Keeping Mandirn Fish/dragonets fed

[RocketScientist]

Alright, I have a 112 gallon tank that is established and has live rock. Now perhaps I'm a fool but I simply loved the mandirn dragonets and have bought a male and female. So I've had them for perhaps three weeks and they are doing just fine. At first they weren't coming out until night time, so as you can imagin I had a little mag lite and was taking a head count every night . Like I said I love them. Now they are coming out during the day and I'm partially concerned that they aren't finding enough to eat during the night time and are being forced to scavenge into the day.

So what I would like to know is exactly what their diets consist of? I currently feed:

"liquid life" coral plankton that indicates it has rotifers and
DT's Live marine Phytoplankton

And while both of these products are scoped towards corals I'm thinking that these are basic organisms that might also feed the prey for the mandrins?

Also, I've found the below web site that has these live feeder orangisms, how do I determine their size and if they would be good suplements for the mandirins?

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/6112/cid/1721

 

[Krish]

Never kept mandarins, but something tells me they love pods. I may be wrong, so hopefully someone will chime in here soon

 

[DonW]

If your tank is lacking pods, go to the sponsers section find ocean pods.

Don

 

[mmkeeper]

How old is your tank? Do you have a Fuge? They love pods but will eat brine and mysis shrimp. I got mine to eat live brine.

 

[twilliard]

When you were taking your head count at night did you see a swarm of little things swimming around the bottom?
That will show you if they have food.
I check my tank about every three months for supply. The mandrin is still alive so it must be eating.

 

[reeftnk101]

You should of got it to eat frozen mysis in a smaller tank before you put them in the larger tank. But I guess its to late now unless you can catch them. If not and you have a sump you can by live pods and dump them in your sump,they will breed like rabbits down there.
Matt

 

[scytale]

Mandarins can be notoriously finicky eaters, they really enjoy the thrill of hunting live pods!
(And many will say, if they don't look "plump" they may be under-eating!)

Some reefers have had success with pellets, frozen foods, and even Tobiko (the orange fish roe found on sushi rolls)!


The Best Info on Mandarins that I have ever read:

http://www.melevsreef.com/mandarin_care.html

(Be sure to checkout the "Mandarin Diner" link at the very bottom of the page!!!)
It's a great idea--especially when the Mandarins share a tank with more agressive-eaters!

Unfortunately, my first Mandarin perished in a tragic Rock-scaping accident before I had a chance to really get to know him....

Rest in Peace, Mr. Kesey!

 

[ecobalance]

picine mysis

I also love mandrins,and feed mine pc mysis once a day to supliment their diet.If you're woried about uneaten mysis poluteing your water than u can put itt in a small bottle and set it in the tank as a little mandarin diner.They also like row[as in caviare]

 

[morgan]

love the mandarin and all dragonets i keep a scooter dragonet or peacock dragonet mine loves brine that i enrich with nutra-plus althoguh the scooter is alot less fussy about food then my mandrin was he slowly pherished after about 6 months i was very cut about it but it was a mistake by an inexperinced aquarist a fuge is a must for mandarins imo

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Natural pod (tiny shrimp that live on the rocks and plants) production is a must. Even if you have food trained mandarin, they should have plenty of their natural diet available. The pods really simplify raising them. If either get skinny while the tank resettles into its new location, can put them in your fuge which should be packed with pods.

 

[NC2WA]

the only successful way I was able to keep a mandarin, was to have plenty of LR in an established tank (ie, at least 6 months or longer) and have a fuge that is consistently making pods. Mandarins love "hunting" for live food (ie, pods).

 

[jakleen]

mandarines are finiky eaters. i recomend installing a refugiums. go check tropical fish hobbyist feb 07. pg 127. you should read this artice. if you have problem finding this magazine,let me know i will make a copy and send it to you. my e-mail ([email protected]). i love mandarines too,but unless i am sure that i can take care of them properly i will not get them. good luck. jakleen

 

[RocketScientist]

Thanks everyone,

I do have a refugium and I know that they are finding food. My primary concern is if they are eating it faster than it's reproducing. I've ordered some pods to put into my refugium.

 

[4251cpd]

Thanks everyone,

I do have a refugium and I know that they are finding food. My primary concern is if they are eating it faster than it's reproducing. I've ordered some pods to put into my refugium.

As long as the pods have a constent food source they will reproduce in kind. Same as any animal. Larger the food source the more quickly they grow and the faster they reach sexual maturation= more pods. Once a week a put in a ml of DT's green water and I see pods all over the glass. Razor the glass and my clown goes insane....(I should note, I'm refering to the the lowest animal on the food chain)

 

[moortim]

I lost a scooter once too. How old is your tank? how many lb's of live rock do you have?
I tried to keep my scooter going but it was more of a rescue attempt so he was already too far gone. I used Ocean Pod's, they are great, you should try some. Check at night for lots of little moving things in your tank, if you don't see any then your fish are running out of food.

Tim

 

[DonW]

Thanks everyone,

I do have a refugium and I know that they are finding food. My primary concern is if they are eating it faster than it's reproducing. I've ordered some pods to put into my refugium.

Your concern is valid. A manderine can easily wipe out every pod in a tank whether they are producing or not. They are a preditory hunter 24/7. You can help them out with frozen but the vast majority of us cannot support one long term.

Don

 

[wingnut247]

green is the word

As long as the pods have a constent food source they will reproduce in kind. Same as any animal. Larger the food source the more quickly they grow and the faster they reach sexual maturation= more pods. Once a week a put in a ml of DT's green water and I see pods all over the glass. Razor the glass and my clown goes insane....(I should note, I'm refering to the the lowest animal on the food chain)

Yup... pods like
1) Convoluted Rock (pitted/twisted) ...the more the merrier.
2) Macro Algae (plants) in your refugium or tank.
3) Micro Algae (Green Water/DT) Part of the food chain and has a direct impact on population.

I culture pods as a diet supplement for the my sea ponies...

Try getting a culture of mysids going in your tank/fuge.

 

[morgan]

i never lost a scooter he is going real strong and is a male with an awsome dorals fin i lost the mandarin which was a female i didnt thikn mandarins hunt 24/7 as i know mine is not out at night

 

[Juanfer]

how can I create a refugium without algae????????

 

[Juanfer]

I mean without algae beacause here the Pet stores dont sell any tipe of algae, and I'm looking to reproduce pods, cause I'm thinkining in buying a mandarin.