Mandarin Dragonet Feeding

Discussion in 'Fish Food' started by smackrock, Oct 20, 2010.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. JMALACHI

    JMALACHI Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2010
    Messages:
    231
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
  2. Click Here!

  3. hasek1639

    hasek1639 Fire Shrimp

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2010
    Messages:
    347
    Location:
    spencerport,ny
    Mine are trained to eat frozen and flake and pellet. I just lost my recent mandarin to a string from a urchin cause he got to close. But he was trained to eat everything by me. He just got replaced by a mandarin that eats frozen and now i am training for him to eat more. I don't agree with the starving. Mine picks yes but gains alot more fat and protien from the mix of food he gets. My first was so fat almost considered him for a diet cause when food hit the tank he looked like a fat kid in a candy store he fluttered all over and eat all he could down. So while this is not common it can be done.
     
  4. Durty Dj's 916

    Durty Dj's 916 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2013
    Messages:
    84
    Location:
    Sacramento
    **** i just bought one did some research but didn't expect anything like this... Hope mine makes it.
     
  5. DrewSk

    DrewSk Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2013
    Messages:
    228
    Location:
    Anchorage, AK
    I dont know if this is completely accurate, but I have heard that tank bred/raised mandarins are far more likely to eat prepared foods. I know that ORA breeds them, and im sure that other companies do the same. does anyone know if their mandarin was tank bred, and thats why it takes to prepared foods so readily? sorry if this is a slight hijack!
     
  6. Jake

    Jake Sea Dragon

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2010
    Messages:
    516
    Location:
    Saskatoon
    I disagree that mandarins can only survive long term on live food. If the mandarin is eating a well selected and varied diet of frozen food, it can survive just as long as one with a plentiful supply of live food. Of course, getting one that eats frozen is the hard part.

    There are mixed reviews out there on this topic. Some have had success with ORA mandarins, others have done better with wild caught ones. In my opinion, tank bred mandarins are the safer choice. To further increase your chances of success, make sure it is eating frozen food in the LFS. If it is, buy the same food as the LFS is feeding to ease the transition to your tank.

    Yes, some have reported that even with these measures, their mandarin never ate frozen. To me, it is all about maximizing your chances of success and taking a few precautionary steps can do that.
     
  7. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2011
    Messages:
    2,879
    Location:
    Geneva Switzerland
    My mandarins touch nothing but Pods both the male and the female