mandarin goby

[silvernblue]

I have a 55 gallon tank with a 6" sand bed and one anthias. I noticed last night that I have copepods(?) by the dozens crawling around on the glass. Does this mean I can safely get a mandarin? Will he decimate the population by himself?

 

[drwwalker]

the tank is too small it will not provide enough turn over population for him to survive I know because I did it when I started off and others will tell you also

 

[Anonymous]

silvernblue,

The coraline algae (CA) will colonize the "dead" rock all by its lonesome. You can speed it up by seeding with CA shavings off the glass or other equipment in the tank. GARF has some ideas on the process.

You want a bunch more LR than that for a mandarin. And in the refugium you can foster the pod growth by making "pod piles" of small rock. Do a search on pod piles to get more info.

 

[esmithiii]

Check out these links to the results of the mandarin survey:

http://www.reefs.org/cgi-bin/survey/survey.cgi?survey_name=picturatus_alive

http://www.reefs.org/cgi-bin/survey/survey.cgi?survey_name=picturatus_dead


Here is some interesting info from the survey, comparing those reporting live versus dead mandarins. Draw your own conclusions:

63% of failed attempts were in aquariums established less than a year.
61% of the failed attempts had less than 80 lbs of LR

41% of the successful attempts were in aquariums established more than a year
51% of the successful attempts had more than 80 lbs of LR

 

[silvernblue]

Ok guys you have convinced me to hold off on the mandarin.

My tank is about a year old and has lots of life in the sand and rocks. I do not have enough rock currently. I will build up that and get my refugium going before thinking about it.

Thanks for saving me the headache and the little buggers life

Micheal

 

[Jeff Hood]

I have 700 pounds of live rock and I am leery of getting one.

Jeff

 

[Bobzarry]

once you get your live rock up and running....dont forget an important factor:.. feed, feed , feed!!! its important to remember that your pod population will only be as high as the food supply to it can aford.


I have a 55 that currently houses 2 manderins and a red scooter (blenny) dragonette. all are fat and doing well and my pod population is going strong. I feed plenty of flake and almost nothing else. however I do feed fairly heavy twice a day.


Bob

 

[silvernblue]

If I add a 20 gallon refugium would it be enough??

 

[fishfarmer]

How much rock do you have? Do you a good LFS that has mandarins that are eating prepared foods?

 

[silvernblue]

Only 25lbs of rock right now. Haven't checked out the local stores yet. I just noticed the pods. Will probably add more lace rock to my live rock. Do you have to move the coralline or will it migrate to the plain rock on its own?