Mandrinfish and no refrigium?

[Mackey]

Hey ya'll,
So I set up a 20 long reef tank about 2 1/2 months ago and I don't have a sump, currently it has hob skimmers and filters along with LR, and it has a decent amount of pods, from what I've seen and I'd really love to get a Mandrinfish.
I am wondering if it would be possible to get a mandrin now, let him eat the pods currently there and frozen brine shrimp etc and while he's doing that I could set up refriugium or something along those lines. There is a little bit of a time crunch because I'm about to submit an order for LiveAquaria and they are on sale. Also his tankmates are a Clownfish and a Flame Hawkfish (still in QT)
I am planning to start a Pulsing Xenia colony as well
Thanks for any help!

Ps: If you could also help me figure out how to build a Copepod breeding tank, I would also be very appreciative.

 

[Lavey29]

They are difficult fish to maintain and require a well established tank with a sustainable self producing pod population. I have had one for a month now in 80g system with a fuge and 19 months old. They eat thousands of pods daily so your pod population would be gone in a couple of days. I've had to supplement pods and find specific ova fish egg food to sustain him which is pretty costly.

 

[AydenLincoln]

You can by doing one of two things or both buying one/training one to specifically eat frozen/prepared foods more common in aquacultured ones ask your lfs about it or two buying and adding bottles of pods regularly though it would be costly. I’d recommend establishing a large population of pods first and letting the tank get more established.

 

[shootingstar_reef]

I don't know if your display has enough, but you'll have to supplement copepods (ie buy periodically) or buy a fish from a different source that already has them feeding on non-live foods (eg Biota or ORA).

I can't speak to whether a wild specimen would eat thawed brine shrimp.

A refugium is also a copepod breeding area If you are thinking of setting up something fancy, then you'll also have to regularly culture phytoplankton.

Others have trained them to feed on different non-live foods, but it will be up to you to decide if you want to devote the time for that.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Hey ya'll,
So I set up a 20 long reef tank about 2 1/2 months ago and I don't have a sump, currently it has hob skimmers and filters along with LR, and it has a decent amount of pods, from what I've seen and I'd really love to get a Mandrinfish.
I am wondering if it would be possible to get a mandrin now, let him eat the pods currently there and frozen brine shrimp etc and while he's doing that I could set up refriugium or something along those lines. There is a little bit of a time crunch because I'm about to submit an order for LiveAquaria and they are on sale. Also his tankmates are a Clownfish and a Flame Hawkfish (still in QT)
I am planning to start a Pulsing Xenia colony as well
Thanks for any help!

Ps: If you could also help me figure out how to build a Copepod breeding tank, I would also be very appreciative.

You could use some kind of system like this and grow them weekly to add to your mandarin system. This is what I do. And I sell some to my friends because I grow sooo many pods

PhytoTank CL Copepod System

poseidonreefsystems.com

 

[Tamberav]

Hey ya'll,
So I set up a 20 long reef tank about 2 1/2 months ago and I don't have a sump, currently it has hob skimmers and filters along with LR, and it has a decent amount of pods, from what I've seen and I'd really love to get a Mandrinfish.
I am wondering if it would be possible to get a mandrin now, let him eat the pods currently there and frozen brine shrimp etc and while he's doing that I could set up refriugium or something along those lines. There is a little bit of a time crunch because I'm about to submit an order for LiveAquaria and they are on sale. Also his tankmates are a Clownfish and a Flame Hawkfish (still in QT)
I am planning to start a Pulsing Xenia colony as well
Thanks for any help!

Ps: If you could also help me figure out how to build a Copepod breeding tank, I would also be very appreciative.

A typical fuge won’t be enough to put one in a 20g in a newer tank.

They can be on sale but a dead one doesn’t save any money. I would get the tank and cultures ready before purchase.

Buying a biota or ORA one would be ideal.

Don’t bother with frozen brine… not great. You want freshly hatched brine that you hatch yourself and can make a feeder using Paul’s method.

