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"Almost" all bottom dwelling fish that are fed correctly in a tank naturally set up will spawn and spawn constantly. If they are a pair and do not spawn, they are not healthy as only healthy fish can spawn.You got them to breed?! How did you go upon doing that?
I agree, but we were talking about mandarins, not diversity or SPS reefs.I agree with paul on some things disagree on others, there are plenty a very well developed tank at 2 or 3 that have full healthy SPS reefs and lots of diversity .
Yes, I am old. It's like a sliding scale. As a tank ages and matures it becomes easier to keep a mandarin. A brand new tank with dead rock and new ASW will not be able to keep a mandarin alive for any length of time no matter how many pods you buy.Can you define old tank?
Thanks for the answer. I always learn a ton from your responses."Almost" all bottom dwelling fish that are fed correctly in a tank naturally set up will spawn and spawn constantly. If they are a pair and do not spawn, they are not healthy as only healthy fish can spawn.
I agree, but we were talking about mandarins, not diversity or SPS reefs.
Yes, I am old. It's like a sliding scale. As a tank ages and matures it becomes easier to keep a mandarin. A brand new tank with dead rock and new ASW will not be able to keep a mandarin alive for any length of time no matter how many pods you buy.
An older tank will produce it's own pods and none have to be purchased. I myself have never bought a pod. Mandarins from personal experience live at least ten years. If they die earlier, we failed. Also if we have a pair of them and they are not spawning, we also failed as mandarins take care of themselves unlike most fish we keep.
I am old, but at what age was I considered old? I consider almost all people on here as young and many kids. But when I was in my 30s, most people on here I would have considered old. It's relative and can not be defined with a number. But in my opinion 3 or 5 year old reef is new. A common hermit crab lives 10 years or more.
This is how many pods a mandarin will eat in a day.
View attachment 2565307
If you have enough space, you can store them in your garage.
View attachment 2565308
But an old, healthy tank will support mandarins and all pod eating fish.
By the way, this is a copepod.
I have in my tank a pair of mandarins, pair of ruby red dragonettes, pair of blue stripe pipefish, pair of Raisfords Gobies, pair of Possum Wrasses and a scooter dragonette. All of those fish eat pods and fend for themselves so I don't have to feed them or worry if they are getting enough to eat. But I don't have a new tank which will not work for those fish.
SPS corals don't need pods and they will live in any tank with the correct parameters.
I had a red Coris kill a mandarin. I've also seen a 6-line pick the eyes out of mandarin's head.The mandarin slime coat comments are making me chuckle. Their slime coat prevents most fish from consuming them, but it's not a force field that keeps them from being killed lol
I remember reading that someone on here (or RC) had their mandarin's eyes pecked out. I'm sorry it was youI had a red Coris kill a mandarin. I've also seen a 6-line pick the eyes out of mandarin's head.
They can be very difficult to keep. Very picky eaters that usually only eat pods. Some are breeding them and "train" them to eat frozen/pellet which would be awesome. If not, you need a mature tank (2+ years old) with a healthy pod population (or buying/adding pods).Heard that mandarin are hard to keep tho? How long until I should put one in and what makes them hard?
Thx so much for info"Almost" all bottom dwelling fish that are fed correctly in a tank naturally set up will spawn and spawn constantly. If they are a pair and do not spawn, they are not healthy as only healthy fish can spawn.
I agree, but we were talking about mandarins, not diversity or SPS reefs.
Yes, I am old. It's like a sliding scale. As a tank ages and matures it becomes easier to keep a mandarin. A brand new tank with dead rock and new ASW will not be able to keep a mandarin alive for any length of time no matter how many pods you buy.
An older tank will produce it's own pods and none have to be purchased. I myself have never bought a pod. Mandarins from personal experience live at least ten years. If they die earlier, we failed. Also if we have a pair of them and they are not spawning, we also failed as mandarins take care of themselves unlike most fish we keep.
I am old, but at what age was I considered old? I consider almost all people on here as young and many kids. But when I was in my 30s, most people on here I would have considered old. It's relative and can not be defined with a number. But in my opinion 3 or 5 year old reef is new. A common hermit crab lives 10 years or more.
This is how many pods a mandarin will eat in a day.
View attachment 2565307
If you have enough space, you can store them in your garage.
View attachment 2565308
But an old, healthy tank will support mandarins and all pod eating fish.
