how to train a manderin to eat

Tru2nr · 02-04-2008, 02:51 PM

ok im really interested in training my blue manderin to eat prepared foods..how would i go about this..i have plenty of pods in my tank but i would eventually like to be able to add another manderin and/or scooter blenny..and i would like to have it so i dont absolutly have to continiously add pods to the tank just to keep them alive any suggestions?

Woodstock · 02-04-2008, 02:59 PM

Some have been known to eat pellets. Check out: Melevsreef.com - Melev's Mandarin Diner

Reefwerks · 02-04-2008, 03:08 PM

Start with mysis shrimp so that they learn that you are the one doing the feeding. Feed in a manner that they know its you doing it. Use a bright colored container that they can learn is chow. Then slowly add small pellets to the mix.

Don

Tru2nr · 02-04-2008, 03:10 PM

so they will eat mysis shrimp to start? cuz as far as i know the only thing they will go for off the bat is copepods

Tru2nr · 02-04-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Some have been known to eat pellets. Check out: Melevsreef.com - Melev's Mandarin Diner

thats a great site with idea's but i want to know how to get it to actually attempt to eat a prepared food...should i put him in a seperate bowl and put some prepared food in there with garlic to get him to want to eat it?

Reefwerks · 02-04-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2nr

so they will eat mysis shrimp to start? cuz as far as i know the only thing they will go for off the bat is copepods

Some will and some wont its hit and miss. Try Hikari brand, it usually works best.

Don

BigAl07 · 02-04-2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2nr

so they will eat mysis shrimp to start? cuz as far as i know the only thing they will go for off the bat is copepods

There's no "Will eat" anything off the start except Pods. Some people have been lucky to "entice" them to something else but at least initially it's pods or nothing. Then as you get lucky (it's all a gamble) you may be able to get them to nibble on something else.

Tru2nr · 02-04-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAl07

There's no "Will eat" anything off the start except Pods. Some people have been lucky to "entice" them to something else but at least initially it's pods or nothing. Then as you get lucky (it's all a gamble) you may be able to get them to nibble on something else.

yeah thats what im afraid of i am debating on tryn' to take him out of the tank and put him into a bowl and putting either frozen or live mysis shrimp into the bowl with like a drop of garlic to get him to hopefully understand that he wants to eat what is around him and get him to think its yummy...im very open to try anything the only frozen food i ever feed my tank is the cyclop-ezze that i feed my corals now that i have him i've added a very little bit of frozen brine shrimp and put it in the baster and lightly spray the food near him before i go and target feed the rest of the tank.

lcstorc · 02-04-2008, 03:25 PM

All you can do is try. Personally I would try all of the methods and watch closely to see what it is/isn't eating. This is actually a little thought of reason to QT new fish. Then you can watch to see what they eat or not in a very small envoronment.
I do like Melev's idea. I'm going to try that with my mandarin in my 90 to make sure she gets enough food once the seahorses are in.

Tru2nr · 02-04-2008, 03:33 PM

i love the idea of melev its just it was stated in the diner that the manderin was already used to comsuming pelets but i think ima gonna try multiple efforts its just he can be so tricky to catch

cheeks69 · 02-04-2008, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2nr

i love the idea of melev its just it was stated in the diner that the manderin was already used to comsuming pelets but i think ima gonna try multiple efforts its just he can be so tricky to catch

He was used to it because he was trained in a smaller tank which had no one else competing with them for food, if I remember correctly. This is very difficult to do in a larger display with plenty of aggressive feeders such as Wrasses, Tangs etc. I think Lynn's idea is a good one and is what I would recommend.

Dentoid · 02-04-2008, 05:09 PM

My Mandarin always gets excited when I feed the tank. I notice he perks up when food floats by, but he will not catch it. In order for him to eat it, it must stop on the rock long enough for him to look at for a few seconds, making sure it's food, then he'll peck it up.

Sometimes I wonder if it's more a matter of slow eating rather than "absolutely needing" live food. In a tank with fast feeding fish, a Mandarin would not have a chance to get frozen, flake or pelleted food, then in the absence of enough live food, they perish. Just a thought.

Also, size matters with respect to food particles. Mandarins have little mouths, I've seen my Mandarin try to woof down a piece of Mysis just to spit it out because he can't it get down. I've had much better success with thawed, fresh Cyclops.

Tru2nr · 02-07-2008, 02:21 PM

thanks guys for all of the help

02-04-2008, 02:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,082 View Gallery Karma Komment	how to train a manderin to eat ok im really interested in training my blue manderin to eat prepared foods..how would i go about this..i have plenty of pods in my tank but i would eventually like to be able to add another manderin and/or scooter blenny..and i would like to have it so i dont absolutly have to continiously add pods to the tank just to keep them alive any suggestions?

02-04-2008, 02:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,862 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: how to train a manderin to eat Some have been known to eat pellets. Check out: Melevsreef.com - Melev's Mandarin Diner __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

02-04-2008, 03:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
Reefwerks Midas Blenny Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 112 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: how to train a manderin to eat Start with mysis shrimp so that they learn that you are the one doing the feeding. Feed in a manner that they know its you doing it. Use a bright colored container that they can learn is chow. Then slowly add small pellets to the mix. Don

02-04-2008, 03:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,082 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: how to train a manderin to eat so they will eat mysis shrimp to start? cuz as far as i know the only thing they will go for off the bat is copepods

02-04-2008, 03:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,528 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: how to train a manderin to eat All you can do is try. Personally I would try all of the methods and watch closely to see what it is/isn't eating. This is actually a little thought of reason to QT new fish. Then you can watch to see what they eat or not in a very small envoronment. I do like Melev's idea. I'm going to try that with my mandarin in my 90 to make sure she gets enough food once the seahorses are in. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

02-04-2008, 03:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,082 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: how to train a manderin to eat i love the idea of melev its just it was stated in the diner that the manderin was already used to comsuming pelets but i think ima gonna try multiple efforts its just he can be so tricky to catch

02-04-2008, 05:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: how to train a manderin to eat My Mandarin always gets excited when I feed the tank. I notice he perks up when food floats by, but he will not catch it. In order for him to eat it, it must stop on the rock long enough for him to look at for a few seconds, making sure it's food, then he'll peck it up. Sometimes I wonder if it's more a matter of slow eating rather than "absolutely needing" live food. In a tank with fast feeding fish, a Mandarin would not have a chance to get frozen, flake or pelleted food, then in the absence of enough live food, they perish. Just a thought. Also, size matters with respect to food particles. Mandarins have little mouths, I've seen my Mandarin try to woof down a piece of Mysis just to spit it out because he can't it get down. I've had much better success with thawed, fresh Cyclops. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

02-07-2008, 02:21 PM	#13 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,082 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: how to train a manderin to eat thanks guys for all of the help

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