 

[Wallace11]

+1 on the captive bred mandarins. They will readily accept frozen food and pellets and you'll have a much higher likelihood of success.

 

[homer1475]

I don't know what everyone is on about with the captive bred mandy. My ORA captive bred mandy that I've had for a few years now, eats nothing but pods.

He used to eat prepared foods, but in a tank full of pods, mine reverted to pods only and doesn't touch any prepared foods I feed the tank.

 

[Koh23]

Its a specific fish and, every case of sucessfull or unsucessfull keeping is diferent.

Some guidelines must be followed, but, in the end, result is not 100% bound to following them.

Lots of rock, fuge if possible. Adding phyto to stimulate pod production. Adding pod from commercial sources. Other competitors for same food.....

Not expert by any means, i was always affraid getting one, didnt want to die in matter of days, but, i bite the bullet, 3 months and counting. Really cannot tell is he fattest and happiest mandarin in the world, or is he barely surviving....

But, he is still here, lots of rock, fuge, no other fish to compete for food. Soon i will be start to add phyto... So, fingers crossed.....

Point is, do what is possibly to do on your end, and hope for the best.

 

[Paul B]

from what I've seen and I'd really love to get a Mandrinfish.

No. That fish will not live long in there no matter how many pods you have or buy. Sorry.
I keep them about ten years but I have an old,not to clean system. I have been keeping them for many years an I could not keep one in a 20 gallon tank.

They are built to eat every few seconds and non living food will not keep them alive more than a few months. A healthy mandarin will eat all the pods in a new 20 gallon tank in a couple of hours.

Sorry again.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would say dont do it, the mandarin will finish off any pods in one week in that small new tank. Then it will start to starve ,then be dead a week later.

There is a very small chance you might be successful if you get a captive bred, but odds are really against it. Be patient, do your research, think about it again next year when you're more experienced.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Copepod cultures are easy to set up and cheap if you need help just shoot me a message and I'll get back to you ASAP

 

[Mackey]

A typical fuge won’t be enough to put one in a 20g in a newer tank.

They can be on sale but a dead one doesn’t save any money. I would get the tank and cultures ready before purchase.

Buying a biota or ORA one would be ideal.

Don’t bother with frozen brine… not great. You want freshly hatched brine that you hatch yourself and can make a feeder using Paul’s method.

Good point about bout death saving no money

Ok, this confirmed my suspicions. I will not be getting a mandrin without a well established tank, Copepod breeding tank, or it being captive bred.

@Jay'sReefBugs thank you so much! I will definitely be contacting you!

And to everyone else, thank you for saving me from a dead fish and a bad decision

 

[steveschuerger]

I’ve had one for about 8 months now. Had a 30 long at the time I got her. Loaded with pods heavily. And added pods once a month for several . She’s now in the 60 that I moved to and still eats live pods, but will eat frozen when offered. Honestly wouldn’t recommend getting one for anything smaller than a 30 and then you need to heavily augment the food supply. I also have a hang on refugium for the AIO tank I have.

 

[Mackey]

Liveaquaria order is in! with no Dragonette. Thanks again everybody!

 

[SlugSnorter]

Hey ya'll,
So I set up a 20 long reef tank about 2 1/2 months ago and I don't have a sump, currently it has hob skimmers and filters along with LR, and it has a decent amount of pods, from what I've seen and I'd really love to get a Mandrinfish.
I am wondering if it would be possible to get a mandrin now, let him eat the pods currently there and frozen brine shrimp etc and while he's doing that I could set up refriugium or something along those lines. There is a little bit of a time crunch because I'm about to submit an order for LiveAquaria and they are on sale. Also his tankmates are a Clownfish and a Flame Hawkfish (still in QT)
I am planning to start a Pulsing Xenia colony as well
Thanks for any help!

Ps: If you could also help me figure out how to build a Copepod breeding tank, I would also be very appreciative.

wait until the tank is older, you can always wait but you can never undo a fish death.