Green Mandarin and QT

[NC2WA]

Lee,

I understand that a QT tank should NOT contain LR. With that said, how does one QT a Green Mandarin?
Since they have a specific diet (ie, pods) which is normally available with the abudance of LR in a tank.

I now the ultimate result is to get it to eat prepared food, but I do not want to starve it while QT.

just curious on your thoughts..

thx

 

[TJL]

Hey Kirk I recently QT'd two Green Target Mandarins in a bare-bottom 15g , one ate frozen Mysis right away and the other... did not :rip::Cry: The surviving one still catches a few Mysis at feeding times in the DT.

Cheers, Todd

 

[NC2WA]

hmmmm....well...it might be worth a chance to QT them and see what happens...I would like to get another (for my wife).

thx

 

[leebca]

The number of pods on live rock is so small the Mandarin would starve. That being said, one point of the quarantine process is to train the fish to eat prepared foods. In the case of the Mandarin, extra important, since the number and kinds of pods in a home aquarium do not provide long term health/nutrition for the Mandarin. You want the Mandarin trained to eat prepared foods.

Here is some additional reading for you get into with regards to the above:
Food Presentation
In the above post training a Mandarin is described.

So far my record is 17 Mandarins (different species) through QT and trained to eat prepared foods, with 0 losses.

 

[NC2WA]

Lee,

thanks for the link..this is what I was looking for..

I have some spirulina brine shrimp I will try.

 

[leebca]

Good luck with that! Keeping a Mandarin healthy and thriving takes some committment. In a community tank they may always require spot feeding to get prepared foods down to their area.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Lee, well done on your excellent mandarin survival statistics. Be that as it may, would not hurt to point out how few survive over a year in most home aquariums. It takes not only the commitment, but the skill to keep a healthy mature display and education of their particular needs. I do NOT recommend them for most hobbyists. . .

 

[leebca]

How right you are. I actually get tired of spitting out a lung telling people to leave mandarins alone. But they don't listen. Mandarins in the wild are easy to catch and so you see many of them being imported into the hobby LFS tanks. Most don't live more than two years at the hands of the average hobbyist. I think about 10% that are imported actually survive two years. This is about the same percentage as some of the more delicate angelfishes.

 

[mercenary-grunt]

Wow sad numbers. If you can't stop them might as well help them.

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