How many of you keep mandarins in small tanks?

ahud · 10/10/2010, 10:43 AM

Do any of you keep mandarins in smaller tanks with large refugiums?

I have always wanted a mandarin, but did not think one was possible in anything below a 75g. I'm setting up a 40br, any chance I would have enough pods if I had a fuge in my sump AND a separate fuge in a 10gallon used only for growing pods.

I won't try it if there is a slim chance, and if I get the mandarin I won't have any other fish that feed on pods.

mcoomer · 10/10/2010, 11:08 AM

I don't have a mandarin but I've thought about the possibility of doing one and checked into a bit. From what you describe I think that eventually you'll be able to. If you have a good amount of LR and a healthy fuge setup you should be able to maintain a healthy population of pods for the mandarin to hunt. If you can train your fish to eat mysis or other frozen foods you can supplement its pod diet. You won't be able to support one initially though. You'll have to wait until the new tank has matured.

Mike

m-rass · 10/10/2010, 11:13 AM

Make sure you have lots of live rock, and a nice pod population. Check them out at your LFS, ask them to shoot some live brine in the tank. If the mandarin readily takes them, you can supplement with live brine fed with Selcon. Mine will even eat frozen brine now days, took months to get him trained though. Should be fine in a well established 40b though.

ahud · 10/10/2010, 12:03 PM

Do clown fish, damsels, or gobies eat a significant amount of pods?

davocean · 10/10/2010, 12:08 PM

Some gobies do, I had a red head that was serious comp for my mandy.
In that size system, I won't say impossible to have a mandy, but certainly challenging.
A good size fuge, and no pod competition, possibly, but of course a bigger tank/more LR would be preferred.

Flippers4pups · 10/10/2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahud

Do clown fish, damsels, or gobies eat a significant amount of pods?

No. On a tank that small, you will need to supplement pods on a regular basis. DT's has copepods. You really should have a Very well established tank and refugium with a lot of live rock and pods before adding any dragonet. To do other wise is to just have them starve and die. Even with the right set up, you will eventually have to supplement pods.

ahud · 10/10/2010, 12:14 PM

What would be the ideal "pod tank"?

CalmSeasQuest · 10/10/2010, 12:22 PM

I have a very fat and happy Mandarin in a year old 49G Cadlights. The total system is around 60 gallons with lots of live rock and a DSB. I dose live Phyto 2X daily and will purchase pods a couple times a year just to be sure. I don't think the supplementation is needed as there are thousands visible in the DT, sump and FT once the lights go out. The only competition is a 6 line, who's also very fat.

I believe the key to maintaining a large pod population is constantly adding Phyto and providing a non-predated hiding areas (sump and/or rubble piles.)

davocean · 10/10/2010, 12:25 PM

Just to give a general guideline, recommended is a tank big enough to have at least 50-75lbs of well established LR, preferably more.
If you had a pretty big fuge, say 30-40g w/ LR and lots of macro, that could help overcome, but it is possible you may still need to supplement pods.
I had one mandy decimate pods in a very established 90g w/ lots of LR, that tank had no fuge though.
I added a HO fuge when I noticed that mandy looking even slightly thin, and it was already too late(as many times happens, once they start to look thin, start to starve, often it's too late)

Korrine · 10/10/2010, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CalmSeasQuest

I have a very fat and happy Mandarin in a year old 49G Cadlights. The total system is around 60 gallons with lots of live rock and a DSB. I dose live Phyto 2X daily and will purchase pods a couple times a year just to be sure. I don't think the supplementation is needed as there are thousands visible in the DT, sump and FT once the lights go out. The only competition is a 6 line, who's also very fat.

I believe the key to maintaining a large pod population is constantly adding Phyto and providing a non-predated hiding areas (sump and/or rubble piles.)

how long have you had your mandy?

CalmSeasQuest · 10/10/2010, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Korrine

how long have you had your mandy?

About 8 months BUT - I added tons of live rock (to the tank, sump and lots of rubble in the FT), have 2 large rubble piles in the DT and initially seeded the tank with thousands of purchased pods prior to even considering the Dragonet. Also important, he has no competition in the DT (the 6-line is in the FT.)

Unless someone was willing to do all of the above AND add phyto daily - I would NOT recommend adding a Mandarin to a tank as small as mine.

