Mandarine loosing color and acting strange.

dreed · 03/10/2009, 11:50 PM

I just picked up a Blue Mandarine after letting my tank build for 1 year. I have alot of pods on the tank walls and in my fuge so i figured it was time. I got him this Sunday and he was in and around the tank for the last 2 days. Tonight he seems to be loosing his neat colors and is sitting out in the corner of the tank behind a shell. I know my Blood shrimp has been after him some so it leads me to 2 things. EIther he's not eating and dying, or he just does the color thing at night and is trying to stay away from the shrimp who won't come out of the rocks.

What do you guys think? Am I on the verge of loosing him? I really would like for him to make it. I've waited this long to get him and how I'll be discouraged to try again if he doesn't make it. I can't put another through it if I'm having an issue. I want to cry right now. I hate seeing this stuff happen. The wife wanted this since we started the tank and the kids love it hovering.

Thanks
Dave

BuddhaKiss · 03/11/2009, 12:09 AM

Well, when did you observe this? Were your main lights off? Were your actinics on? My mandy normally begins to bed down for the night an hour or so before its lights out in my tank and his color will lighten. If this is the case, perfectly normal...if this happens when your main lights are still on...then I have no clue

Jenisiz · 03/11/2009, 01:15 AM

Color will lighten when they're about to or are sleeping...

dreed · 03/11/2009, 06:23 AM

Yup. He was turning white when the lights were out as if he was trying to blend in with the sand ved or something. I got up this morning and turned on the kitchen light and about 5 minutes later went to look for him. He was hovering and full of color and swam away like normal. I guess everything might be fine. I'd like to feed him something that he'll take in easily. What is there I can buy to feed that he'll surely take in?

Thanks for the replies.

Dave

vikubz · 03/11/2009, 06:21 PM

Try frozen blood worms. I think folks have pretty good luck getting them to take blood worms.

bubbly · 03/11/2009, 06:43 PM

They can turn pale when they sleep -- check http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-09/fish/index.php

You might want to make sure the blood shrimp doesn't stress him out too much, though.

Also, I hear they like black worms and also the flying fish roe you can get in sushi - tobiko, I think it is called.

03/10/2009, 11:50 PM	#1
dreed Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cheyenne Wyoming Posts: 237	Mandarine loosing color and acting strange. I just picked up a Blue Mandarine after letting my tank build for 1 year. I have alot of pods on the tank walls and in my fuge so i figured it was time. I got him this Sunday and he was in and around the tank for the last 2 days. Tonight he seems to be loosing his neat colors and is sitting out in the corner of the tank behind a shell. I know my Blood shrimp has been after him some so it leads me to 2 things. EIther he's not eating and dying, or he just does the color thing at night and is trying to stay away from the shrimp who won't come out of the rocks. What do you guys think? Am I on the verge of loosing him? I really would like for him to make it. I've waited this long to get him and how I'll be discouraged to try again if he doesn't make it. I can't put another through it if I'm having an issue. I want to cry right now. I hate seeing this stuff happen. The wife wanted this since we started the tank and the kids love it hovering. Thanks Dave

03/11/2009, 12:09 AM	#2
BuddhaKiss Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Northern Va Posts: 1,068	Well, when did you observe this? Were your main lights off? Were your actinics on? My mandy normally begins to bed down for the night an hour or so before its lights out in my tank and his color will lighten. If this is the case, perfectly normal...if this happens when your main lights are still on...then I have no clue

03/11/2009, 01:15 AM	#3
Jenisiz Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Somewhere over the Rainbow... Posts: 235	Color will lighten when they're about to or are sleeping...

03/11/2009, 06:23 AM	#4
dreed Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cheyenne Wyoming Posts: 237	Yup. He was turning white when the lights were out as if he was trying to blend in with the sand ved or something. I got up this morning and turned on the kitchen light and about 5 minutes later went to look for him. He was hovering and full of color and swam away like normal. I guess everything might be fine. I'd like to feed him something that he'll take in easily. What is there I can buy to feed that he'll surely take in? Thanks for the replies. Dave

03/11/2009, 06:21 PM	#5
vikubz Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cedar Falls, IA Posts: 599	Try frozen blood worms. I think folks have pretty good luck getting them to take blood worms.

03/11/2009, 06:43 PM	#6
bubbly Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 331	They can turn pale when they sleep -- check http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-09/fish/index.php You might want to make sure the blood shrimp doesn't stress him out too much, though. Also, I hear they like black worms and also the flying fish roe you can get in sushi - tobiko, I think it is called.