HELP! Mandarin pellet feeding

[dgilbert2]

My wife has seen a lovely Mandarin she would like for our tank. They are such lovely fish with a wonderful character going around the rocks. I would not have the time to do what your doing long term so it will be interesting to see how you get on. In the meantime the Mandarin stays at the LFS

My other worry is that they are "jumpers", that's how I lost mine many years ago!

 

[bazmackem]

My wife has seen a lovely Mandarin she would like for our tank. They are such lovely fish with a wonderful character going around the rocks. I would not have the time to do what your doing long term so it will be interesting to see how you get on. In the meantime the Mandarin stays at the LFS

My other worry is that they are "jumpers", that's how I lost mine many years ago!

Mine never goes high enough to jump... Yet!! If he doesn't succeed starving himself he may take a dive out! Yeah they are beautiful! Find myself constantly checking for pod movement on the rocks - it's hard enough to see them in the bag!!! Def going for a lower maintenance fish next time just to calm the nervousness!!

 

[bazmackem]

Time for a bit of an update. Very early days but so far, so good, Ive been adding a couple of bags of pods here and there and have bought this http://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/aquarium-complete-kit-253947 as a pod tank. Ive added water from water change and a couple of small live rocks plus a couple of bags of pods and just keep grabbing some out, dipping sieve in a jug from the tank, then syringe them down onto the rock after lights out with skimmer/pump off! There are some that seem to rise up and also, if I don't turn room lighting right off, then the clowns show interest! Ive just spent an hour painstakingly adding pods to the rock! Along with this I've been squirting frozen calanus at him in the hope he will go for it - so far, he hasn't but I think he has seemed to show more interest.. hopefully! Anyway here in the latest pics from today... please say he is looking more nourished!! i am doing everything possible to make him thrive!!!

 

[Paul B]

I can't say if "he" looks more nourished because "he" is a she. But she looks just fine.
This is a "he" ( but hard to tell from your pictures so i could be wrong)


Here is a she, a little pregnant

 

[bazmackem]

Hi Paul - thanks for that (Reasuring!!!)

the front fin varies - I thought that "it" was a "he" as it is like my 6th pic down quite a lot... what should I be looking out for?

The Pics of yours are great - I would be so happy if I was you with a breeding pair!!! Have you managed to raise any young yet?

 

[Paul B]

I don't raise fish any more, to much time and you have to be home every day with a spare tank.
I would imagine they are quite easy to raise but you need time. You also need to be prepared with rotifers, a lot of them.
They spawn all the time as long as you feed them. I built a feeder that keeps them well fed and spawning. Good luck. Yours looks well fed.

 

[bazmackem]

I don't raise fish any more, to much time and you have to be home every day with a spare tank.
I would imagine they are quite easy to raise but you need time. You also need to be prepared with rotifers, a lot of them.
They spawn all the time as long as you feed them. I built a feeder that keeps them well fed and spawning. Good luck. Yours looks well fed.

Yeah I've yet to make your renowned feeder... definitely in the pipeline. I have a small kids fish tank with a pod culture that I keep adding to the tank... and keep squirting calanus at him/her... but it doesn''t seem too keen! I think that it is doing well though and seems to be happy enough and picking at rocks all day and also seems to be growing nicely!!

Nice to think you believe it is looking well... you are the mandarin king in these parts by all accounts!!

 

[Paul B]

I don't know about King. Maybe Duke or Pawn.

 

[bazmackem]

I don't know about King. Maybe Duke or Pawn.

The Mandarin Pawn it is!