Pod Eater That Isn’t a Mandarin???

[CheckeredPants]

I recently, about a month ago, setup a new tank. The DT is 130g. I’ve added pods from three different vendors for diversity. When I wake up I’ve got 5,763,935 pods all over my glass and the fish I currently have don’t seem interested in them at all. Maybe a peck here and there.

Besides mandarin are there any fish you’d recommend that would enjoy these critters full-time?

I’m also concerned with compatibility based on the current fish I have. Any feedback is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Current Fish:
Purple Tang
Flame Angel
KwaZulu Wrasse
Exquisite Wrasse
Red Head Solon Wrasse
Pink Margin Wrasse
Bangaii Pair
Yellow Watchman Goby with Pistol Shrimp

 

[Auquanut]

I've got pods in my fuge, but never see any in the DT. I always attributed that to the melenaurus wrasse and flame hawk. Kind of surprised that your wrasses don't eat them.

 

[CheckeredPants]

I've got pods in my fuge, but never see any in the DT. I always attributed that to the melenaurus wrasse and flame hawk. Kind of surprised that your wrasses don't eat them.

Me too. They have no interest in them.

 

[Jamo7]

I could be wrong but I swear I have seen my flame hawkfish pecking pods off the glass. He also eats everything! So it wouldn’t be a steady diet of pods. And I could also be wrong maybe he’s just weird and likes to peck the glass.

 

[Wolf89]

leopard wrasse, yellow coris, sand sifting gobies, sandsifting starfish will eat tons of pods, ruby red dragonette

 

[JJKK]

Copperband, leopard wrasses, melanarus wrasse and the bellus angel in my tank all eat pods(amphipods and copepods). Not recommending you go out to get the copperband and the leopards without research first. As they are in the harder to keep category.

When I had a purple tang, it too would eat the amphipods.

If you are in Northern VA, I would send some my fish to your smorgasbord.

 

[tankstudy]

With that many pods and a tank your size, I'd personally add a dragon pipefish.

 

[CheckeredPants]

I do like the Yellow Coris. Are there any concerns with them picking at corals? I see them listed as a Fish-Only wrasse.

 

[Auquanut]

By the way, how long does it take to count that many pods? ;Woot

 

[Wolf89]

I do like the Yellow Coris. Are there any concerns with them picking at corals? I see them listed as a Fish-Only wrasse.

Where do you see that? I see them in mixed reefs all the time.

 

[CheckeredPants]

With that many pods and a tank your size, I'd personally add a dragon pipefish.

Do they require low flow? I run two MP40s on 100% Reef Crest.

 

[Jacked Reefer]

Pygmy wrasses will eat pods, so will most halichoris wrasses. Most of the reef safe butterfly’s will. pipefish live Ailey of of pods. And damsels will eat pods sometimes too. There’s a lot of options, maybe try knocking some off your glass and seeing if your fish go after floating ones?

 

[Jacked Reefer]

I do like the Yellow Coris. Are there any concerns with them picking at corals? I see them listed as a Fish-Only wrasse.

They often eat inverts so they are labeled non reef safe. Have never heard of one going after corals.

 

[CheckeredPants]

By the way, how long does it take to count that many pods? ;Woot

It’s madness!! I scrape the glass about every other day and they are EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[CheckeredPants]

Pygmy wrasses will eat pods, so will most halichoris wrasses. Most of the reef safe butterfly’s will. pipefish live Ailey of of pods. And damsels will eat pods sometimes too. There’s a lot of options, maybe try knocking some off your glass and seeing if your fish go after floating ones?

When I do they may pick off a few here and there, but nothing to make a dent in the population.

 

[tankstudy]

Do they require low flow? I run two MP40s on 100% Reef Crest.

They are slow moving fish but they stick around structures and etc most of the times anyways. Shouldn't be too big of an issue. Unless its really hurricane like in your system.

 

[CheckeredPants]

They often eat inverts so they are labeled non reef safe. Have never heard of one going after corals.

I’ve got a few snails, four bigger hermits, a scarlet shrimp, and a fire shrimp.

 

[Jacked Reefer]

I’ve got a few snails, four bigger hermits, a scarlet shrimp, and a fire shrimp.

The only thing I would worry about is the shrimp but depending on how big he is he’d probably be fine.

 

[CheckeredPants]

They are slow moving fish but they stick around structures and etc most of the times anyways. Shouldn't be too big of an issue. Unless its really hurricane like in your system.

It’s not crazy flow since it’s a peninsula. I’d say only the upper most third of the tank would be an SPS worthy area for flow.

 

[CheckeredPants]

Where do you see that? I see them in mixed reefs all the time.

LiveAquaria lists them in the Fish-Only Wrasse section.