Would my reef tank sustain a mandarin dragonet?

[TbSaysNo]

Hello Reef2reef,

I have always wanted a mandarin dragonet, but I have yet to buy one because my tank might not have a stable enough copepods population. My DT is 80 gallons, while my sump is 11 gallons. At night, numerous amphipods crawl on the sandbed and rocks.

Homeowners of the tank is as follows:

*Corals*
2 euphyllia glabrescens (torch)
Ricordea + green hairy mushroom
Duncan & a micromussa
A wallhammer (Euphyllia paradivisa)

*Fish*
1 purple tang
1 Foxface rabbitfish
1 Regal angelfish
2 Clowns
1 goby and a pistolshrimp

a lot of snails and 3 big electric blue hermit crabs.

my tank will be 1 year old this June.

Do you think I can pull the trigger and buy a dragonet?

 

[Troylee]

I’d think you’d be fine! You can always add some pods here and there to keep the population up.. that’s what I do anyways..

 

[Lavey29]

Why not? You can always add copepods as needed and some mandarins adapt to other foods also. My tank is smaller but my Manny has been fine for 8 months now.

 

[crAphroditie]

my mandarin has been in my tank over 8 years. I started with seeding with pods first few years. Half bottle in display, half in sump. Did that every couple of months. after couple of years, huge population.

Over time this one started eating frozen food as well. Loves Marine Cuisine and Emerald Entree and Reef Frenzy. I didnt have to do anything. He just started eating it one day and has been ever since.

 

[TbSaysNo]

my mandarin has been in my tank over 8 years. I started with seeding with pods first few years. Half bottle in display, half in sump. Did that every couple of months. after couple of years, huge population.

Over time this one started eating frozen food as well. Loves Marine Cuisine and Emerald Entree and Reef Frenzy. I didnt have to do anything. He just started eating it one day and has been ever since.

Great info!

this is my sump that l leave uncleaned to help copepods have a little free room.
Do you have a picture of your mandarin?

 

[secret_reefer337]

You can try. I used to have a mandarin in a 20gal for almost two years until I sold my tank when we moved from West Coast to East Coast. It is a wild caught and after few months learned how to eat pellets. I believe they will learn how to eat pellets in no time. This is based my opinion and not a scientific observation. Right now I have a pair, the male is wild caught and too greedy eating pellets. On the side note, just few nights ago my pair are doing the courtship dance and it’s fun to watch them.

 

[TbSaysNo]

You can try. I used to have a mandarin in a 20gal for almost two years until I sold my tank when we moved from West Coast to East Coast. It is a wild caught and after few months learned how to eat pellets. I believe they will learn how to eat pellets in no time. This is based my opinion and not a scientific observation. Right now I have a pair, the male is wild caught and too greedy eating pellets. On the side note, just few nights ago my pair are doing the courtship dance and it’s fun to watch them.

How big is your tank with the pair?

 

[secret_reefer337]

How big is your tank with the pair?

It is 210gal, but aside from my pair I have 4 hunting pods wrasses.

I remember I used to have another pair in my 40 breeder years ago and both are wild caught too. They died when we have a power outage for 16 hours and I am out of town. They both eat pellets.

 

[secret_reefer337]

@TbSaysNo if you are really interested in getting the mandarin, best bet is to get the Biota. They might be tiny as a needle but your chance is a bit bigger.

 

[TbSaysNo]

@TbSaysNo if you are really interested in getting the mandarin, best bet is to get the Biota. They might be tiny as a needle but your chance is a bit bigger.

I would 100% buy everything from biota if i could, but sadly they are not shipping in Europe.

 

[secret_reefer337]

I would 100% buy everything from biota if i could, but sadly they are not shipping in Europe.

Sorry, didn’t know you’re in Europe.

 

[mwil79]

If you do get a Mandarin get a Target or spotted Mandarin. They will eat flat worms among other things. I just bought mine from a LFS and he now eats frozen food, pellets, pods, pretty much anything that comes near his face.

 

[TbSaysNo]

Why not? You can always add copepods as needed and some mandarins adapt to other foods also. My tank is smaller but my Manny has been fine for 8 months now.

I also got a sixline wrasse, so perhaps my copepods population is not so high to sustain a pair?

 

[Lavey29]

I also got a sixline wrasse, so perhaps my copepods population is not so high to sustain a pair?

I have 5 wrasses including a 6 line. Yes, they can eat pods to but once you have a very established tank, the pods finds ways to multiply and sustain their population especially if running a fuge two. I still like to add Tigger or some other type of pods every few weeks or so just to be safe but I've seen Manny eating frozen and he loves Ora coral feast eggs to so I broadcast feed that a few times weekly to.

Now obviously with 2 mandarins in the tank conditions may be different and require adjustments. I personally think after some months the fish learn on their own to eat other foods.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Don't see why you would have any issue at all. Dose a phyto based product to help keep the copepods up and you will be fine

 

[crAphroditie]

Great info! View attachment 3158236
this is my sump that l leave uncleaned to help copepods have a little free room.
Do you have a picture of your mandarin?

I will get you one