Sk8r · 10/10/2010, 12:47 PM

Supplementing pods is ferociously expensive. Cheaper: if you have: a 30 g sump with half of it devoted to a fuge, packed with cheato, live rock and a dsb, and plenty of live rock in your display you will amply feed a mandy. I run a fat large mandy and a scooter (both dragonets) in a 54 g with that rig, and have no troubles. The main thing is, it needs to be a really meaningful fuge.

10/10/2010, 10:43 AM	#1
ahud Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 519	How many of you keep mandarins in small tanks? Do any of you keep mandarins in smaller tanks with large refugiums? I have always wanted a mandarin, but did not think one was possible in anything below a 75g. I'm setting up a 40br, any chance I would have enough pods if I had a fuge in my sump AND a separate fuge in a 10gallon used only for growing pods. I won't try it if there is a slim chance, and if I get the mandarin I won't have any other fish that feed on pods.

10/10/2010, 11:08 AM	#2
mcoomer Rat Bastard! Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sammamish, WA Posts: 1,487	I don't have a mandarin but I've thought about the possibility of doing one and checked into a bit. From what you describe I think that eventually you'll be able to. If you have a good amount of LR and a healthy fuge setup you should be able to maintain a healthy population of pods for the mandarin to hunt. If you can train your fish to eat mysis or other frozen foods you can supplement its pod diet. You won't be able to support one initially though. You'll have to wait until the new tank has matured. Mike __________________ Spending exorbitant amounts of money on this hobby since 1998! My wife thought the tank would be cheaper and easier to keep than a dog...no seriously! Current Tank Info: 180 gallon mixed reef; Reeflo Barracuda, Tunze 6105 (X3), 250W Radiums with dual HQI Blue Wave 7, Reefkeeper Elite controller, custom sump with ASM G4, carbon and GFO reactors

10/10/2010, 12:08 PM	#5
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Some gobies do, I had a red head that was serious comp for my mandy. In that size system, I won't say impossible to have a mandy, but certainly challenging. A good size fuge, and no pod competition, possibly, but of course a bigger tank/more LR would be preferred. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

10/10/2010, 12:22 PM	#8
CalmSeasQuest Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Brighton, MI Posts: 1,230	I have a very fat and happy Mandarin in a year old 49G Cadlights. The total system is around 60 gallons with lots of live rock and a DSB. I dose live Phyto 2X daily and will purchase pods a couple times a year just to be sure. I don't think the supplementation is needed as there are thousands visible in the DT, sump and FT once the lights go out. The only competition is a 6 line, who's also very fat. I believe the key to maintaining a large pod population is constantly adding Phyto and providing a non-predated hiding areas (sump and/or rubble piles.) __________________ -Tom The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. - George Bernard Shaw Current Tank Info: 96X30" 270Gal, Kessil 360WEs, BK250 Double Cone, 400 gal ASW station with continuous water change

10/10/2010, 12:25 PM	#9
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Just to give a general guideline, recommended is a tank big enough to have at least 50-75lbs of well established LR, preferably more. If you had a pretty big fuge, say 30-40g w/ LR and lots of macro, that could help overcome, but it is possible you may still need to supplement pods. I had one mandy decimate pods in a very established 90g w/ lots of LR, that tank had no fuge though. I added a HO fuge when I noticed that mandy looking even slightly thin, and it was already too late(as many times happens, once they start to look thin, start to starve, often it's too late) __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

10/10/2010, 11:13 AM	#3
m-rass Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Aurora, CO Posts: 50	Make sure you have lots of live rock, and a nice pod population. Check them out at your LFS, ask them to shoot some live brine in the tank. If the mandarin readily takes them, you can supplement with live brine fed with Selcon. Mine will even eat frozen brine now days, took months to get him trained though. Should be fine in a well established 40b though.

10/10/2010, 12:03 PM	#4
ahud Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 519	Do clown fish, damsels, or gobies eat a significant amount of pods?

10/10/2010, 12:14 PM	#7
ahud Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 519	What would be the ideal "pod tank"?

10/10/2010, 12:47 PM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Supplementing pods is ferociously expensive. Cheaper: if you have: a 30 g sump with half of it devoted to a fuge, packed with cheato, live rock and a dsb, and plenty of live rock in your display you will amply feed a mandy. I run a fat large mandy and a scooter (both dragonets) in a 54 g with that rig, and have no troubles. The main thing is, it needs to be a really meaningful fuge. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

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