Probably Shouldn't Have Done This.............

[vetschroger]

Update on the mandarin? Have you started culturing the pods yet?

 

[Lbrewer34]

Well, the little guy is still alive, although he is still looking skinny. I can really tell if he has gotten skinnier. He still spends all day pecking at the reef. I tried catching the six line, but heard a good technique today involving a 2 liter coke bottle, so ill give it a shot today. I went to BR to pick up some pods, should have called first, they were out, so as soon as they get some pods in Ill get the culture tank going. Still have hope, and even if he doesn't make it the cultured pods will be good for the tank. I'll post again in about a week, unless he dies before then, but I think he'll make the week, no so confident about the next month though. "Fingers Crossed"

Lee

 

[Lbrewer34]

So I set the pods culture up, ended up doing it a little different. Instead of setting up a separate tank, I found a rubbermaid container that would fit in the top of the sump, with the bottom submerged about 1/2 inch. Hooked up an air stone, let the pods acclimate to temperature and set them free. The general idea is to take about 25% of the water out of the culture tank every week, and replace it with fresh saltwater hopefully keeping a stable environment to continue culturing.
Here are a few pics:

 

[dragoneggs]

Okay this is getting interesting. I have never been able to keep my pod population up so I want to see your success. Are you going to feed phyto to your ppd culture?

 

[DTECH07]

Here is a interesting process without having a QT to do it: Melevsreef.com - Mandarin Care I'm going to set this up on Monday just to see ( I have Fat and Happy Manderines)

Dtech07

 

[Lbrewer34]

Okay this is getting interesting. I have never been able to keep my pod population up so I want to see your success. Are you going to feed phyto to your ppd culture?

Ya, right now I'm using phyto feast, reef nutrition actually has a page on how to culture in a stand alone container. Reef Nutrition - Tigger-Pods®
I'll keep posting as the project continues. Hopefully it works out

 

[Tbremer]

tagging along interested in the copopod culturing

 

[Lbrewer34]

So the mandarin came out today during the day, but he wasn't pecking like he has been in the past. He also looks like he has lost some more weight. I tried target feeding him pods, rods and mysis and he pecked a little, but not a lot. So, i figured I'd put him in the container that I am using to culture the pods, maybe then he'll pick up and eat. So far he seems to be just swimming around, I haven't seen him really going after the pods. Since the container I was using was separate from my tank, I drilled some small holes along one side, and dropped the container to about 4" submerged. Some of the pods have left the culture container, but there is still a pretty good number there. Since I have flow going in, I think I'll add some chaeto. Hope he pulls through, I'll post again if anything happens, as well as an update on the pod culture.

 

[Lbrewer34]

The mandarin is still alive, but I don't see him pecking much anymore, and he looks like he is getting skinnier. He didn't do much when I put him in the pod culture tank, so I moved him back to the display. I messed up the stand alone culture I set up when I moved him into it, i drilled holes in the sides so there would be some water exchange. The pod population diminished significantly, but i never saw the mandarin eating the pods, and in the process of moving ended up accidentally dumping what I had going into my sump. Not a big deal, but I'll have to start the culture process over. Oh the fun of trial and error.
I am wondering though if culturing reef pods might be better for him than the tiggers, or maybe even both. Any suggestions?
At this point with him not feeding like he was it is probably past the point of no return. When/if he dies, does anyone see an issue with leaving him in the tank for the crabs and other critters? If he dies behind the reef I might won't have a choice, but I could move him the the sump to make removal easier.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Bset to minimize polution.

 

[vetschroger]

I have been following along on this thread. I purchased a mandarin about a month ago with assurance that it was eating mysis. Well after getting home I never seemed to see him eating anything I put in the tank. I did not worry too much because I have quite a bit of pods in my tank and he seemed to be nibbling away at everything in the tank. Last week I was in the store and there was a differemt employee there who I have talked with quite a bit, I asked him if the mandarins they had a few weeks back were on food or pods? He said they had them on pods and since I had been told by the other employee they were feeding them I could bring him back if I wanted to. I kept target feeding him and today for the first time I actually saw him eating the mysis. So I guess with enough persistence you may get yours eating prepared foods. I want to wish you luck with getting him to eat.

 

[Lbrewer34]

Well, the little guy died this morning. Oh well, it was worth a try and a great leading experience along the way.

 

[vetschroger]

Sorry to hear about your loss. It is always a bummer to lose a fish, but at least you had some learning experiences to share with others.

 

[DTECH07]

Really sorry to hear that, but dont give on Manderines nor on the saving of fish. It takes a "True Hobbiest" IMHO to try and you did all that could be done, sometime they don't make it.

Take Care and thanks for all the hard work and sharing your progress.

D

 

[Lbrewer34]

Thanks for all the kind words. Sorry for the late response, been out for a while. I won't give up on the mandi's, it'll probably be easier if I start out with a healthy one.