I have a 32cube with a Manderin dragonette in it among other fish. I had a very good pod population initially but after having to use chemiclean and the water change after treatment, my pod population has crashed and I can hardly see anything. I added 2 bottles of pods since and it seems the population isn't coming back very fast. My question is the manderin to blame for the majority of the population of pods decreasing in numbers? Or was it chemiclean? Also where is the best place to get more pods? I have a piece of Tupperware in the tank with holes drilled in it with some red macro algae as a safe haven for the pods. I recently discovered a big aiptasia inside the Tupperware, are the pods being eaten by this too? Please advise
Pods!
- Thread starter nfritz565
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hockeyhead019
Well-Known Member
Algae barn is a great source for pods.
Out of curiosity, what type of rock do you have and at what times are you searching for the pods? I doubt that the population has completely crashed especially if you just added some. What product did you use to add them? Are you sure they were alive when you added them?
I find that I rarely see my pods out during lit hours in the tank. However at night they're all over the place! If you haven't checked with a red light at night I would definitely recommend that.
Out of curiosity, what type of rock do you have and at what times are you searching for the pods? I doubt that the population has completely crashed especially if you just added some. What product did you use to add them? Are you sure they were alive when you added them?
I find that I rarely see my pods out during lit hours in the tank. However at night they're all over the place! If you haven't checked with a red light at night I would definitely recommend that.
PaulPerger
Active Member
How old is this tank? It doesn't look like there is a lot going on that tank... You may need to drop some Phytoplankton in from time to time to feed your pods.
uhgster1
Well-Known Member
I have a mandarin in my 65 which was originally housed in a JBJ 28 gallon for over a year. I weaned it off pods by feeding it reef chile and mysis. Now I have a pod population explosion and the mandarin looks like a frog! The weaning was unintentional btw, I feed my coral heavily and I guess it just hit the spot with him.
Hermie
Valuable Member
The problem I see is that you are fighting microalgae (and cyano) while at the same time trying to host a copepod population strong enough for a Mandarin fish (exclusive consumer).
These are mutually exclusive goals IMO, please note IMO. My advice would be to give the mandarin back to the store, no malice intended.
These are mutually exclusive goals IMO, please note IMO. My advice would be to give the mandarin back to the store, no malice intended.
Hermie
Valuable Member
Not while there's also a mandarin in there, unless the tank is loaded with algae and places to hide
Evan28395950
Valuable Member
How old is the tank?
Hermie
Valuable Member
The best thing longer term is to train it to eat frozen/thawed; this is a link to a cheap and easy DIY feeder you can use to train it:
http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/diy-target-feeder-mandarinfish-pipefish-2804/
uhgster1
Well-Known Member
Yes, you can. I had a basket in the back portion of my jbj 28 with nothing but matrix. I populated it with amphipods. They kept my tank populated and I think that because they’re slightly larger than copepods my mandarin was actually happier. Once the amphipods start reproducing you’ll have all kinds of different sizes. I would just add a little more rock to your display for added hiding places and you should be fine. And try feeding really fine food like reef chile to entice it to vary it’s diet. Just don’t overdo it. Once or twice a week should give it enough exposure to make up its mind and it also feeds the pods you do have.
