Mandarin question and how much to feed?

Discussion in 'Fish Food' started by brandonzbradley, May 25, 2012.

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  1. brandonzbradley

    brandonzbradley Astrea Snail

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    Apr 25, 2012
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    Location:
    Mays landing, NJ
    I feed my fish maybe 3-4 times a day, I change it up but maybe like.. 2 frozen mysis brine shrimp cubes in the morning, 1 dried brine shrimp cube in the day and another 1 mysis at night. I also add some flakes when I feed the shrimp cubes, and I get live brine shrimp when I can. I am not sure if i am overfeeding, but the fish finish it all. I also don't put it all in at once so it doesn't rot at the bottem

    2x clownfish - 1 1/2 in
    2x yellowtail damels - 1 1/2 in
    1x firefish - 2 in
    1x Yellow Tang - 3 1/2 in
    2x Heniochus - 3 in and 4 in
    1x scooter blemmy - 1 1/2 in
    1x Mandarin - 1 1/2 in


    Question about my Mandarin, I never see it actually eat the food I put in? flakes, dried brine, frozen mysis, frozen bloodworms, live brine, Krill.. I just got veggie pellets to try that, but im not sure if he ate any. Any tips?

    Thanks
     
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  3. Toallhisdoom

    Toallhisdoom Dragon Wrasse

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2012
    Messages:
    2,197
    mandarins are notorious for not eating anything but live copepods. i had one starve on me before i put in a refugium and stocked it with pods.

    i feel like your really really really overfeeding.

    I have
    1x kole tang
    1x coral beauty
    1x flame angel
    2x clowns
    2x yellow tail damsels
    1x diamond goby
    2x pepermint shrimp
    1x cleaner shrimp

    and i feed 1 cube of formula 2 or mysis (alternate days) and about 10 small pellets once a day. and all my fish are growing fast. BUT i also have 0 nitrates 0 nitrites and 0 ammonia. And my skimmer still pulls tons of junk.

    Get copepods for you mandarin or it will slowly get skinnier until it dies of starvation.
     
  4. FatBastad

    FatBastad Zoanthid

    Joined:
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    1,133
    Location:
    MA
    Sir, you should really have a copepod population. A hang on refugium for their reproduction is ideal for your mandarin.

    Some folks will pipe up about their success and failures and you are sure to be flamed.

    I'd say, go to your good local fish store and see if they can give you a ball of cheato. If so, you can put the cheato in the tank and shake out the pods so he can eat!
    (You will likely need a fuge for pod production for him to live long an healthy tho... and to not get flamed by the tang and mandarin police here)
     
  5. NanaReefer

    NanaReefer Fu Manchu Lion Fish

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    Was this Mandarin wild caught or captive bread? As for feeding it frozen it will not be able to compete with the other fishes. (may not even eat frozen) Mandarins are very slow, methodical eaters. Here's what I've done to feed my captive bread Mandarin. First I feed the entire tank 1x daily, something different every day.

    Then I've suspended a jelly jar about 1" off the bottom of the tank. (to keep other critters away and no other fish enters it) Then using airline tubing/syringe I inject Hikari blood worms/Nutrama Ova/Hikari brine shrimp into the jar. I do this 2-4x daily. All feedings are very small (so's not to waste) different food each time so I can see what he likes best and exactly what he's eating. I leave the jar in until his last feeding, taking it out at night. This method has also helped tremendously in keeping my tank clean.

    This method is working wonderful for my Mandarin. However I do not have the aggressive eaters that you have in your tank. I'm sure some of those that you have would also enter the jar to eat whatever's available. Having said this I agree with those who have suggested that you increase your pod population, or even consider re-homing the Mandarin. Just so you know....I'm retired with a lot of time on my hands and keeping my Mandarin has kept me quit busy...a very special needs fish for sure :)
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2012
  6. brandonzbradley

    brandonzbradley Astrea Snail

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    Location:
    Mays landing, NJ
    would it be a bad thing to add chaeto to my tank? would that be the copepod supply, what will I have to add?
     
  7. brandonzbradley

    brandonzbradley Astrea Snail

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    Location:
    Mays landing, NJ
    Thanks! i'll try it.. When I bought the man at the fish store fed him live brine, that's why i bought. I didn't think i would have this problem
     
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  9. shoebox1951

    shoebox1951 Astrea Snail

    Joined:
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    Messages:
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    I had a mandrin for 4years you definetly need a refigium with a heavy pod population to keep them alive n healthy... Put lots of live phyto in your fuge with a few peices of live rock n youll have a ton in no time. Just do a bit more volume on your waterchanges
     
  10. NanaReefer

    NanaReefer Fu Manchu Lion Fish

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    Actually I have a nice size ball of cheato in a back corner of my tank. I also have a HOB fuge filled with cheato/rock rubble, where I culture Tisbe copepods, which are a favorite of Mandarins. Here's where I get them: Live Copepods!, Feed Your Fish!

    I'm sorry darlin but you will have *some* problem feeding your Mandarin. Especially with other fishes in your tank. Mandarins just don't eat like other fish, at least not the ones I'm use to feeding :) Sadly fish stores are out for a sale most of the time. Do not feel bad! It is a very special needs fish that requires time and dedication. If you are not ready for the challenge, please return the fish ok :)

    FYI~ Frozen brine shrimp has very little nutritional value to it and any fish expected to survive eating just this alone will slowly starve. Eating isn't just about how much but more about what it's taking in.
     
  11. FatBastad

    FatBastad Zoanthid

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    hehehehehehe
     
  12. BMXCLAY

    BMXCLAY Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Location:
    nj
    Mandarins are by far one of the hardest fish to feed. I would deffinetly listen to everyone else and get a refugium. How old is your tank? I would recommend your tank also being pretty old, 1.5-2 years at least, for mandarins so there are plenty of little critters for them to hunt.