I just saw one of these in my LFS today. They look absolutly stunning!!!! Too bad I'm scared to death of saltwater, and know little to nothing about it.
Mandarin Fish Advice?
- Thread starter brlaskowski
- Start date
There are captive bred specimens out there that have been raised on frozen food from day one, and have no problems eating dissolved cubes of brine/mysis shrimp and going along the bottom picking at things they find. I've had mine since I first started stocking my tank 6 months ago, and he's an adult captive bred male and does great, eats frozen food no problem. Many of the specialty fish stores make a point to carry captive bred fish whenever possible, especially when it comes to mandarins. Well, the ones worth their salt do anyway.
My one suggestion though is that if you get one, plan to target feed it with a turkey baster, commercial target feeder tool, or something similar. They are VERY slow, peaceful fish and 90% of the time they will get beat out by other fish in the tank when going for a bit of food. They tend to move in slow, jerky movements like a bird (imagine a robin's head as they listen for worms underground), and will stare at a piece of floating mysis shrimp from 10 different angles before moving forward to eat it. Half the times mine is so slow getting to a bit of food that the flow in the tank carries it away before he even finishes approaches it. It's easier to ensure they're getting enough food by sucking up a bunch of food into a target feeder then squirting it right in front of them in a corner or other low-flow area (after putting food out into the main tank to distract the other fish first). They tank a bit of effort, but are SO worth it in my opinion. He's easily the most beautiful fish in my my tank.
My one suggestion though is that if you get one, plan to target feed it with a turkey baster, commercial target feeder tool, or something similar. They are VERY slow, peaceful fish and 90% of the time they will get beat out by other fish in the tank when going for a bit of food. They tend to move in slow, jerky movements like a bird (imagine a robin's head as they listen for worms underground), and will stare at a piece of floating mysis shrimp from 10 different angles before moving forward to eat it. Half the times mine is so slow getting to a bit of food that the flow in the tank carries it away before he even finishes approaches it. It's easier to ensure they're getting enough food by sucking up a bunch of food into a target feeder then squirting it right in front of them in a corner or other low-flow area (after putting food out into the main tank to distract the other fish first). They tank a bit of effort, but are SO worth it in my opinion. He's easily the most beautiful fish in my my tank.
TheCanuck;3975610; said:
the thing about trained pellet mandarin hefty price tag like $300.00 bucks until enough are out there because from what I heard Mandarin wild caught specimens is going to be no more plus they catch them in a terrible way and 85% die before they even reach the wholesaler then the 10% that live die of starvation and from lack of nutrition from the LIVE food they don't survive long and if they do it is only less then a year before nutrition deficiency takes them away.
that is why I pick Matt's brain as I would like to work on my own pair of mandarins to breed which I have to know how but no time with a double majoring in schooll.mr.reef24
I trained my spotted mandarin to eat frozen mysis and spirulina brine
here is a link to my manadin's progress journal
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=228281
I used the net breeder method
i started with live brine and then started feeding frozen
here is a link to my manadin's progress journal
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=228281
I used the net breeder method
i started with live brine and then started feeding frozen
if you got him eating brine try to add selcon to the brine shrimp 12 hours before feeding to get it essential epa's hufa's and vitamins that should help it from developing the nutrition deficiency that comes from just feed brine and mysids to very picky saltwater eaters but great technique and wish u the best.
mr.reef24
mr.reef24
