Tips on raising copepod population for Green Mandarin Dragonets!

[Max447]

Hello everyone! I have been so amazed by the Green Mandarin Dragonet lately that I have decided I want to get my own. I will be raising a healthy population of copepods and I'll create a backup system of copepods in order to sustain the high dietary needs of my future mandarin. I am planning on this taking about 6-7 months. Any tips on copepods or mandarins would be appreciated!

 

[saltyphish]

How big is your tank and what fish do you already have that will feast on the pods to. That will help you determine how much you need to maintain the population of pods. Otherwise if you have a fuge in your system that is typically best to raise pods in

 

[Hammerheadz]

Following this thread... interested in hearing what people have done that works well.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Refugium, small piles of rubble known as pod piles provide small, in tank refugia.

 

[TherealplexiG]

No need to raise pods, when you csb feed bbs, all you need is bbs hatchery and a diy bbs feeder for mandarin and other pecky feeders.
Search for paul b mandrin feeder or something in that context. You get to know m sayin!

 

[TherealplexiG]

You can do it right away no need to wait for 6 to 7 months. Just dig for that thread, if you dont find it. Holla at yo homie..

 

[Max447]

You can do it right away no need to wait for 6 to 7 months. Just dig for that thread, if you dont find it. Holla at yo homie..

Thank you, I was hoping someone would give me a way to get my dream fish faster!

 

[TherealplexiG]

You can hit the like button if you like, you knw m sayin..lol

 

[Empress]

http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/diy-target-feeder-mandarinfish-pipefish-2804/

 

[tomtom2245]

While yes you can feed them baby brine, you are going to want the built up pod population to go along with it. I would definitely not start out with the intent of solely relying on baby brine. As others have asked, how large is your tank and how long has it been up and running?

 

[TherealplexiG]

Tomtomtomtom
Kindly refer to @Paul B 's aquarium, he has been keeping it since couple of decades. It dont matter how large small or old yo tank is to rely on pods. Bbs refers to baby brine shrimp. Newly hatched baby brine shrimps are more nutritional then pods.
Waiting for paul to comment.

 

[TherealplexiG]

Tomtomtomtom
Check this out
I apologise paul's reef is 44 years old..
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/thanks-paulb-mandarin-feeder.263752/

 

[tomtom2245]

I am well aware of Paul's tank but as you have stated it has been up and running for a long time and is well established. You are more than welcome to try and raise an dragonet in whatever sized tank you like on a diet of baby brine, there is nothing I can say from actually stopping anyone from trying. All I'm saying is the chances for long term survival, i.e. longer than 6mos, would be greatly increased with a tank of adequate size that is able to support a continued pod population. Too many of these fish, IMO, have fallen victim to those that believe they can raise them in small tanks by keeping them feed on baby brine, frozen, or other prepared foods.

 

[Jpmumaw]

I wanted to pop this in here I read Paul's posts awhile back since I intend on having mandarins myself in the future. Although after skimming through his various posts he never once said the feeder was a standalone system for feeding mandarin. As I am new to salty life I did a ton of research prior to and the one thing that every single experienced reefer said was rushing anything is bad when it comes to salt water. So why not take your time and prepare properly? I am doing exactly that though I did make a feeder and I'm the process of making his brine shrimp tank design for when my tank is ready in a few months(hopefully)!

 

[TherealplexiG]

Its really like those things when you dont wanna wave the magic wand and get bunny out of the hat...

 

[Salty1962]

I took a strawberry basket and placed a rock rubble pile, like @eatbreakfast mentioned, under it for the pods to grow and not be eaten by the other fish. I also fed my tank phyto plankton to keep the pods going. I kept a Mandarin and 2 pipefish fed that way in a 90G tank.

 

[Neptune 555]

I also want to breed mandarin fish so have started to follow Paul B. I actually met him a few weeks back! So here is my experience so far... I have a FAT mandarin in my tank Male 3 years old... I was trying to pair him with a female. I have a large pod population in my tank... but was unsure if it was large enough to support 2 mandarins. I made a homemade mandarin feeder and hatched BBS. The mandarins have not found the feeder yet! I am still feeding bbs but I only feed it once or twice a week. I have a large pod population and my male mandarin has taken to eating live black worms also. It takes time for them to find the food source. I am on week 3 with the feeder in the tank. One fish found the feeder my starry blenny...

Neptune

 

[TherealplexiG]

Thanks for chiming in Neptune, update us how that works out for you.

 

[Debramb]

Wow, I'm impressed you got to meet Mr. Paul B!! ( does he really have a harem of beautiful models?) lol, sorry, couldn't help it. It'd be great to hear his diving stories!
Debra, Also growing enough pods for a mandarin !

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Chato too. fuge is a must imo. Paul has an old tank and an algae scrubber, pod haven. I sprinkle flake food from time to time on the chato, pods eat it. Get a flashlight at night and keep an eye on the population.
mandys are a lot like training cats , as from above they will eat what they like. they dont just eat pods and usually learn or decide, what frozen or live food they like. BTW they(some) eat a lot more than pods, cope amphi or iso, my fatso "bubba" ripped a spaghetti worm out of the sand and ripped it to shreds in front of my eyes.
Keep in mind a large pod(cockroach) population is an indicator of a lot of available food, so balancing that can be a trick too. thats also why I like a macro fuge, to deal with exess nutrients.

My .02