how many mandarins in a 210?

jon99 · 11/13/2012, 10:14 PM

I'm planning on getting a mandarin or two down the road when my tank is about a year old and matured. I'm having a hard time choosing between the green and the spotted. Can a green male and spotted female (or vice versa) be mixed together or does it have to be two of the same variety? Would two pairs (2 green and 2 spotted) be a better bet then just one green and one spotted?

EllieSuz · 11/13/2012, 10:31 PM

Two pair are liable to get too territorial. Two males, especially, will fight to the death. Your tank should be able to sustain a pair. I'm glad to see that you're going to wait a while before you introduce them. In the meantime, I would purchase some pods and "seed" your refugium and tank with them.

jon99 · 11/14/2012, 06:03 AM

If it's primarily the males that are territorial, would a green male and spotted female liikely get along? Or two females (green and spotted)? Or a green pair and a spotted female? I guess what I'm getting at is, is there a way of keeping both a green and a spotted in the same dt considering it's 210 gal and assuming the food supply would not be an issue.

EllieSuz · 11/14/2012, 08:55 AM

Since I haven't tried multiples (in my 60, I'm lucky to have one healthy, chubby one), I can only repeat what I've read here on RC. Multiples just don't work. It's hard to equate the gentle little guy in my tank with a killer, but from everything I've read, they just don't play well. Even a pair can be chancy if they don't "hit it off". I hope somebody else will chime in to attest to whether two females would get along. I'm pretty sure not.

funkejj · 11/14/2012, 09:01 AM

I have a 180 and have two females. 90% of the time they are ok and 10% one follows the other like she is chasing it away. I would get one pair a female and a male. They need pods and a pair can wipe out pods in a 210 with out issue especially one not established.

11/13/2012, 10:14 PM	#1
jon99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atl Ga Posts: 817	how many mandarins in a 210? I'm planning on getting a mandarin or two down the road when my tank is about a year old and matured. I'm having a hard time choosing between the green and the spotted. Can a green male and spotted female (or vice versa) be mixed together or does it have to be two of the same variety? Would two pairs (2 green and 2 spotted) be a better bet then just one green and one spotted?

11/13/2012, 10:31 PM	#2
EllieSuz Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 3,858	Two pair are liable to get too territorial. Two males, especially, will fight to the death. Your tank should be able to sustain a pair. I'm glad to see that you're going to wait a while before you introduce them. In the meantime, I would purchase some pods and "seed" your refugium and tank with them. __________________ "You can't learn this hobby one question at a time." (Mr. Tuskfish) Eileen Current Tank Info: I'm out of the hobby, but used to have a60 gal. reef, refugium in sump, Internal Mag 9 return, SC 302 skimmer, two Maxi-Jet 1200's modded, four bulb T5 Lighting, Reefkeeper Lite Controller with three PC4's, Little Fishes GFO reactor.

11/14/2012, 08:55 AM	#4
EllieSuz Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 3,858	Since I haven't tried multiples (in my 60, I'm lucky to have one healthy, chubby one), I can only repeat what I've read here on RC. Multiples just don't work. It's hard to equate the gentle little guy in my tank with a killer, but from everything I've read, they just don't play well. Even a pair can be chancy if they don't "hit it off". I hope somebody else will chime in to attest to whether two females would get along. I'm pretty sure not. __________________ "You can't learn this hobby one question at a time." (Mr. Tuskfish) Eileen Current Tank Info: I'm out of the hobby, but used to have a60 gal. reef, refugium in sump, Internal Mag 9 return, SC 302 skimmer, two Maxi-Jet 1200's modded, four bulb T5 Lighting, Reefkeeper Lite Controller with three PC4's, Little Fishes GFO reactor.

11/14/2012, 06:03 AM	#3
jon99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atl Ga Posts: 817	If it's primarily the males that are territorial, would a green male and spotted female liikely get along? Or two females (green and spotted)? Or a green pair and a spotted female? I guess what I'm getting at is, is there a way of keeping both a green and a spotted in the same dt considering it's 210 gal and assuming the food supply would not be an issue.

11/14/2012, 09:01 AM	#5
funkejj Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 747	I have a 180 and have two females. 90% of the time they are ok and 10% one follows the other like she is chasing it away. I would get one pair a female and a male. They need pods and a pair can wipe out pods in a 210 with out issue especially one not established.