Have you built a Paul B Mandarin Feeder? Tell me how to get my Mandarin to use it please.

[EvolvedMonkey]

I have trained my Mandarin to 'sit' on her @Paul B feeder to eat the frozen brine and mysis that I add to the tank.. She munches it right up.. She comes back there multiple times an hour to sit on the pad and check to see if the frozen mysis is there for her.

However, she never goes for the thousands of baby brine shrimp that are right beneath the stocking she is sitting on. I can increase the size of the mesh by stretching it out a little more, but as soon as I stretch it too much the brine shrimp disappeared within the hour. I'm hoping the mesh is the right size as is, large enough for the Mandarin to pull them out but not large enough for them to just swim out. Unfortunately the Mandy just won't go after them.

The feeder has been in the tank for about a week now. It's starting to get a little algae growth on it. But my problem doesn't seem to be that she's turned off by the feeder, it's just that she's not seeing the brine.. Any suggestions?

 

[EvolvedMonkey]

I also tried putting TDO x-small on top of the feeding pad, but she's not interested in those

 

[Paul B]

I did.

 

[EvolvedMonkey]

I did.

Paul, do you use the 'butt area' of the panty hose or the leg region? I think the butt region is more finely woven than the legs

My Mandy still has never found a shrimp on the feeder though she spends lots of time on it.

 

[Paul B]

It is difficult to tell because those panty hoses are all different mesh sizes. You need to experiment. But don't stretch it or the holes will be to big and the shrimp can't come out.

The easiest way to tell is to pour newly hatched shrimp through the stocking. Some shrimp should get through and some should stay in the mesh. That would be the right size.

 

[EvolvedMonkey]

It is difficult to tell because those panty hoses are all different mesh sizes. You need to experiment. But don't stretch it or the holes will be to small and the shrimp can't come out.

The easiest way to tell is to pour newly hatched shrimp through the stocking. Some shrimp should get through and some should stay in the mesh. That would be the right size.

Perfect. I'll start doing that testing. I'll post a video when I have it dialed in

 

[SueAubu]

Perfect. I'll start doing that testing. I'll post a video when I have it dialed in

I couldn't find the right hose, but the inside lining of an old bra really did the trick!

 

[Paul B]

Thats great. I don't have any bra linings laying around. I actually didn't even know that bra's had linings. I'm not really a bra expert.

But I do use a tiny mesh that was inside one of my used reverse osmosis cartridges and it works fine.

 

[SueAubu]

Thats great. I don't have any bra linings laying around. I actually didn't even know that bra's had linings. I'm not really a bra expert.

But I do use a tiny mesh that was inside one of my used reverse osmosis cartridges and it works fine.

Then we're even. I'm no expert on RO systems! I had to punt for fear I was going to starve him.

As you can see from his picture. He's fat and happy...