Would you keep a Mandarin?

Would you?

  • Yes

    Votes: 146 78.1%
  • No

    Votes: 41 21.9%

  • Total voters
    187
Well I'm not describing it right now, its in it's baby stages. But basically its a way for mandarins to be kept in almost any size aquarium (in regards to food, again, this was never about the size of the tank) and have lots of food.
 
The Biota mandarins are raised on pellet, eggs, said to do well on frozen also. Pods of course should be offered.
 
If You have that Mandarine alone in the tank I believe it will function. They need time to eat and will easily get stressed by other fishes.
 
Well my invention takes care of that too @Stigigemla it would be fine to keep them with other fish.

Get a Biota captive bred mandarin. They'll eat flake and frozen. https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1500+5142+5146&pcatid=5146

This is a really good point, I really thought about this when I started designing it. These can be hard to get, plus the price is really pretty high compared to the average mandarin. I'm trying to help the fish out, I see too many stories of "oops, brought home this pretty fish because the LFS said I could now it's dead" (when I was starting out I did the same thing btw) and I haven't heard anyone say they keep an aquacultured mandarin, I know people do, I just haven't heard of one.

Plus, the fish does prefer live copepods. My invention is cheaper than the aquacultured mandarin, more available for everyone, and if the invention works I plan on heavily advertising for it (I'm not in it for profit, I'm in college and of course a little would be great, but I really am concerned about this fish) so that even a simple LFS would be able to tell a beginning "this is an awesome fish, and if you want it, we have just the tool to help you keep it happy in your tank, we keep a model of it in all our mandarin tanks."

On top of that, the invention has applications for all dragonets and many similiar fish. I've started on a seahorse design as well (it needs to be different, because seahorse are so different).
 
I will say... From MY OWN experience... The difficulty of caring for a mandarin has been GREATLY exaggerated. I have had no trouble keeping them fed, with or without pods.

Even in worst case situations, where pods have crashed and a mandarin refuses to eat frozen, I have found if you BOMB the tank with fish roe and turn the flow down, allowing the roe to settle on the substrate, the mandarin WILL sustain itself on the roe.

Now, obviously your nutrient content will jump from all the uneaten roe, but this is temporary, as it buys you time to replenish your pod population or train the mandarin to eat frozen.

I have also found, once a mandarin has gotten used to eating roe, it doesn't take much to get them eating frozen.

Again, this is only MY experience. But it either works, or I'm just REALLY lucky.
 
Well my invention takes care of that too @Stigigemla it would be fine to keep them with other fish.



This is a really good point, I really thought about this when I started designing it. These can be hard to get, plus the price is really pretty high compared to the average mandarin. I'm trying to help the fish out, I see too many stories of "oops, brought home this pretty fish because the LFS said I could now it's dead" (when I was starting out I did the same thing btw) and I haven't heard anyone say they keep an aquacultured mandarin, I know people do, I just haven't heard of one.

Plus, the fish does prefer live copepods. My invention is cheaper than the aquacultured mandarin, more available for everyone, and if the invention works I plan on heavily advertising for it (I'm not in it for profit, I'm in college and of course a little would be great, but I really am concerned about this fish) so that even a simple LFS would be able to tell a beginning "this is an awesome fish, and if you want it, we have just the tool to help you keep it happy in your tank, we keep a model of it in all our mandarin tanks."

On top of that, the invention has applications for all dragonets and many similiar fish. I've started on a seahorse design as well (it needs to be different, because seahorse are so different).

When do you think you will finalize your invention if it does work and when will you start selling I am really looking into buying one.
 
I have a tiny biota mandarin in my 7.5g refugium. Until she gets bigger to be in DT, so my jawfish won’t eat her. No frozen foods yet but she’s fat in pods. Had her for a week. Dustin
 
I voted yes first, but had to change my vote on the end of op comments that you wouldnt grow pods. I have a little mandarin in a 10g tank. We grow and dose our own pods, but she also is happy to eat frozen. She is happy and healthy. In a second tank we also have two scooters too which get fed frozen as well as the pods.
 
I voted yes first, but had to change my vote on the end of op comments that you wouldnt grow pods. I have a little mandarin in a 10g tank. We grow and dose our own pods, but she also is happy to eat frozen. She is happy and healthy. In a second tank we also have two scooters too which get fed frozen as well as the pods.

Did the OP say that? If he did, I must have missed it.
 
I never said I wouldn't grow pods.

Not sure the invention will be finalized, I'm talking to my marine biology professor today to discuss the feasibility of my idea. I'll post a status update here tonight.
 
I have a Mandarin in my tank.It has been going strong for 8 months now.
Everyday I put a a small bag (90ml) live Copepods in the tank and once a week I put 5 bags in.
It seems to be enough as he looks well fed and happy enough
 
I have a Mandarin in my tank.It has been going strong for 8 months now.
Everyday I put a a small bag (90ml) live Copepods in the tank and once a week I put 5 bags in.
It seems to be enough as he looks well fed and happy enough

Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to worry about doing that and still keep him well fed and happy?
 
Well I’m not selling anything but am working on an invention that would make keeping mandarin dragonets, seahorses, and etc as easy as keeping a clownfish. I can’t really say how because I haven’t heard back from my professor yet, but I hope to patent my idea by the end of the year. I think it’s an awesome idea though.
when you hear back i'd love to hear what you're cooking up! only reason i'm not keeping one is because of their demanding feeding habits
 
I'm in the same boat, I'd have one in my tank but I don't because of the necessary feeding.

And again, while this invention is primarily for mandarins, it also has applications for any dragonet.

If the first one goes through, another version will be released (likely later) that would be for seahorses.
 
I never said I wouldn't grow pods.

Not sure the invention will be finalized, I'm talking to my marine biology professor today to discuss the feasibility of my idea. I'll post a status update here tonight.

I'm interested in what your professor concludes.
 
Last edited:

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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