Mandarin Q's

moongoddesss007 · 09/04/2006, 06:30 PM

We have a 29 gallon tank with about 40 lbs of live rock and a 4" live sand bed. Although we do not have a refugium, I see the pods running all over the LR during the day and even on the glass. The inhabitants of our tank are:

yellow tail damsel
bi color blenny
Small pair of oscellaris
Yellow watchman goby

I know we may be pushing it with our load but we are very diligent with water changes, check our parameters several times during the week and have been steady for a while now.
Now for the question...do you think it would be possible for us to have a mandarin? We will be upgrading in the near future to a 75, but until then, I just want to satisfy my curiosity.
Thanks

TekCat · 09/04/2006, 06:46 PM

don't know about bioload, but unless you train mandarin to eat prepared foods, you'll be buying pods quite often.

stevenvalys · 09/04/2006, 06:54 PM

A healthy mandarin will clean that tank out in about a week. The damsel and the clowns will nibble on the pods between feedings. Even a 75 is pushing the envelope with mandarins, unless like TekCat said, it will eat prepared foods.

TekCat · 09/04/2006, 07:13 PM

Here is a nice article about mandarins: http://www.reefcentral.com/modules.p...showpage&pid=3

PatMayo · 09/04/2006, 07:31 PM

You will kill it. I would not even try.

Regards,

Pat

itz frank · 09/04/2006, 07:41 PM

A good alternative to the pod buying is to purchase ReefBugs. I have a mandarin and he is getting fatter every day in my 90. Put him in there before the tank was established and only two weeks after i started dosing and tehre's pods everywhere.

meco65 · 09/04/2006, 07:44 PM

The only way I would put a mandarin in a tank less than 125gal is to have one that will take prepared food, and learn and be willing to grow your own pods its not that hard to do and will insure your mandarins health. Here is a great site that has tons of info for mandarins, pods.

http://home.alltel.net/teakiebarber/

moongoddesss007 · 09/05/2006, 08:17 AM

Thank you for all of your replies. I realize they are very demanding and sensitive fish which I would never consider getting without being able to provide it without being able to meet its needs.

dc · 09/05/2006, 08:42 AM

I would probably wait till you get the 75, and it is mature. Even when they eat prepared foods they like to eat all day, I drop pellets into my tank several times a day for mine.

09/04/2006, 06:30 PM	#1
moongoddesss007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sunny St. Petersburg Posts: 831	Mandarin Q's We have a 29 gallon tank with about 40 lbs of live rock and a 4" live sand bed. Although we do not have a refugium, I see the pods running all over the LR during the day and even on the glass. The inhabitants of our tank are: yellow tail damsel bi color blenny Small pair of oscellaris Yellow watchman goby I know we may be pushing it with our load but we are very diligent with water changes, check our parameters several times during the week and have been steady for a while now. Now for the question...do you think it would be possible for us to have a mandarin? We will be upgrading in the near future to a 75, but until then, I just want to satisfy my curiosity. Thanks

09/04/2006, 06:54 PM	#3
stevenvalys Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dayville, Connecticut Posts: 345	A healthy mandarin will clean that tank out in about a week. The damsel and the clowns will nibble on the pods between feedings. Even a 75 is pushing the envelope with mandarins, unless like TekCat said, it will eat prepared foods. __________________ Steven Valys Current Tank Info: sps, lps, and polyps, bristle worms, shrimp, misc inverts and a kick-*** MRC MR2 skimmer!

09/04/2006, 07:31 PM	#5
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	You will kill it. I would not even try. Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

09/05/2006, 08:42 AM	#9
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	I would probably wait till you get the 75, and it is mature. Even when they eat prepared foods they like to eat all day, I drop pellets into my tank several times a day for mine. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

09/04/2006, 06:46 PM	#2
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	don't know about bioload, but unless you train mandarin to eat prepared foods, you'll be buying pods quite often.

09/04/2006, 07:13 PM	#4
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	Here is a nice article about mandarins: http://www.reefcentral.com/modules.p...showpage&pid=3

09/04/2006, 07:41 PM	#6
itz frank Gives Bad Advice. Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL Posts: 2,168	A good alternative to the pod buying is to purchase ReefBugs. I have a mandarin and he is getting fatter every day in my 90. Put him in there before the tank was established and only two weeks after i started dosing and tehre's pods everywhere.

09/04/2006, 07:44 PM	#7
meco65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,603	The only way I would put a mandarin in a tank less than 125gal is to have one that will take prepared food, and learn and be willing to grow your own pods its not that hard to do and will insure your mandarins health. Here is a great site that has tons of info for mandarins, pods. http://home.alltel.net/teakiebarber/

09/05/2006, 08:17 AM	#8
moongoddesss007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sunny St. Petersburg Posts: 831	Thank you for all of your replies. I realize they are very demanding and sensitive fish which I would never consider getting without being able to provide it without being able to meet its needs.