EAT PELLETS....THE NAME OF THE PELLETS ARE CALLED NEW LIFE SPECTRUM... IF YOU BUY ONE FROM THEM PLEASE TRY TO CONTACT THEM AND LEARN THEIR FEEDING STRATEGY FIRST HAND....

PERSONALLY I LEARNED ALOT I RATHER GET TRAINED ONE THAN ANOTHER WILD CAUGHT ONE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.... HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE THIS REALLY LIKE MANDYS....OUT

taithao35 · Feb 26, 2016

taithao35 · Feb 26, 2016

I have both for more than 3 years. They just eat pods in the tank

dark waters · Feb 26, 2016

taithao35 said:
I have both for more than 3 years. They just eat pods in the tank

Man that is awesome..... hey I'm noticing a difference in the spotted and blue as far as gurth and substance....what is your thoughts....is one just older or what? And thanks for sharing

dark waters · Feb 26, 2016

taithao35 said:

Man that is awesome.... very beautiful. I'm noticing a difference in gurth and substance between your blue and spotted....what are you thoughts....or is one just older than the other? Thanks in advance for sharing...

Jason edwards · Feb 26, 2016

Farthest I got Mandarin fry was 8 days.

dark waters · Feb 26, 2016

D3monic said:
Farthest I got Mandarin fry was 8 days.

WOW THAT IS SUPER CRAZY....THANKS FOR SHARING...WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT HAPPENED?

Jason edwards · Feb 26, 2016

dark waters said:
WOW THAT IS SUPER CRAZY....THANKS FOR SHARING...WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT HAPPENED?

The fry are super small and require ridiculously small foods in abundance. Most of the places that had success where located near the ocean and had access to sieving the local waters. Being in IL Best I had access to was SS Rotifers which are still too large. I didn't have a basement so all my cultures where in the garage and in the middle of winter it made things difficult. I always seemed to have cultures crash on me at the worst times.

dark waters · Feb 26, 2016

D3monic said:
The fry are super small and require ridiculously small foods in abundance. Most of the places that had success where located near the ocean and had access to sieving the local waters. Being in IL Best I had access to was SS Rotifers which are still too large. I didn't have a basement so all my cultures where in the garage and in the middle of winter it made things difficult. I always seemed to have cultures crash on me at the worst times.

Oh wow thanks for sharing