Questions about a green mandarin.....

[cdeakle]

No matter what I do I can't phatten this guy up. I have spent some good money on mysis/grammarus kits. Refugium is on the way. I have over 70 pounds of LR in a 55 gallon tank. The tank was well established for almost 2 years before I added the mandarin.

I have heard a couple things and I wanted to know if you guys agree:

1) I was told that my six-line would outcompete the mandarine for pods everytime. Someone suggested to me that I needed to pick 1 or the other.

2) I also have a sand sifting starfish, was also told that he would outcompete my mandarin for the pods that are on my LS.

Any comments/input would be much appreciated!

-puff

 

[EmilyB]

Have you tried feeding him mysis shrimp ? My mandarin eats mysis and prepared foods, I've had him several years. I don't think I have much in the way of pods anymore.

 

[Anonymous]

1 and 2 are both very correct.

 

[Anonymous]

What matt said.

FWIW, my manderin always liked frozen formula 1. You should ditch 2 of the 3 animals IMHO. A 55 is a tad small for those fish.

Louey

 

[jandree22]

What matt said.

FWIW, my manderin always liked frozen formula 1. You should ditch 2 of the 3 animals IMHO. A 55 is a tad small for those fish.

Louey

what about a 75gal? I've been toying with the idea of a mandarin in the future

 

[Bora20]

I personally would never keep a six-line with a mandarin. I have seen to much competion with those two. Try the feeding mysis shrimp mine enjoys that on occasion. 8)

 

[Quigonsean]

Sand sifting star will decimate your pods. That's what it sifts for to find pods to munch on.

But I don't get how a is too small for two fishes that top out at 3 inches?

Sean

 

[cdeakle]

my tank is not to small for what I have, especially with 70-75 pounds of LR.....

 

[Anonymous]

My manderin is in a 75G. The books says that a manderin should not be kept in a tank smaller than 100G and it should not be housed with tankmates that may help decimate the pods (6-line, white sand sifting star).

I broke the rule my putting one in a 75, but I did add ampipods that I purchased from Florida Aqua Farms. I also have a fuge that I stocked with a fuana kit from Inland Reef. I think those are the reasons for my mandy's success, plus the fact that mine does also eat some frozen foods that I feed to the tank.

Louey