Shy Mandarin

[ArowanaLover1902]

I just got a mandarin dragonet on Friday and he’s still hiding out in a cave. He hasn’t explored the tank once, my initial thought is that because he was kept in the LFS’s unlit refugium maybe he was still adjusting to the light but he doesn’t even come out at night. Will he be ok? I’m moving him (and the rest of the tank) to a larger tank with a big refugium, so I hope he gets better there. I’ve got a ton of pods though, so he’s got food

 

[Tahoe61]

Are there other fish that may be more assertive that intimidating the new addition?

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

The fish tend to leave each other alone, especially at night. The only bossy one is the royal gramma

 

[eatbreakfast]

Besides the gramma what other fish are in there?

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Lawnmower blenny - very small watchman goby - small clownfish

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Lawnmower blenny - small watchman goby - small clownfish

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

IMO , eventually that fish will rule the tank.
Wait for it.

Bubba here lives with a Talbot damsel, a royal gramma , and a Pygmy angel.
It’s HIS tank and they know it.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Do you remember how long it took for him to get used to everyone? I’m going to build him his own cave area in the next tank that I hope he chooses. I’ve got the tank all set up except for 10 gallons of water and most of the rock (which comes in the mail tomorrow). I’m really excited about seeing him more, hes really big and stunning even in the poor light of the bottom regugium of the LFS

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I swear they are like cats. Each has their own personality. I had a couple that never got over it, and yes passed away. Ug. Bubba , I’m not sure. Couple weeks.
It was several months before he really came into his own.

And one bit of advice on feeding , like cats, they don’t care if the food bowl is full(or your feeding em directly at dinner time after loudly tapping on the glass at 7:10pm lol) they’ll pick for a long time after , so if you can pause your pumps I would. Also keep rotating foods. Rotifers , spirulina baby brine shrimp, etc. you’ll figure out what he loves , but rotating is better for health and if you run out of a food (nutirimar Ova :mad, he still have a taste for other frozen foods.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

I thought they just ate copepods? I pretty feed my tank only occasional coral food. The fish are thriving and growing based on a huge pod population. I’ve never had a problem with fish not eating in this tank. I’d change up though if he needs or wants it. I’ll buy some fish food for him tomorrow if you guys recommend it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I thought they just ate copepods? I pretty feed my tank only occasional coral food. The fish are thriving and growing based on a huge pod population. I’ve never had a problem with fish not eating in this tank. I’d change up though if he needs or wants it. I’ll buy some fish food for him tomorrow if you guys recommend it.

No. It’s an odd myth. I belive in the wild they eat anything that moves or smells good and will go in thier mouthes. Mine rips worms out of the sand.
So there is really not enough pods in tank to keep them except in a very mature tank with lots of bugs.

The digestive track is like a seahorse. So they need a constant supply of food. So the pods n bugs in the tank keep them going all day, but we prove the real nutrition. (Unless you have a lot of different bugs in a mature tank )

Don’t sweat buying all those at once as it’ll take time for the fish to get used to them and decide if it likes it.
Some actully eat pellets , LRS and other foods. But those I listed are the standards. You’ll want to look up training a mandarin to eat for suggestions. Melev has a great one and you’ll find PaulB that way.

You’ll want some frozen baby brine shrimp , or mysis , maybe some frozen Rotifers. Some like fish eggs. But you’ll need the smallest ones you can find for now.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

My mandarin is pretty large (around 3 inches), I keep a lawmower blenny and they have a similar mouth (though the blenny's is larger) and he is always picking at the rocks, sand, and water; he is fat (maybe a bit unhealthily so) and I have no clue what he eats, I assume the pods from having no pod eaters for a year and feeding the tank "Kent Microvert" every other day. I see some pretty big pods at night, usually zipping from one rock to the next, so I think my population is probably pretty good. I'll buy some mysis and other stuff asap.