i have a scooter dragonet/blenny. would it get along with a mandarin? and how do you know you have a strong enough pod population? if you can look around the tank and find a couple within like ten seconds you should be good right? info please.... thanks
The perception of having enough pods in the marine system is a bit distorted from what the obligate pod eaters need.
We all know that our marine systems are NOT a little part of the ocean. One thing that sets it apart is diversity. The diversity of life in the ocean/sea is huge compared to the home marine system. Such is the case with pods. The pods in the home marine system are just those pods that live under the conditions of 'captivity.' They do not represent the diversity found in the ocean. An obligate pod eater depends upon diversity of pods to fulfill its nutritional needs, not just that there are enough (number) pods to fill it up.
An obligate pod eater is forced to eat only the pods it finds that survive in captivity, in that particular aquarium. This is more times than not, insufficient diversity to guarantee a healthy, long captive life of the obligate pod eater.
It is always best to train the Mandarin (in quarantine) to eat prepared foods you need to feed it in order to be sure it gets its nutritional needs while in captivity. Otherwise, it is a slow weakening of the fish -- a surviving fish instead of a thriving fish. (Thrive or Survive?). When this is accomplished, it doesn't matter what fishes are competing for what pods may be there, since all obligate pod eaters will eat other foods.
Take a Tang example: Some people think that keeping Tangs only requires live rock with algae on it. Experienced aquarists know that algae that grows in the tank doesn't grow fast enough, nor provides enough diversity (nutrition) for Tang health and longevity. So, food preparations, extra macro algae, etc. is fed to the fish. So the marine system can contain many Tangs without a concern that there is enough 'natural' algae in the system.
I have one yellow tang and it is a challenge to keep it fed properly. The pod thing I don''t understand yet but am learning. My tank is not a mini ocean...my mantra
