Quote:
Originally Posted by Myka
I have had good success weaning Mandarins onto frozen brine shrimp using a feeding jar. It takes about 2-4 weeks though, so you have to start with a fat one. Mine hangs out in the jar when he wants to get fed. He's a pig.
I find it is easiest if you start with a well established 10 or 20 gallon tank with no other fish/inverts (snails are ok) that has some live rock and a decent amount of macro algae growing in it as well as an abundance of pods. Put the feeding jar in there from the beginning so he gets used to it. After a couple days put 2-3 frozen brine shrimp in the jar (soak it in garlic extract and Selcon first), then siphon the brine shrimp out at the end of the day. He probably won't eat it for a couple weeks so you will have to keep siphoning it out. Eventually he will check it out, and peck at it, and eat it. You will notice after some time that the shrimp aren't there when you go to siphon them out, that's when you can start adding 6-8. Eventually you will find him hanging out in the jar around feeding time, and that's when you know you've done a good job. You can use the taste of the garlic to wean him onto other foods (by soaking them in garlic too), and the Selcon should always be used with brine shrimp because they are not very nutritious.
Having live brine shrimp on hand just in case is not a bad idea. Tigger Pods are pretty easy to culture too if you end up needing them.
Good luck.
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thanks a lot for the well written instructions myka, i really appreciate them. i only wish dragonets were easier to feed like most other fish..but i think its totally worth it once they are trained