Should I get a Mandarin Dragonet?

[Sick_man]

I think these fish are beautiful but they are picky eaters. Would it be okay in a 20 gal if I provide a constant supply of copepods? I know someone who sells them very cheap.

 

[Tired]

Well, they eat hundreds of pods a day. Can you provide hundreds of pods a day? If you're certain you can, then it's probably doable. But it'll require culturing the pods, preferably more than one culture in case one crashes. Also, mandarins are actually pretty active, so I'm not entirely sure a fully-grown one would be happy in a 20gal. Healthy mandarins can get pretty chunky.

And I would question why they're so cheap. Probably wild-caught, and that means you can't trust them to be in anything like decent shape. If you want a mandarin, you should probably go with a captive-bred one, since you can then at least supplement its diet a little with frozen foods.

 

[BlennyTime]

It wouldn’t be advisable in a tank that small, unfortunately. You could try it, but the chances of long term success are low.

 

[Sick_man]

Well, they eat hundreds of pods a day. Can you provide hundreds of pods a day? If you're certain you can, then it's probably doable. But it'll require culturing the pods, preferably more than one culture in case one crashes. Also, mandarins are actually pretty active, so I'm not entirely sure a fully-grown one would be happy in a 20gal. Healthy mandarins can get pretty chunky.

And I would question why they're so cheap. Probably wild-caught, and that means you can't trust them to be in anything like decent shape. If you want a mandarin, you should probably go with a captive-bred one, since you can then at least supplement its diet a little with frozen foods.

I was talking about the pods being cheap

 

[Shep]

How old is the tank and how long have you been in the hobby? They are very tough fish to keep and usually end up starving to death. I would do an absolute ton of research before you get one

 

[Sick_man]

How old is the tank and how long have you been in the hobby? They are very tough fish to keep and usually end up starving to death. I would do an absolute ton of research before you get one

The tank is fairly new. I'm just getting some ideas for the future. i dont plan on adding things for a bit.

 

[Hincapiej4]

The tank is fairly new. I'm just getting some ideas for the future. i dont plan on adding things for a bit.

Just get a hang on back refugium. done!

 

[Sick_man]

Just get a hang on back refugium. done!

Yea I was thinking about that but Im gonna need chaeto and a light right? Could I just use any light or do I need something expensive?

 

[Fishurama]

In a 20 gallon it will be hard. Dragonets do not have a normal digestive tract which allows them to "store" food and use the energy as it breaks down. So they need to constantly eat, to which they can eat as others have said hundreds if not more based on their size in a single day.
I have a pair in my 120, a male scooter and a female psychedelic dragonet and i still need to add pods to my sump and tank. A 20 gallon is doable, but it's not worth the work or money as you will be adding in pods every couple days. If you had a 40 or 50 gallon tank with a 20-30 gallon sump, you could do it 100 percent and just keep culturing them in your sump or add half a bottle to your sump/tank every 2 weeks or so, but on a 20 things will be hard and the fish will likely starve to death. I wouldnt recommend it unless you could pick up a slightly larger tank. Once you get into the 100+ gallon size it gets easier as you have more liverock and areas for them to hid and not get picked off. Dragonets eyes are like a hawks.
A few videos of my pair. Male always has to protect the female LOL

 

[Sick_man]

I can't upgrade my tank any larger, i dont have sufficent room atm. maybe later on in the future then

 

[vetteguy53081]

Have good water conditions, ample available food supply and model citizen tankmates and you should be good

 

[msilva11833]

I can't upgrade my tank any larger, i dont have sufficent room atm. maybe later on in the future then

If you absolutely have to get one get a ruby red dragonet they are smaller, eat less, and from what I heard are generally hardier and take to food better then mandarin dragonets

 

[Tired]

Yeah, it's a lot more than a hang-on refugium to keep a mandarin alive. Even if you get one that eats processed foods, you have to feed it multiple times a day, preferably with live foods, to have any hope of keeping it alive without a constant supply of pods. If you just feed them once, no matter how much they eat then, most of the food goes through their gut without doing any good.

A 20-gallon, with an attached 20-gallon fuge dedicated to growing as many pods as possible, might work. But a 20-gallon, on its own? You'd be dosing pods probably multiple times a week. Maybe even daily once it got big. How much are you willing to spend on pods?

 

[Hincapiej4]

Yea I was thinking about that but Im gonna need chaeto and a light right? Could I just use any light or do I need something expensive?

Refugiums for Saltwater Aquariums | Nutrient Control & Filtration | BRS

Shop refugiums for saltwater aquariums and grow macroalgae like a pro. Reduce nitrate and phosphate naturally while improving filtration, stability, and pod growth. Increase biodiversity with a stable population of micro flora and fauna.

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I think these fish are beautiful but they are picky eaters. Would it be okay in a 20 gal if I provide a constant supply of copepods? I know someone who sells them very cheap.

Im actually having this same dilemma. I have 20g as well and really want one. I think it should be alright as long as, as previously stated, you have pod cultures waiting. You also want to get one that can eat prepared foods, such as ORA or BIOTA mandarins. That will make the pod population last longer. Keep it fat on frozen or pellet foods, and use the pods as an extra (is my plan.).
Happy reefing, will be following thread

 

[Dark_Knightt]

If you absolutely have to get one get a ruby red dragonet they are smaller, eat less, and from what I heard are generally hardier and take to food better then mandarin dragonets

I might do this. I want a mandairn as well. But i thought they got pretty big. Maybe not

 

[Tired]

To keep a mandarin fat and healthy on pellet and frozen foods, you're going to have to feed it multiple times a day, and still have plenty of pods available. A hang-on fuge will help, but only a tiny bit. I believe the guy I've seen keeping mandarins happy on mostly prepared foods also gives freshly hatched baby brine shrimp, and feeds 5 times a day? Other people keep them alive on less feedings, but it's not for as long. Keep in mind, the little guys should live nearly a decade, so someone having one for 3 years isn't a success story.

Mandarins are possible in a small tank, but with a great deal of effort, and it has a higher chance of failing.

 

[Sick_man]

Isn't this like keeping a reptile? You have to provide a lizard for example live crickets and stuff which cost more than pods. If you behave the same way wouldn't it be okay for a dragonet? I had a decent amount of experience with reptiles in the past so it doesn't seem all that different. However, it is still a fish so idk

 

[Sick_man]

Refugiums for Saltwater Aquariums | Nutrient Control & Filtration | BRS

Shop refugiums for saltwater aquariums and grow macroalgae like a pro. Reduce nitrate and phosphate naturally while improving filtration, stability, and pod growth. Increase biodiversity with a stable population of micro flora and fauna.

www.bulkreefsupply.com

dang its over 100? Would a breeder box work as well?

 

[KorlL]

One of my lfs use to sell dragonettes trained to eat frozen brine before selling them