Wrasse/Mandarin in same tank?

mmw64 · Feb 9, 2016

Has anyone had success having wrasses and mandarins in the same tank without a fuge? I have a 72 gallon tank with a 18 gallon sump. If I target feed the mandarin, pods will this work?

MikeyAl · Feb 9, 2016

What kind of wrasse I have. A sixline and a mandarine. Only issue was that the wrasse was out-competing the mandarine for pods. Starting culturing them and eventually got the mandarine to eat cyclops and bbs. But if he only eats pods he may not get enough with the wrasse in the tank.

MikeyAl · Feb 9, 2016

Sorry. That was actually a question. "What kind of wrasse? I have a..."

3dees · Feb 10, 2016

how are you going to target feed a thousand pods a day? that's what a single mandarin can consume.

MikeyAl · Feb 10, 2016

3dees said:
how are you going to target feed a thousand pods a day? that's what a single mandarin can consume.

You can't. But you can try to get him to eat cyclops or bbs by targeting / training.

mmw64 · Feb 10, 2016

MikeyAl said:
You can't. But you can try to get him to eat cyclops or bbs by targeting / training.

Can you tell me how to target/train please MikeyAl?

MikeyAl · Feb 10, 2016

Start with this article.
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=351

mmw64 · Feb 10, 2016

Thank you! Great information.

MikeyAl · Feb 10, 2016

Good luck. IMO mandarins are tricky. If you can't get him to eat anything other than pods, they are difficult to keep alive unless you can maintain a pod population and reduce the competition by sticking the right fish. But for the cost it is worth a try- amazingly beautiful fish.

mmw64 · Feb 10, 2016

Thanks for your help. Hate to lose anything in my care.

MikeyAl · Feb 10, 2016

I get it. The breeder box approach is great. Also if you want a simple method for hatching bbs- go get this hatchery. It works great, small, and easy to use. I use mine and hatch bbs. I even growth them out to adulthood for some of my voracious eaters like my sixline.
http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c9/hatchery-dish-p183.html

MikeyAl · Feb 10, 2016

... Or pay more and get one from orafarms that are tank raised and already used to eating prepared foods.

Maritimer · Feb 10, 2016

Or work with wrasses that aren't focused on 'pods. Flashers and most fairies probably fit that bill . . .

~Bruce, who hopes to keep a mandarin one day . . .

MikeyAl · Feb 10, 2016

Maritimer said:
Or work with wrasses that aren't focused on 'pods. Flashers and most fairies probably fit that bill . . .

~Bruce, who hopes to keep a mandarin one day . . .

True. But if he only eats pods you need to be prepared to keep the population up.

Salty1962 · Feb 10, 2016

Competition would be great with a wrasse and mandarin. Even if you grew out your pods,, the mandarin would loose out and starve. I've made the mistake myself

Diesel · Feb 11, 2016

MikeyAl said:
... Or pay more and get one from orafarms that are tank raised and already used to eating prepared foods.

That is if ORA (Karen Brittain) will start up again their breeding on these Mandarins.
TMK they shut down to do so two years ago for the Mandarins.
And if a LFS advertise with ORA Mandarins they are not the true ORA Mandarins.
The last 5 were sold in the summer of 2014.

https://reefbuilders.com/2014/06/19/captive-bred-mandarins-return-karen-brittain/

NanaReefer · Feb 11, 2016

MikeyAl said:
... Or pay more and get one from orafarms that are tank raised and already used to eating prepared foods.

Had 2 ORA's die from starvation. They can not survive long term on prepared foods alone.

eatbreakfast · Feb 11, 2016

An established system of 50g or more,set up for 6 months or more, will sustain a mandarin without the aquarist needing to add pods.

Flasher and fairy wrasses will not compete with the mandarins for pods.

MikeyAl · Feb 11, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
An established system of 50g or more,set up for 6 months or more, will sustain a mandarin without the aquarist needing to add pods.

Flasher and fairy wrasses will not compete with the mandarins for pods.

Maybe. I was told that when I first started the hobby. I lost my mandarin after 6 months. My pod population couldn't keep up with his appetite. Others have had different results and keep a fuge to keeps pod population up.
My point was, we don't know what kind of wrasse he is looking at yet, and depending on the species, it could outcompete the mandarin. Training a mandarin to eat live bbs and cyclops is not difficult and is a good way to ensure his mandarin is eating without worrying about pod population.

eatbreakfast · Feb 11, 2016

MikeyAl said:
Maybe. I was told that when I first started the hobby. I lost my mandarin after 6 months. My pod population couldn't keep up with his appetite. Others have had different results and keep a fuge to keeps pod population up.
My point was, we don't know what kind of wrasse he is looking at yet, and depending on the species, it could outcompete the mandarin. Training a mandarin to eat live bbs and cyclops is not difficult and is a good way to ensure his mandarin is eating without worrying about pod population.

Training a mandarin to take foods is nice, but doesn't significantly help with it's nutritional needs unless you are prepared to provide food constantly. Observe a mandarin. They pick at pods every few seconds. They eat 1,000-2,000 pods a day. Their digestive tract is very short and they need to eat almost constantly. A couple of feedings a day won't make much of dent.

Each rank/system is different and factors such as amount of rock and tankmates affect pod population, the guideline of 50g+ setup for 6 months+ works for most situations.

Specifically mentioning fairy and flasher wrasses is for the benefit of the OP since we don't know which wrasses are being considered.