Mandarin Goby in a 28g nanocube

This was when my 8 year old Mandy when he started showing the first signs of trouble. Note the lines down his side. That shouldn't be there.



You can't see on this pic, but on the other side, he had an injury and was blind. We think he received a sting from a coral, because it was the exact shape of a sweeper tentacle through is eye and down his side. The colour returned to his body, but he never regained his sight. He went downhill from there, but it took him a good year to die. They can remain skinny and live for quite some time.

I success story is a fat mandarin after having him in your system for at least a year.

 

Sad story Incognito

any fish that targets small foodstuffs that move, will be severly affected by the loss of an eye - depth perception is ruined which means they cant judge distance and miss more often than they capture prey

Steve

 

After so long, it was sad. He was unusual in that he swam in the water column with the rest for food. Then he couldn't compete there. There was a Leopard wrasse in the tank, so he was surely out-competed there for pods. It didn't matter before because he was such a frozen chow hound. We moved him to a pod tank, but probably as you said... he couldn't even manage long term in that environment. He couldn't figure out frozen foods after awhile.

He was an adult when we got him, so we don't know how old he was. But it can't be a coincidence that he went downhill after going blind.

We are far enough along with these guys now that success isn't measured in months... it's in years....

 

I should say, the lesson I learned was that having a Mandy that eats frozen is not a substitute for a proper environment with sustainable pods. It's not guaranteed that they will always eat frozen and what do you do then if your tank cannot supply him with enough pods? I was lucky in that I had a pod tank. But not everyone does.

A frozen eating Mandy is great, but just make sure you have the means to feed him should he go off his frozen fare.

 

Amen!!!

 

incog, i take all your advice to heart. i would not want to harm such a fine specimen, and is actuualy one of my fav fish to watch. i will increase the phytoplankton and cyclops.

like i said, i had no idea they were a troublesome sort, till i joined here.
weve had it for about 3-4 months now.

im newer to keeping a marine tank, so im at the mercy of the LFStores that i frequent, and the info i can gather on different forums.

i will start buying live pods too, to keep him healty until my refugieum is up and producing them

thanks again
Rayn

 

If you can get your hands on some Iso... pods love that.

I'm glad you took my post as intended... not everyone does.

 

sir, i am in the learning process. my grandmother said "the day you stop learning, is they day they close the coffin"

i just want healty fish and coral. we have a beautiful dt, and take all advice given. thank you for your concern.
this is why i keep coming back here, good variety of advice

 

Just helping you out there... LOL

 

lmao, well then i stand corrected.