mandarin with only a sump...no fuge

ryanpal · 12/07/2007, 03:55 PM

it seems it is strongly recommended that a fuge is in place for mandarins. i only have a sump with chaeto setup on my 150 gal. there's about 100lbs of live rock. should this be enough for a mandarin or will he eventually starve?

i read about a strawberry basket with live rocks...any other methods that help keep a food supply for them?

kar93 · 12/07/2007, 03:57 PM

it may suffice for a while but youd be better off getting a fuge doesnt have to be plumbed in you can get a hang on the back or someting like that.

ryanpal · 12/12/2007, 01:34 PM

it may be quite some time before i can put a fuge in there. is there any type of food i can provide instead or will he just eventually starve to death?

am3gross · 12/12/2007, 01:54 PM

how long has the tank been setup? if yo uare just starting out then he will more then likely starve.... if the tank is established for at least a year then i would think you would be fine, only if the manderine is the only thing that is eating the pods.... just my opionion.

ryanpal · 12/13/2007, 09:08 AM

my tank has been setup at my house since june. it was running for about 5 years prior.

i understand the "move" shocks the system a bit so im not sure how that affects the pods.

what other types of fish compete to eat the pods?

Blown 346 · 12/13/2007, 09:15 AM

The only problem with mandarins is they need and 99% of them only accept live food. Even if you have a fuge one can quickly dwindle the amount of life you have in the tank. I just recently gave mine away to another reefer after having him 2 years. I have a 20 gallon fuge and the tank has been setup for 5 years with 150 LBS of rock and the mandarin dwindled the pods away to almost nothing.

I would wait atleast a year to get one, and get strictly a fuge( the largest you can fit or work with).

DaveG99 · 12/13/2007, 09:15 AM

Wrasses eat pods also. With the size of your tank it should be fine. I would buy some pods and add them to the tank just to be safe. And I would definetly set up an area where the pods can be safe from the mandarin and reproduce.

qwert1 · 12/13/2007, 09:34 AM

I have one in my 125, I put it in when the tank was about 6 months old with 120lbs of live rock and put a couple pieces of LR in the sump and the mandarin has been living for about 4 months now.

12/07/2007, 03:55 PM	#1
ryanpal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 756	mandarin with only a sump...no fuge it seems it is strongly recommended that a fuge is in place for mandarins. i only have a sump with chaeto setup on my 150 gal. there's about 100lbs of live rock. should this be enough for a mandarin or will he eventually starve? i read about a strawberry basket with live rocks...any other methods that help keep a food supply for them?

12/12/2007, 01:54 PM	#4
am3gross Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: va Posts: 1,243	how long has the tank been setup? if yo uare just starting out then he will more then likely starve.... if the tank is established for at least a year then i would think you would be fine, only if the manderine is the only thing that is eating the pods.... just my opionion. __________________ There are five things that you cannot recover in life: (1) The Stone...........after it's thrown, (2) The Word...............after it's said, (3) The Occasion......after it's missed, and ...(4) The Time.............after it's gone. (5) A person...............after they die Current Tank Info: 210 display, 75 gallon fuge

12/07/2007, 03:57 PM	#2
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	it may suffice for a while but youd be better off getting a fuge doesnt have to be plumbed in you can get a hang on the back or someting like that.

12/12/2007, 01:34 PM	#3
ryanpal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 756	it may be quite some time before i can put a fuge in there. is there any type of food i can provide instead or will he just eventually starve to death?

12/13/2007, 09:08 AM	#5
ryanpal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 756	my tank has been setup at my house since june. it was running for about 5 years prior. i understand the "move" shocks the system a bit so im not sure how that affects the pods. what other types of fish compete to eat the pods?

12/13/2007, 09:15 AM	#6
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	The only problem with mandarins is they need and 99% of them only accept live food. Even if you have a fuge one can quickly dwindle the amount of life you have in the tank. I just recently gave mine away to another reefer after having him 2 years. I have a 20 gallon fuge and the tank has been setup for 5 years with 150 LBS of rock and the mandarin dwindled the pods away to almost nothing. I would wait atleast a year to get one, and get strictly a fuge( the largest you can fit or work with).

12/13/2007, 09:15 AM	#7
DaveG99 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Forney Texas Posts: 1,597	Wrasses eat pods also. With the size of your tank it should be fine. I would buy some pods and add them to the tank just to be safe. And I would definetly set up an area where the pods can be safe from the mandarin and reproduce.

12/13/2007, 09:34 AM	#8
qwert1 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 9	I have one in my 125, I put it in when the tank was about 6 months old with 120lbs of live rock and put a couple pieces of LR in the sump and the mandarin has been living for about 4 months now.