Stocking order

[Thade_hicks]

Trying to decide what to put in my tank when. Im thinking:
banggai Cardinal pair
Bubbletip Anemone
Firefish goby
Mandarin goby and red scooter blenny
Fire shrimp
Black ice clown pair
Yellow coris wrasse
And last a multicolor angel

Thoughts and tips would be appreciated

 

[LiLinka]

How big is the tank?

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Your aquarium needs a good population of copepods to support either mandarin or scooter blenny, and or continuous supply of copepods to maintain them for years, I don't recommend adding either mandarin/dragonet in a new aquarium.
What size aquriam
How old

 

[Thade_hicks]

Your aquarium needs a good population of copepods to support either mandarin or scooter blenny, and or continuous supply of copepods to maintain them for years, I don't recommend adding either mandarin/dragonet in a new aquarium.
What size aquriam
How old

Starting 20, moving to 150 when stuff gets bigger

 

[Thade_hicks]

Also, starting copepods a month or more before the goby and scooter would even be added. Going to culture them besides the fact

 

[LiLinka]

way to many fish in a 20 gallon, recommend 2-3 fish for that size tank, pair of clowns and a goby work well.

 

[bnord]

second on the scooter blenny. I had one for three weeks in a young tank and it disappeared. I have had one for well over six months and 18 month old tank that has had plenty of pods and live rock added to it. He is happy as a clam. And so are the clams. Trust you’ll have a top for the tank if you’re adding a fire fish best of luck

 

[bnord]

second on the scooter blenny. I had one for three weeks in a young tank and it disappeared. I have had one for well over six months and 18 month old tank that has had plenty of pods and live rock added to it. He is happy as a clam. And so are the clams. Trust you’ll have a top for the tank if you’re adding a fire fish best of luck

And I missed that it is a 20 gallon. My suggestion is the clown pair, the coris and one other small in the water fish. A small elongate or tail spot or other Blenny would be great too.

 

[Thade_hicks]

And I missed that it is a 20 gallon. My suggestion is the clown pair, the coris and one other small in the water fish. A small elongate or tail spot or other Blenny would be great too.

Tank size recommendation for this stock list?

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Starting 20, moving to 150 when stuff gets bigger

Yes 20gallons, is still relatively small to host a mandarin in my opinion,

I also added a dragonet that was doing great for months until it was dead one day.
I cycled my aquriam for one year empty growing my pod population as these was the two on my wish list, it was demolished in about a month after adding my mandarin. I now add copepods weekly

 

[Thade_hicks]

Yes 20gallons, is still relatively small to host a mandarin in my opinion,

I also added a dragonet that was doing great for months until it was dead one day.
I cycled my aquriam for one year empty growing my pod population as these was the two on my wish list, it was demolished in about a month after adding my mandarin. I now add copepods weekly

In that year of pod growth, what did you feed them and what else was in the tank (rocks, macro, coral, ect.)?

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Nothing, live sand, live rock, (videos not working on here today)
I went through months of different copepods species growing in my aquriam, amphipods which was large and scary at the time, I never added anything except bottled bacteria

 

[Rick's Reviews]

So yes, hence why I suggested for you to avoid, it takes years to build up pods, only a month in my experience for them to be eaten

 

[Thade_hicks]

Nothing, live sand, live rock, (videos not working on here today)
I went through months of different copepods species growing in my aquriam, amphipods which was large and scary at the time, I never added anything except bottled bacteria

Honestly, I have been reading, I believe you're supposed to feed them if you have nothing else in the tank. Cause they eat phytoplankton and micro foods like reef roids. May be wrong but that's what I've been reading here recently

 

[Rick's Reviews]

you can create outside of aquriam a whole new life, 'breeding'
Various methods on culturing pods

 

[Thade_hicks]

Yeah, that was my plan

 

[dedragon]

Tank size recommendation for this stock list?

55-75 gallon display (not including sump)

 

[Dinkins Aquatic Gardens Verified Sponsor]

You’ll definitely want to seed your tank heavily with pods for a few months for mandarins. If you seed heavily and feed phytoplankton you should see good population growth and be able to get a mandarin in 3-4 months.

As others have said, seeding heavily now will save a lot of money in the long run (instead of having to buy pods continually for the life of the fish).

Mandarins are definitely worth it…such an incredible fish!

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Do your self a favor skip the scooter and if you really want a mandrine make sure it's captive breed. Your not going to be able to keep up pods in a tank of that size even if your culturing them it's simply not worth it . Pay the extra and get one that's already eating frozen most LFS sell wild caught so keep that in mind

 

[Hats_]

I personally wouldnt keep a mandarin in a tank this small that is not matured yet. even when matured mandarins are a fish that require a constant amount of food since they dont have a stomach. I have one now in a 90 gallon that is happy and healthy without supplementing pods since the system is mature, i would say when you switch to the 150 gallon wait a year or so and then add the mandarin. will probably save you a lot of work and heartache