By the way, this is a copepod.
I have in my tank a pair of mandarins, pair of ruby red dragonettes, pair of blue stripe pipefish, pair of Raisfords Gobies, pair of Possum Wrasses and a scooter dragonette. All of those fish eat pods and fend for themselves so I don't have to feed them or worry if they are getting enough to eat. But I don't have a new tank which will not work for those fish.
SPS corals don't need pods and they will live in any tank with the correct parameters.
buying/adding pods isn't a solution to me as its expensive and a hassle which means its likely the first cut a person would make if they had expenses elsewhere.They can be very difficult to keep. Very picky eaters that usually only eat pods. Some are breeding them and "train" them to eat frozen/pellet which would be awesome. If not, you need a mature tank (2+ years old) with a healthy pod population (or buying/adding pods).
I have a Hectors goby in a tank that only recently matured. IME, newer tanks are the best place for a Hectors or rainfords goby. The reason why is due to them eating algae, they don’t just eat pods. Yes my tank is 2 years old but it’s only recently matured and keeping;"Almost" all bottom dwelling fish that are fed correctly in a tank naturally set up will spawn and spawn constantly. If they are a pair and do not spawn, they are not healthy as only healthy fish can spawn.
I agree, but we were talking about mandarins, not diversity or SPS reefs.
Yes, I am old. It's like a sliding scale. As a tank ages and matures it becomes easier to keep a mandarin. A brand new tank with dead rock and new ASW will not be able to keep a mandarin alive for any length of time no matter how many pods you buy.
An older tank will produce it's own pods and none have to be purchased. I myself have never bought a pod. Mandarins from personal experience live at least ten years. If they die earlier, we failed. Also if we have a pair of them and they are not spawning, we also failed as mandarins take care of themselves unlike most fish we keep.
I am old, but at what age was I considered old? I consider almost all people on here as young and many kids. But when I was in my 30s, most people on here I would have considered old. It's relative and can not be defined with a number. But in my opinion 3 or 5 year old reef is new. A common hermit crab lives 10 years or more.
This is how many pods a mandarin will eat in a day.
View attachment 2565307
If you have enough space, you can store them in your garage.
View attachment 2565308
But an old, healthy tank will support mandarins and all pod eating fish.
By the way, this is a copepod.
I have in my tank a pair of mandarins, pair of ruby red dragonettes, pair of blue stripe pipefish, pair of Raisfords Gobies, pair of Possum Wrasses and a scooter dragonette. All of those fish eat pods and fend for themselves so I don't have to feed them or worry if they are getting enough to eat. But I don't have a new tank which will not work for those fish.
SPS corals don't need pods and they will live in any tank with the correct parameters.
I agree. I recently added some pods to my 20gal (they sort of disappeared over time) and it was like $30!!! But the tank is also almost 4 years old with 15 year old Live Rock from a small tank I upgraded.buying/adding pods isn't a solution to me as its expensive and a hassle which means its likely the first cut a person would make if they had expenses elsewhere.
In a perfect world people just wait 18 months before even considering adding one.
The Coris killing the mandarin was in my tank. The 6 line was a video, RC is a good guess.I remember reading that someone on here (or RC) had their mandarin's eyes pecked out. I'm sorry it was you
I tried it in my 4’ tank and it failed, instead I saw a ton of amphipods all over my rockwork but ignoring the light.Has anyone tried turning lights and sump off and hold flashlight to tank to see if the copepods would go to the light? Is so has it worked?
Never knew a 6-line could be quite so monstrous. I’m so sorry about that. Do you know if it was an issue of not enough rockwork for them both? Or just the good old aggressive personality kicking into the sixline.I had a red Coris kill a mandarin. I've also seen a 6-line pick the eyes out of mandarin's head.
I don't remember the situation, honestly. It's just one of those things that stuck with me, like the video of an orchid dotty getting chopped up in an MP40.Do you know if it was an issue of not enough rockwork for them both? Or just the good old aggressive personality kicking into the sixline.
i've heard of this in the past with these exact 2 fish. from what i was told the wrasse intrinsically knows they're competing for the same food source and sorts it out the way 6-lines do.Never knew a 6-line could be quite so monstrous. I’m so sorry about that. Do you know if it was an issue of not enough rockwork for them both? Or just the good old aggressive personality kicking into the sixline.