Blue Mandarin

[Spikewire]

So I stopped in at a LFS today and they had two beautiful Blue Mandarins. I've wanted one of these since long before I set up my tank but due to how difficult it is to get them to eat frozen food I never got one. The girl working at the time didn't know much about them so out of curiosity I asked her to feed them. Shockingly they both ate a number of bites. It wasn't much but none of the other fish in the tanks ate much either. She speculated that someone else probably feed the tanks recently.

So my head is telling me it's a bad idea but I did see them eat. I know they love copepods (sp?) but I don't have a sump and can't sustain them.

Has anyone ever successfully kept a Mandarin in our tanks?

 

[Seagars]

I have 2. A green and blue. Before I got them I seeded the tank with Copepods but mine also eat everything including brine aand pellets.

 

[Spikewire]

Thanks Seagars. Do you have a sump? Are you still seeding Copepods? If so how much and how often? Has it had any side effects like overfeeding regular food would? Sorry for all the questions. Just grasping at some hope

 

[Seagars]

Yes I have a sump and I do add to population very month or every other month. Not that I need to but I do anyways. I have not seen any other effects what so ever. They are pretty cool!!! I gave a green and a blue one.

 

[magicmann]

I have kept a manderin for over a year now. At first I put copepods in the tank but now the tank is producing enough on its own.

 

[DianaKay]

Bumping this thread UP
My tank is 6 months old today & I have LOTS & LOTS of different kinds of pods.
Thinking I might wait until my LifeReef sump is installed so I don't have to panic about not having enough pods after adding a Mandrian of some kind.
Wondering how the Mandrians are that are mentioned in this tread? Please UPdate ....also can anyone else advise on long term success with Mandrians in a RSM250 tank with added refugium/sump? Not in any rush as my LifeReef sump won't be built until Jan-Feb 2014.

 

[magicmann]

My mandarin is still fine, he has never accepted frozen food but continually hunts for copepods. I rarely put any new pods in the tank so it must be producing loads.

Make sure you see the fish searching for food and feeding before you buy it. Good luck

 

[Monkey]

They are beautiful fish, I have to be strict with myself every time I come across one in my LFS as I don't think my tank is mature enough yet. If they're eating frozen/pellets are they capable of competing with other fish at feeding time or do they require target feeding?

 

[goma]

It can be tough for them to compete with other fish as they are quite slow comparatively. Please do a lot of research and set yourself up properly before purchasing one. It is really sad to see on starve to death in a tank.

 

[DianaKay]

At 6 months running my tank has lots of bugs...assorted pods & I'm going to wait & see if I still have a good population of them when my tank is at 1 year. I have a LifeReef sump/refugium ordered and it should be ready by then. It's kinda a wait & see DREAM for now....I've always wanted one but I stick with hardier fish as a rule.

 

[Nurse Brian]

At 6 months running my tank has lots of bugs...assorted pods & I'm going to wait & see if I still have a good population of them when my tank is at 1 year. I have a LifeReef sump/refugium ordered and it should be ready by then. It's kinda a wait & see DREAM for now....I've always wanted one but I stick with hardier fish as a rule.

I know what you mean. My tank still sits here dry and everything I purchase or do is aimed at having a mandarin. Only time will tell.

 

[magicmann]

I was the same part of the reason for the tank was to keep a mandarin. I think my tank was over a year old before I kept the one that I still have. I lost one though before this one that didn't hunt for food at all.

I did purchase lots of pods early on just to ensure I had a huge population and I still put some in every couple of months, just to be sure.

It is worth it though it is a great fish

 

[goma]

Another thing to consider is the tank inhabitants that you put in with a mandarin. Do not put in something like a six line wrasse as they are pod eaters as well and will quickly decimate your pod population leaving the mandarin starving.