new mandarin dragonet is hiding all the time. normal ?

[crazedreefer]

I bought a new Mandarin dragonet. Its a big one so i dont think its captive bred. I seems to be fine healthy looking.. and swims around fine.. breathing normally.. but he stays behind a rock in my tank all day long. I have had him for 3 days now. I have a crap ton of amphipods probably thousands.. at night.. all oved my rocks and sand.

But i dunno why he keeps hiding. I havent seen him come out of the corner once except for when i first put him in.

Is this normal .

 

[Nanoreefer4ever]

He needs time to adjust, let he naturally feel safe in new environment. Try not to look for.him at night with your light too. As long as he look active and wonder it's all good

 

[DibsOnMcRibs]

Is it the big amphipods you have or almost microscopic copepods? Mandarins, in particular a young one, can only eat the latter. But chances are that @Nanoreefer4ever is right. Mine was skittish for the first few months too

 

[crazedreefer]

Mixture some are tiny. Some are pencil tip sized.. some are bigger and very big.

Hes a big mandarin..

Here is his pic in the store. Fyi those are micro bubbles lol not ich

 

[Fishurama]

Something picking on it by chance? Any nip marks or just watch for bullying.
Also as someone else said they don't generally eat large amphipods only the smaller ones and copepods. Wrasse are good for larger amphipods. I recently got a spotted mandarin to be with my scooter and she came out "normally" after about 3 or so days, took about a week to explore the entire tank, now can't leave it alone and hunts all day.
When acclimated and adjusted it should come out just fine. My 2 roam the tank together.

 

[crazedreefer]

Nothing picks on it. Ill just keep waiting i guess and hope he comes out eventually

 

[Fishurama]

Nothing picks on it. Ill just keep waiting i guess and hope he comes out eventually

Thats the best thing you can do, just wait it out, in the mean time get some reefroids(or similar), mysis/brine(depending on size), or other meaty food and mix it up and try to get it trained to eat frozen. They can eat a couple thousand copepods a day depending on size and will diminish your tank pretty quick depending on size of course. Hope it comes out soon

 

[crazedreefer]

I have a 150g tank with like 170lbs of rock thats pretty mature. Id be shocked if he depleted the tank quickly

 

[homer1475]

Mandarin is that one fsh that you wish you could see all the time. but in reality you'll be lucky to see it once a week.

I haven't seen mine other then flashes here and there in months.

 

[Nanoreefer4ever]

When it happy you will see it picking on the rock all day and hovering around really cool

 

[Seanislav]

Give him some time to get his bearings. Once he figures out where the food is and if no one's harassing him, he'll get more adventurous and start exploring.

 

[Saltyanimals]

Mandarin is that one fsh that you wish you could see all the time. but in reality you'll be lucky to see it once a week.

I haven't seen mine other then flashes here and there in months.

This would be a out of character for most mannies. I’ve had 3 personally in various tanks and typically out in the open as others have said here. Makes me wonder if yours is being picked on or something that makes it feel unsafe. Yes they hide for days initially which is typical of any new fish.

 

[homer1475]

No mine just spend the entire day hunting pods within the rockwork.

I'm not saying I never see her, she does sleep in the left front corner of my tank, so I see her ever morning. But she spends 99% of the day hunting within my rockwork. Most mandies I have had, do this. You see quick glimpses of them, then off to find another pod.

 

[Saltyanimals]

No mine just spend the entire day hunting pods within the rockwork.

I'm not saying I never see her, she does sleep in the left front corner of my tank, so I see her ever morning. But she spends 99% of the day hunting within my rockwork. Most mandies I have had, do this. You see quick glimpses of them, then off to find another pod.

That’s great! Then your wish came true. . You now see your fish all the time.