Mandarin Dragonet

[Evan28395950]

Hey all. Background info: I first put in plently of the mix of pods from algae barn, and I recently switched to podyourreef and got a specific kind of pod. But my mandarin for the past two days hasn’t moved much, and he hasn’t been searching for pods like he usually does. He has got alittle skinny. I don’t see any infections. Should I go back to algaebarn?

 

[Evan28395950]

I’m thinking it doesn’t likely the Tisbe pods from podyourreef I put in. Because all corals are thriving and other fish.

 

[Evan28395950]

Bump #ReefSquad

 

[DSC reef]

All you can do is keep trying to feed him. I would try some live tigger pods from reef nutrition. They have some foods the mandarin might eat as well. Try to offer variety. Some of the pods your buying might take a little time to grow and populate. We fed our mandarins up to 5 times a day. It was a lot of work but well worth it.

 

[408Dartfish]

I picked up a tiny little biota mandarin and it loves to eat the tigger pods from R2R member hollback. They are a great deal I have tried both the algaebarn and podyourreef. Dustin

 

[Evan28395950]

I picked up a tiny little biota mandarin and it loves to eat the tigger pods from R2R member hollback. They are a great deal I have tried both the algaebarn and podyourreef. Dustin

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll for sure look into it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I’d have to see a well lit pic of the fish.

Generally once they slow down it’s not a good sign.

 

[Monkeytank]

A variety of kinds of pods is the best way to go. It shouldn't matter where you get them as long as you get enough in the bottle or bag. Some places, the big names usually, sell incredibly weak densities. If you want your pod population to grow, you should consider dosing live phytoplankton. You can also use baby brine shrimp if you need something now and can't get more pods right away. You'll want newly hatched ones if possible, or boosted with Selcon if not within 48 hours of hatching. I use 5 kinds of pods, baby brine, and dose live phytoplanton.

 

[Evan28395950]

I would also like to add. I dose phytoplankton every night.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Could just be the pic but looks like the "angle" of a severely pinched stomach is visible. They don't usually recover from that point regardless of action taken.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Age old question about Mandarin dragonets.

Adding pods to a established system that has established pod populations, with plenty of live rock, sump with rock, or a refugium and a large enough tank to sustain their populations is fine.

If the above isn't established, there will be a point where there won't be enough for the mandy to feed and it will starve.

Adding pods to a system that can't sustain pod populations and adding them at a rate to keep the mandy fed will be costly in the long run.

 

[Evan28395950]

Could just be the pic but looks like the "angle" of a severely pinched stomach is visible. They don't usually recover from that point regardless of action taken.

Do you happen to have more info on thay

 

[Evan28395950]

Here’s more pictures of stomach area.

 

[Evan28395950]

Bump

 

[Flippers4pups]

Can you tell us the size of your system, how long it's been running?

 

[Evan28395950]

24 gallons (31 incleading filtration). 6months.

 

[Flippers4pups]

24 gallons (31 incleading filtration). 6months.

Respectfully, I would return the mandy to your LFS. It's very emaciated and very well may not make it.

Was it this thin when you got it?

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Pic is from Google image search. The line going down the middle of the body is what I refer to as the "angle".

A 24 won't be able to sustain a Mandy long term.

 

[Evan28395950]

Thanks everyone, I’ll be returning tomorrow if things don’t change.

 

[davocean]

24g is just too small of a tank w/out doing something extra like culturing and constantly adding pods.

They have a high metabolism, and eat about 1-3 pods per minute, constantly, so they can wipe out your pod population in days.

Sadly I have to agree, most of the time once you realize there's a problem it's pretty much too late.

There are feeders that can help, paul B's diner, I've seen mastic suggested, but if it has just stopped moving completely it probably is just too late.