Mandarin Care

[SlowBoat]

Hi all,

I am thinking about getting a mandarin for my 180G tank. The tank is close to 8 months old now and am concerned that there is enough food for a mandarin.

I see plenty of free swimming brine or mysid shrimp within the tank, these guys are all over the place. The sand bed is loaded with critters and same for the refugium/sump.

I am also interested in some gobies, basslets, blennies to the tank. Will these fish create compitition for food with the mandarin?

 

[Mushroom Boy]

I would say that your tank could support a mandarin at this point. They love mysid shrimp, as well as any copepods they can find. IMO, a safe bet when considering the purchase of one of these beauties is to NEVER assume that you'll be one of the lucky ones whose mandarin takes prepared foods. Dave, I think a 180 that's been up for close to a year with gobs-o-pods should have no problem supporting a mandarin. If you want to be on the safe side, you could wait another 4 months, but you should be good to go based on your description of your misc-o-pod populations. Mine is fat and happy in my 100 for a year and a half at this point.

As far as the competition goes, it depends on exactly what kind of other fish you're considering. Six line wrasses are notorious competitors, as well as some of the "sand sifting" gobies and other fish. Scooter blennies would also compete directly.

HTH
Paul.

 

[SlowBoat]

Thanks for the info.

I am looking at adding a red head, hector's and/or court jester gobies. I have a leopard wrasse for the past three months and it is fat and happy, so that is what got me thinking it is time for a mandarin. Don't know if I would want anymore than that for food competition.

 

[SlowBoat]

I ended up getting a mandarin goby last week, so far so good. On the few occasions I have caught a glimpse, he is looking fat and healthy.

The only problem is my wife thinks he looks like an argyle sock and has named him "Argyle"

 

[Mushroom Boy]

Any pics yet? How's it doing? Male or female?

 

[SlowBoat]

I wish I had some pics. Such a pretty fish, but still spends most of the time hiding within the rocks. Hopefully tomorrow I can spend some time lurking around with the camera.

How do you determine sex of these awsome fish?

 

[aquariumdebacle]

sex

The males a little more robust, larger, and have a long thin dorsal fin that they will flash when displaying. The absolute way to ensure a pair is to put them together in a tank and watch for signs of agression. Males are incompatible and will fight. Make sure they are getting enough live food. If they start to look skinny supplement thier diet with live brine. They will occasionally take frozen but don't count on it.

 

[SlowBoat]

Here he is, in full color.

 

[SlowBoat]

Pucker Up Baby

Here is another shot of the mandarin. Sorry about the sratches in the acyrlic..

 

[Arkman]

awesome pics. unless there is a toothpick like dorsal spine at the anterior end, thats a she

 

[SlowBoat]

Yep long spear like spine on the anterior of his fin. I think he was a little bit camera shy.

Such an awesome fish, he is moving about the tank today instead of hiding in the rock work.

 

[David Winther]

Both sexes have the spine in the front. The male however is VERY long while the female version is much shorter. The male would extend past the length of the dorsal fin. On my male, about 3 1/2 inches in length, the dorsal fin is a good 1 1/2 inches long. Hard to tell sex from your shots as you can't see the dorsal spine.