Mandarin in a 31g tank

[coachfraley]

I have been a little nervous about making this post, but I have a green spotted mandarin in my 31g! I know that a mandarin would normally starve in a tank my size (even though I have a fuge with a ton of pods) but, the reason I picked him up, was that this mandarin will eat live brine shrimp!

I saw him at my LFS, and the owner fed him so I could see him in action. I have had him for about 5-6 weeks now, and he is doing great. He will ignore any other food I put in the tank, but when I put in live brine, he goes after it just like my other fish do. He is also hunting constantly for the pods in my tank.

I am not posting this to suggest that everyone with a small tank should run out and get a mandarin, but if you can get one that is a proven feeder, I don't see why you shouldn't get one. Just wanted to let everyone know that it IS possible.

Here he is:
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[SW Addict]

Just keep a very close eye on him. While he may be eating live brine shrimp, he will starve if his source of pods gets too low. He looks good though. Good luck with him.

[cocoa_pleco]

very nice, your tank is established so as long as he has pods he will be fine

[kaybee]

The mandarin's pattern fits well with your zoanthids!

[spudbuds]

Mandarin's are gorgeous fish and yours is looking very nice. I hope you can keep him long term.

IMO, progress can't be made in the hobby unless people are willing to bend the standards a bit and take a chance on something. Good luck and keep us posted.

BTW, are you loading the brine up with anything prior to feeding to make them a little more nutritious?

- Bill

[unleashed]

he may be fine now but success with any mandarin species cannot be measured unless you have had it at least a year in the same tank.

Also, brine shrimp are not nutritious for marine animals even if they are 'live'. Mandarin's have very specific dietary requirements that cannot be met with any foods other than live pods.

Not try to be a dampner, but good luck with him

[Kuli_Loach]

Coach, that is the exact kind of Mandrin I have in my 55g. You may have a chance at keeping him in your system but because I know you will try your hardest to keep him alive, I will no lecture on you, I know that Mandrin is in better care in your tank than any other around there. You can order live pods and if you supply your tank about every month or so with fresh pods there is no reason you can't keep him alive.

[NickFish]

Very interesting.

Nothing to say but nice fish and good luck!
And keep a close eye on him.

[coachfraley]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I know this is kind of controversial, so it is nice to have support.

I am feeding live phyto to the brine shrimp to keep them going, and hopefully to bulk them up some.

I am also planning on adding a bottle of tiger pods about once a month to keep the pod population up. I have added one bottle so far (about half to the tank at night, and the other half to the fuge).

I have also been adding phyto to the tank, to try to boost the pod population. I can see a ton of pods in the fuge, but I don't know how well, or how fast, they migrate into the display.

Thanks again everyone.

[Dave66]

Remember, Coach, your Mandarin is the exception to the rule. It's good you're dosing live Phytoplankton, as not only the 'pods will benefit from it, as all sorts of organisms are filter feeders in a reef tank. Don't be surprised if sponges start to pop up.
Depends what type of refugium you have on how many 'pods get into the tank. HOB waterfall type, lots, plumbed inline where the return water goes through a pump, not so much.
You might want to enrich your brine shrimp with Marc Weiss' Coral Vital, as it turns them red with 'meat'. You can also soak them in Selco or Super Selco 50-50 with water for six or eight hours before feeding to give them that extra nutritional 'kick' your mandarin needs.
Takes some effort to make brine shrimp nutritional enough to be of use.
I've a group of eight mandarins (one male, seven females) in one of my reef tanks, and it takes four HOBs and one large sump refugia to keep them fed. They haven't taken anything else in the years I've had them.
Thus far your mandarin looks in great shape. Keep it up :)

Dave

[coachfraley]

Thanks Dave, I will take a look at those products. Unfortunately, my fuge has a return pump going back into the display, so I don't think the pod transport works very well.

I have also heard of people using "pod piles" which are small piles of LR rubble which act as mini sanctuaries for pods to live and hide. I might try one of those in the back corner of my display.

[cocoa_pleco]

Thanks Dave, I will take a look at those products. Unfortunately, my fuge has a return pump going back into the display, so I don't think the pod transport works very well.

I have also heard of people using "pod piles" which are small piles of LR rubble which act as mini sanctuaries for pods to live and hide. I might try one of those in the back corner of my display.

ive got a pod pile, i threw 10lbs of rubble in the right corner of my standard 55g, there are MASSIVE godzilla pods the size of skittles, and theres hundreds of them

[Drip Loop]

ive got a pod pile, i threw 10lbs of rubble in the right corner of my standard 55g, there are MASSIVE godzilla pods the size of skittles, and theres hundreds of them


Got any pics of "godzilla pods"? Ive gotta see that lol.

[cocoa_pleco]

Got any pics of "godzilla pods"? Ive gotta see that lol.

lol, sadly, it would be impossible. ive got massive coraline on the bottom front of the tank, and it blocks the view, but the massive pods are cool to watch

[Kuli_Loach]

Coach, something you can look at also to help in pod pop. is toadstool algae. I keep it in my 20gL and my parents have it in our 55g. Sea Life Inc sells it. It is just a big clump of algae but pods are thick as can be in it when you receive it along with brittle stars and loads of beneficial stuff and the algae will help control nitrates as well.

[mxman311]

Wow looks great.