Mandarin Pod's

You'll have to keep an eye on the population for a little while before making such a determination. Once you figure out how much your fish eats during a particular period of time, you'll know when it's time to replenish your supply. In the meantime, try to get your dragonette to eat frozen mysis shrimp so that if you ever do "run out" of pods, it will not starve to death. Keep in mind that all fish eat pods so they may not reproduce fast enough to keep your mandarin alive if it doesn't eat prepared foods.

 

it sounds like your upset everyone just said no to the two mandarins BUT you did ask if you can keep a male and female and the general answer is no.

 

Probably very quickly Danny. Having the chaeto in the tank strictly for the mandarin is a bit of a waste IMHO. The will need a safe place to go where the mandarin can not get to them, or it will quickly decimate the population. You can either set-up a fuge, or a separate breeding system for the pods (which is very easy and cheap).
The easiest way to get the mandarin to start eating frozen is to start it on fish eggs. Flying fish roe works really well, and you can get it at most international/asian markets (it's used as a garnish on sushi). If it starts on that, you can slowly start mixing in frozen foods with the roe. Mine will now take mysis and brine, but seems to like frozen blood worms the best. And they will eat A LOT of that stuff. If you can, feed them a 1/4 cube of frozen twice a day.

 

Hey PL, have you heard of anyone having any luck feeding dragonettes oyster eggs? Seems like it would be a good food for them and it's usually readily available at the LFS? What about frozen cyclopeeze?

 

I think the idea for the chaeto, is for the pods to hide/ breed in..
That and the live rock, etc.. Thats what I use my chaeto for, And to help keep any nitrates down..

Adding 2 can be tricky.. male/female.. If a problem....
I would separate these two... at least temporarily... leave the smaller specimen in place... re-try having them together, past lights out time, in about a week or two add them back together.. This is usually done in a 100 gal tank and above..
I have seen where they have had 2 females and 1 male in the same tank.. Large Tank.

Larry

i think they were looking for something with facts. only opinions were posted.

My info is fact, and I can list links..... Alot of very good info....

http://joshday.com/mandaringoby.htm
http://wetwebmedia.com/mandreprofaqs.htm

 

I answered gladly and gave you the best possible answer I could. I think what you are really saying is "not the answer I want"

 

i think they were looking for something with facts. only opinions were posted.
if you insist that it is a bad idea, find a good link to back it up

 

it's experience and seeing people that don't want to listen to advice kill mandarin after mandarin because they are so funky looking.

 

wow. I hope your dentures fell out after shoving two mandarins in a 55 gal. GOOD LUCK. I hope you find them new homes before you starve them both. Way to be rude to people who are just trying to give you advice. No matter what mandarins are very difficult fish to keep and need TONS of LR and a fuge to keep them healthy, whether or not you chose (i mean want) to listen. They'll probably eat out the entire pod population by morning

+K Daniel072, exactly my thoughts.

 

I haven't heard, but I haven't tried it either. I wouldn't see why it wouldn't be possible. I started on the fish roe simply because I have heard it works, and we don't have an LFS here, so I gotta get by on what's available