Blue Mandarin Feeding

Dominic155 · Mar 1, 2022

Hi all,

I’m new to the forum and looking for someone with some experience. I got a wild Blue Mandarin from my local LFS last week. I understand they eat copepods which isn’t an issue in my tank (30 gal). Tried feeding the Mandarin frozen Brine. I put it on the substrate in areas he hides. I saw him picking at the ground in those areas. It’s at too weird of an angle to tell if he’s picking up the brine or copes. Whatever floated up from these areas was grabbed by my clowns and pajamas. I left my power head off for a while to prevent more getting kicked up. My LFS said this fish won’t eat frozen food. Could I have got lucky and he’s actually eating the brine shrimp? I attached some photos if someone could chime in and say if he’s healthy or not.

blaxsun · Mar 1, 2022

Yes, it may be an issue - because mandarins hunt copepods 24/7. It's not so much the size of the tank but the amount of rock that determines how much of a copepod population your tank can sustain. This is typically why a tank size of around 100 gallons is recommended for manadrins. Not for the fish - but to ensure a large enough copepod population.

Your LFS is incorrect - wild mandarins can and do adapt to frozen food - it's just uncommon and rare. I had a pair of wild mandarins that ate calanus, brine, mysis and even pellets (with the larger male).

You may have to supplement copepods every few weeks to keep your mandarin healthy, and even if it starts eating brine I would still supplement for a while. Good luck.

Dominic155 · Mar 5, 2022

blaxsun said:
Yes, it may be an issue - because mandarins hunt copepods 24/7. It's not so much the size of the tank but the amount of rock that determines how much of a copepod population your tank can sustain. This is typically why a tank size of around 100 gallons is recommended for manadrins. Not for the fish - but to ensure a large enough copepod population.

Your LFS is incorrect - wild mandarins can and do adapt to frozen food - it's just uncommon and rare. I had a pair of wild mandarins that ate calanus, brine, mysis and even pellets (with the larger male).

You may have to supplement copepods every few weeks to keep your mandarin healthy, and even if it starts eating brine I would still supplement for a while. Good luck.

Thank you for your help! I’m currently supplementing copepods while feeding brine as well. Fish is still going strong. How often should I supplement copepods and would you have an recommendations on what I should buy? Thank you again for your assistance.

AZReef13 · Mar 5, 2022

I have a Captive breed mandarin in my IM 40, for close to 4 years. I have been adding Algae barns Pods Monthly. 2 Jars,, She has also been eat PE Mysis and Calamus. Plus Algae Barns Dragon Roe... If I remember correctly Mandarins eat 5 - 8 pods per second? Find a way to add a refugium to tank, CPR Aquatices make some , on BRS. for example

JayFish4004 · Mar 8, 2022

AZReef13 said:
I have a Captive breed mandarin in my IM 40, for close to 4 years. I have been adding Algae barns Pods Monthly. 2 Jars,, She has also been eat PE Mysis and Calamus. Plus Algae Barns Dragon Roe... If I remember correctly Mandarins eat 5 - 8 pods per second? Find a way to add a refugium to tank, CPR Aquatices make some , on BRS. for example

When you feed mysis - does it have to end up settling at the bottom? I notice my little guys won’t grab things from the water column, and if my return pump is on nothing really settles to the bottom for them to pick up that I can tell.