Can you put a Green Mandarin into a Red Sea Max 250 65 gallon tank?

Sytje1234 · 01/10/2012, 10:41 AM

Is anyone out there famaliar with Red Sea Max 250 65 gallon reef tanks? I was told by a LFS that you can't put a Green Mandarin in it because it doesn't have a sump....I have been looking to get one of these, but the LFS didn't recommend it. What is your view on this? I really like this fish but don't want to end up torturing a beautiful fish, or any for that matter. I do have a skimmer with a filtration system all built into the tank. Please advise..Thank you!

blt · 01/10/2012, 10:58 AM

65gal without a sump (or more specifically - without a large refugium) is very unlikely to be able to support a mandarin. They typically only feed on live copepods and amphipods, and can quickly decimate the population that would be found in a 65 gallon tank to the point that there won't be enough to sustain it.

Some people have had success getting mandarins to eat prepared foods, but anecdotally that definitely seems to be the exception. There are also the ORA tank bred mandarins that are raised on prepared foods, but even they have been sometimes known to stop taking prepared foods once they've gotten a taste for live pods - though (again, anecdotally) they do seem to have a significantly higher success rate with prepared foods than wild caught mandarins.

There is some debate on if a mandarin can survive properly on just prepared foods, or if it's only suitable as a supplement to a pod population - but other than knowing there is a debate on that, I'm not knowledgeable enough on the topic to be able to provide any insight on it.

SneakyPete · 01/10/2012, 11:11 AM

If you had a large, well established refugium, you would be alright, but as mentioned, a mandarin would quickly wipe out the pods in your tank and would starve.

Another possible solution is this:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2113800

You could set up a feeding station like shown there, but I don't know how a mandarin would do if all it was fed was baby brine shrimp...

sslak · 01/10/2012, 11:17 AM

Without a sump/refugium I believe your chances are slim of keeping one successfully.

C.Sharkdude · 01/10/2012, 11:22 AM

You could make a HOB fuge made from an AC110. You can find the DIY videos on YouTube. It's pretty simple.

Sytje1234 · 01/10/2012, 12:51 PM

I'll go on you tube and check it out or try to figure something out. Actually thinking about putting in a larger tank eventually. I sure like those Mandarin's. But like C.Sharkdude says...you tube possibly has a solution with that type of set up. It might work....I'll check it out! Thanks!

01/10/2012, 10:41 AM	#1
Sytje1234 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Warm Springs, OR Posts: 103	Can you put a Green Mandarin into a Red Sea Max 250 65 gallon tank? Is anyone out there famaliar with Red Sea Max 250 65 gallon reef tanks? I was told by a LFS that you can't put a Green Mandarin in it because it doesn't have a sump....I have been looking to get one of these, but the LFS didn't recommend it. What is your view on this? I really like this fish but don't want to end up torturing a beautiful fish, or any for that matter. I do have a skimmer with a filtration system all built into the tank. Please advise..Thank you!

01/10/2012, 10:58 AM	#2
blt Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 205	65gal without a sump (or more specifically - without a large refugium) is very unlikely to be able to support a mandarin. They typically only feed on live copepods and amphipods, and can quickly decimate the population that would be found in a 65 gallon tank to the point that there won't be enough to sustain it. Some people have had success getting mandarins to eat prepared foods, but anecdotally that definitely seems to be the exception. There are also the ORA tank bred mandarins that are raised on prepared foods, but even they have been sometimes known to stop taking prepared foods once they've gotten a taste for live pods - though (again, anecdotally) they do seem to have a significantly higher success rate with prepared foods than wild caught mandarins. There is some debate on if a mandarin can survive properly on just prepared foods, or if it's only suitable as a supplement to a pod population - but other than knowing there is a debate on that, I'm not knowledgeable enough on the topic to be able to provide any insight on it. Last edited by blt; 01/10/2012 at 11:08 AM.

01/10/2012, 11:11 AM	#3
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	If you had a large, well established refugium, you would be alright, but as mentioned, a mandarin would quickly wipe out the pods in your tank and would starve. Another possible solution is this: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2113800 You could set up a feeding station like shown there, but I don't know how a mandarin would do if all it was fed was baby brine shrimp... __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock

01/10/2012, 11:17 AM	#4
sslak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,705	Without a sump/refugium I believe your chances are slim of keeping one successfully. __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic/20g Sump/250w XM 20k/2x39w T5 True Actinic 03/2010 Reef Octopus NW Cone Skimmer

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01/10/2012, 11:22 AM	#5
C.Sharkdude Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 867	You could make a HOB fuge made from an AC110. You can find the DIY videos on YouTube. It's pretty simple.

01/10/2012, 12:51 PM	#6
Sytje1234 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Warm Springs, OR Posts: 103	I'll go on you tube and check it out or try to figure something out. Actually thinking about putting in a larger tank eventually. I sure like those Mandarin's. But like C.Sharkdude says...you tube possibly has a solution with that type of set up. It might work....I'll check it out! Thanks!