Ruby Red Dragonet - What do I need to know?

Daniel@R2R · Dec 6, 2016

Well, I had said I thought my stock list was done, but now I'm thinking about getting 1 or a pair of these for my 50g.

What do I need to know before buying?

Feeding concerns? (Are they like mandarins subsisting only on pods or will they eat other foods?)

QT concerns? @Humblefish @melypr1985

jboone82590 · Dec 6, 2016

mdbannister said:
Well, I had said I thought my stock list was done, but now I'm thinking about getting 1 or a pair of these for my 50g. What do I need to know before buying?

Feeding concerns? (Are they like mandarins subsisting only on pods or will they eat other foods?)

QT concerns? @Humblefish @melypr1985

Depends on where you get them. Some places have them that eat frozen and some dont.

jboone82590 · Dec 6, 2016

Do you have a mandarin already?

Daniel@R2R · Dec 6, 2016

jboone82590 said:
Do you have a mandarin already?

No. I've got (or will have) a pair of clowns, a mystery wrasse, a gold assessor Basslet, a purple firefish, and a diamond goby.

melypr1985 · Dec 6, 2016

They are similar in that they need a large pod population. I've heard you can get them eating frozen, but they still need the pods to graze on all day. For QT, I'd suggest TTM + prazi. You'll want to be sure you have ample pods to feed during QT and it's a good time to try to wean it onto frozen foods if you can.

Daniel@R2R · Dec 6, 2016

melypr1985 said:
They are similar in that they need a large pod population. I've heard you can get them eating frozen, but they still need the pods to graze on all day. For QT, I'd suggest TTM + prazi. You'll want to be sure you have ample pods to feed during QT and it's a good time to try to wean it onto frozen foods if you can.

Any idea how many pods I'd need to provide daily in QT?

melypr1985 · Dec 6, 2016

mdbannister said:
Any idea how many pods I'd need to provide daily in QT?

I'm not sure to be honest. I think I heard somewhere that they can eat a pod every 10 seconds or something like that. It's a lot and why most people try real hard to get them onto frozen to supplement.

david p. · Dec 6, 2016

hi,
they are pretty much like scooter blenny and mandarine, i have trained both of my blenny and mandarine to eat frozen food while in QT.
now both in display and they will eat pods or frozen when i feed.

i should have tried harder for them to eat pellets, i have seen couple of video of dragonet on pellet on youtube. not sure i woudl have succeed

as for QT, see my post for my mandarin, i tried feeding live pods from my sump and did the TTM after HumbleFish recommandation , went pretty well.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-for-red-dragonet.265093/

i'm no expert, just sharing what i did

good luck

technojunky101 · Dec 6, 2016

I was told they have slime coat that makes other fish leave alone. Great addition hunts all day long lol

Humblefish · Dec 6, 2016

They are more likely to eat frozen or sometimes even pellets, but you'll still need a good pod population to maintain one long-term. I wouldn't add any other pod eater to your tank if its only 50 gallons. In fact, you already have one with the wrasse.

Daniel@R2R · Dec 6, 2016

Ok. I'm convinced. I thought bc this guy was small, I might do better with him than the mandarin (which I would NOT add to the 50g), but it seems like it's best to leave them alone until I get the big reef tank going...

technojunky101 · Dec 6, 2016

Get little Algie scrubber or small fuge and feed your tank find a way to grow pods mine will not eat anything but pods but in 300 gal tank so hard to train him.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 7, 2016

mdbannister said:
Any idea how many pods I'd need to provide daily in QT?

a ball of chato in the qt at first and a half a bag of pods from anywhere. they make the transition to frozen pretty quick IME. Ive had only a a couple kinds of dragonette that didnt make the transition and mandy were the toughest. If your running a hob on the qt the pods will stay in the sponge to when your ready to pull the chato.
def not as hard as a mandy. and a good easy thing to add later on once you get a good bug pop in the dt.
and lets jus say, I have a LOT of bug eaters, and they eat a lot more bugs than just pods.

Diesel · Dec 7, 2016

I have three in my tank and never add any pods to my system.
In the morning when I look with the famous Orphek Azurelite LED blue flashlight I see thousands of pods over my sand and rock.
Last time I added pods from John @reefcleaners was about three years ago.
That said they eat Mysis, and Larry's as well, I don't feed dry food.
My Mystery wrasse sometimes pick on them but that's about it, the swim during the day all over the bottom and middle range over the rock.
Make sure if you get two that at least you have one female, if not the 50 gallon will be too small for 2 males.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 7, 2016

Diesel said:
I have three in my tank and never add any pods to my system.
In the morning when I look with the famous Orphek Azurelite LED blue flashlight I see thousands of pods over my sand and rock.
Last time I added pods from John @reefcleaners was about three years ago.
That said they eat Mysis, and Larry's as well, I don't feed dry food.
My Mystery wrasse sometimes pick on them but that's about it, the swim during the day all over the bottom and middle range over the rock.
Make sure if you get two that at least you have one female, if not the 50 gallon will be too small for 2 males.

yup. that.
there easy to sex in the lfs though or have em order pair. I do have to add bugs from time to time as well as frozen blends. I have a lot of pickers and Id be remiss if I didnt add bugs. And "Bubba Fatso" the Mandy is a P.I.G.

lets watch em dance again https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-ruby-red-drangonettes-spawning-video.275537/

laga77 · Dec 10, 2016

I have four pairs of Dragonets, Red Scooter, Mandarin, Red Mandarin, and Spotted. You will have the best results getting them to eat live Black worms or white worms. Worms make up a large part of their diet in nature. Throw away the pellets. Nothing good in them.

Daniel@R2R · Dec 10, 2016

mdbannister said:
Ok. I'm convinced. I thought bc this guy was small, I might do better with him than the mandarin (which I would NOT add to the 50g), but it seems like it's best to leave them alone until I get the big reef tank going...

Ok. So...I recently found a mandarin that is already eating frozen and dried foods...now I'm considering again since he wouldn't live solely on pods.

Thle009 · Dec 11, 2016

I had one in my system when some one suggested as solution to my flatworm issue. I think it's working. I noticed there's not much flatworm around any more and suspected he might have something to do with it.

rstrann · Dec 11, 2016

I've had them for years, let's just put it this way....in my experience, if they eat frozen or freeze dried, it's probably by accident or out of desperation lol. You'll need a strong pod pop to keep them alive. Oh, and keep in mind that once the males mature, they likely WILL JUMP out of your tank eventually, unless you have a top or a wide rim around it. Super cool fish

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 11, 2016

Thle009 said:
I had one in my system when some one suggested as solution to my flatworm issue. I think it's working. I noticed there's not much flatworm around any more and suspected he might have something to do with it.

Shhhh. They only eat pods remember?