as I've read Mandarins need extensive rockwork because they feed off the rocks and need hiding places. Currently my tank, which is a 30g, has about 20lbs of LR. I knew it needed more before I got the mandarin, but now I NEED more. Since the Mandarin feeds off the rock should I but more LR or can I buy base rock? Base seems cheaper and I'll all for cheaper but i want what's best for the tank/Mandarin.
Rockwork for Dragonet
- Thread starter TMartinez
- Start date
You wont have much luck keeping a mandarin alive in a tank as small as yours. Mandarins almost exclusively eat tiny little animals which live and grow in rocks. Because they are so small the mandarin need to eat hundreds per week. Easily more than your tank could produce in that time. If you were to start your tank with dry rock, there would be no 'pods' for it to eat, and the fish would starve rather quickly.
Simply, a mandarin is not a suitable fish for your system.
Simply, a mandarin is not a suitable fish for your system.
agreed with above. Hopefully you can get it feeding on other mysis before it dies. If you are adding live rock you want to add live, not base. Pick out the most porous pieces you can find as they are likely to be housing pods. Base rock would do you no good at this point.
If you have access to black worms, you can keep those in a smaller storage tank and feed those periodically. Researching this method would be a good idea. Mandarins will usually eat them.
If you have access to black worms, you can keep those in a smaller storage tank and feed those periodically. Researching this method would be a good idea. Mandarins will usually eat them.
There are some other threads about the mandarin. I have a refugium with a pod population that i supplement every 2 weeks. Plus I've seen him eating frozen brine i put in the tank...
Nonetheless I do need live rock yes? Like I said I already have 20lbs and wasn't sure if I just added base it would work
Nonetheless I do need live rock yes? Like I said I already have 20lbs and wasn't sure if I just added base it would work
I would definitely go live because it will contain pods and other goodies. Base rock will seed eventually but your mandarin is likely to wipe out more pods than your rock can produce. Adding live rock should help a bit, probably just not enough. Glad to hear you have seen it eat frozen. Beautiful fish but they are just hard to keep in small setups.
LOL I hear they are hard to keep in even bog systems. But I've read success stories in tanks as small as 8g (living more than a year)... I've done alot of research and it's on going. I look at this as a challenge and want to prove to myself that I can keep a fish of that nature. I just have to be diligent about my setup and feeding
Well I'm rooting for you but please remember that this is a living being we are talking about here, not a collectors item 
jworth;5031604; said:Well I'm rooting for you but please remember that this is a living being we are talking about here, not a collectors item
I definitely understand that, but i am working very hard to do everything i can for the little guy.
I have already basically responded to this on your other thread.
That being said, I would upgrade food immediately. Brine is nutritionally worthless. Get onto PE mysis, and start soaking it with selecon.
Feed small portions as many times as you can a day, dose pods, get a refuge set up, and get some more LR.
Im really hoping to see this work out for you, and more importantly, the fish!
That being said, I would upgrade food immediately. Brine is nutritionally worthless. Get onto PE mysis, and start soaking it with selecon.
Feed small portions as many times as you can a day, dose pods, get a refuge set up, and get some more LR.
Im really hoping to see this work out for you, and more importantly, the fish!