mandarin dragonet feeding

Thanks all!

 

Of course the day my pods show up he dies... Thanks again everybody for info.

 

I probably spent close to $200 trying to keep one in a 29G Biocube but in the end stilll gave it back to the store because it was obviously losing weight.

Another consideration is what other type of fish in the tank may be eating the pods. Mandarins are not the fastest in the world and will get beat 10 out of 10 times by a hungry wrasse zooming around picking off exposed pods. (learned that one by experience also)

 

Is it safe to assume that a large majority of fish will compete for the pods?

 

And interesting you mention that because one of his tank mates was a 6 line... My LFS has a HUGE pair of them. Think I'll probably not attempt another unless I find a way to grow the pods...

 

Many yes, but some not so much my two clowns never show the slightest inclination to eat a pod and I have some 1/4 inch ones running around on top of the rock because of a lack of predation (now that the six line and mandarin are both gone).

 

My clown didnt seem terribly interested either. The wrasse acted like I had given him crack....

 

I haven't really read this entire thread so forgive me if I say something that has already been said.

I just purchased a tank raised Mandarin for my 40g breeder. I too have had a Mandarin die in the past. This time, however, I am setting up a dedicated pod tank to continually add pods to the cheato in the sump on a weekly basis. My guy eats frozen, but like others have said, it has a certain dietary need and just because it is eating doesn't mean it's healthy. The Mandarin needs to eat small amounts throughout the day.

Do I think that the Mandarin could possibly work in a 60g tank? Yes I do. However, it will take some planning and little more than just buying the right brand of food.

Good luck to you and your mandarin!

P.S. I forgot to mention that had I not gotten rid of all the fish in my tank that eat pods (six-line wrasse in particular) I would never have purchased the Mandarin. In order for it to ever work in such a small tank the Mandarin needs to be the only thing eating pods.

P.S.S. Sorry about the loss. Did it look skinny? If so, that would seem to reinforce the idea that even though they eat some prepared foods it still doesn't mean they aren't starving to death. If it was eating on a Tuesday and died of starvation on a Wednesday that tells me that whatever it ate on Tuesday obviously wasn't enough. Again, sorry.

 

Ive had a Mandarin for approximately 5-7 months. When I first "Rescued" him from the morons at a LFS I have never returned too, I placed him in my QT. Feedings consisted of brine shrimp only. He would take nothing else. After nearly a month of trying every bit of advice i could scrape together I gave up on the prepared foods. I moved him to my 125 DT. Within a month he had doubled his weight (Or at least his waist size). Today he is so fat I cant hardly believe he fits into some of the rock work. I never feed him anything. The only help I offer him is when I feed my other fish he always comes out of the rocks to pick off the hungry pods who thought they were alone. ;D

 

Congrats on the rescue. One of my LFS has a pair that look like that in their display. Best wishes on keeping him healthy!!