I want to hear others experience/tips...

[peteyboyny]

I will probably catch some flak for this but...its a decision I made and I'd like to make sure I reduce the chances of it being a poor decision (after the fact). I picked up a Green Mandarin today...(pause to duck incase anyone threw something at me). He was at one of the LFSs out here on Long Island. My thinking was..."he's probably gonna get bought by someone that knows nothing about them, and die...or he would eventually die at the LFS. So...snatched him up and home we went.
I have a 140g DT, and a megaflow model 4 sump. The largest section in my sump is the fuge. I estimated it at aprox 18g. My DT and fuge are LOADED with pods. I'm a little shy of the minimum size fuge recommended to create enough pods to sustain a mandarin.
After a 4hr acclimation session, he went in the DT and since seems happy and content. He IS feeding on the local pod population (I feed PE mysis daily. I'm hoping he'll join in. That would make this all easier).
I would like ideas on putting together a tank to propagate pods to feed him if he doesn't take to frozen/prepared food. I know that even 1 mandarin can wipe out a pod population pretty quick, so I'd like to have a back up plan or two. Any other tips or advice from others who have or do keep mandarins is definitely welcome.

 

[peteyboyny]

Oh almost forgot. Eventually, I will be building a larger fuge ( I have a 55g that I'm turning into a sump but it's tied up at the moment). I will have a fuge large enough. This is for the now til then time.

 

[thirty5]

How long has your tank been up???? What do you have in your fuge? I have a mandarin in a 28 gal tank that has been in there for about a year now. I actually just moved it from the 28 to my 75. I am planning on putting another in my 75. If the tank is mature enough with a good population and a fuge. IMO you will be fine...

 

[peteyboyny]

Tank was an upgrade from a 72 to the 140. The original setup rock/macros is well over a year old. In my fuge is aprox 30lbs of LR and Caulerpa macros, and loaded with pods. My fuge is bare bottom. Everything in the fuge is from the original setup.
the only rock not from the original setup is the DIY rock I've been adding over the past month or so.

 

[masterswimmer]

Good luck with it. Nothing you've said leads me to believe it is an inappropriate home for the little guy. Maybe you'll get him to start on frozen food and that would make it easier, but IMO it sounds fine even if he doesn't.

GL

Russ

 

[peteyboyny]

Cool beans and cheese!
Im glad that my decision wasn't as bad as I thought. He definitely is really cool, and I'd like to make sure he stays that way. Thanks guys. If anyone else would like to share their opinion/experience it is still welcome.

 

[peteyboyny]

So far...so good!