I’d like to get a Mandarin. But should I?

[Hugo Garcia]

Hello everyone, how is it going? I’ve been thinking about adding some new fish to my tank and was thinking about the Mandarin Goby, I know it’s a hard fish to keep and eats almost exclusively copapods, but I was wondering if I could make it. I currently have a Fish Only 20 Gallon tank, and plan on upgrading to a 30L soon. I have 2 clown fish, 1 spores gobby and 7 hermit crabs. I have live rock and live sand, and the tank is about 6 months old. There is a aquaclear 70 HOB Filter also. I already seen a bunch of copapods on the glass and some antropods flotting arroubd sometimes. So I was wondering if you guys think it would be safe to add some more copapods and in maybe a month or so add the Mandarin? Do you guys think that a small mandarin could make it a few months on the 20 gallon? Or should I wait until I upgrade the tank?

PS: I want to add a Royal Gramma Basslet soon as well.

Thanks guys!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Mandarins eat a lot of copepods and can quickly deplete a smaller system, especially one that is relatively immature, even if pods are being added.

To have success in a 20-30g, let the tank mature at least six months, preferably longer. Consider adding a refugium or culturing your own pods. Leaving rubble zones in the display can also provide breeding areas for pods. But don't underestimate the amount of pods a mandarin can consume.

 

[MaiReef]

Make a mandarin feeder and let your tank mature. http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/diy-target-feeder-mandarinfish-pipefish-2804/

However, you will have to feed a few times a day.

 

[Devan Petersen]

My tank is young, but i got some isopod hitch hikers with my first batch of coral. I let the isopods live and breed for about 4.5 - 5 months before i put in a Mandarin into the tank. Even with 5 months or so of breeding that little 1 inch fish put a noticeable dent in the population in just a week... or they are just hiding better with a predator in the tank.

 

[Sorcha2]

So I've got a spotted Mandarin in a 65g and he wiped out the pod population very quickly. I wouldn't recommend getting one unless you are prepared to feed baby brine shrimp. He also does quite a bit of swimming so I would suggest waiting for a larger tank.

 

[Syed123]

I would wait a bit for a bigger tank. My mandarin completly destroys my pod population in my 90 gallon 4 foot tank. I have to replenish the population every month with a 16 Oz bottle of pods to keep up with the demand.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Wait or make it mandarin specific.

If they don’t take to frozen easily , you’ll wind up overfeeding the tank to train them.

I would not keep a Mandy in a 30 gal tank unless it was species specific. Cuz I’ve done it. It’s not easy.

 

[Ghostcat]

Unless you can farm pods or buy them weekly, no

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I wouldn't do it in a tank that small