Mandarin :D HE ATE!

[Kryptic4L]

Anyways picked up a green spot manderin the other day, 3 days worth of tossing just a couple pellets of a couple misc dry foods, today he ate pellet right away... So im very happy about this, couple more weeks in the qt and he should be good to go

[marie]

One of my mandarins started eating mysis when he was still in quarantine, it gives you a really good feeling

[Kryptic4L]

most definitly, I think my mysis may be a bit big for him, so i might try something smaller

[Borderjumper]

Originally Posted by Kryptic4L

most definitly, I think my mysis may be a bit big for him, so i might try something smaller

I have 4 and they all eat PE mysis.. the size doesnt seem to be a problem. If the shrimp is too big they tear it into pieces

[naesco]

Originally Posted by Kryptic4L

Anyways picked up a green spot manderin the other day, 3 days worth of tossing just a couple pellets of a couple misc dry foods, today he ate pellet right away... So im very happy about this, couple more weeks in the qt and he should be good to go

Good news but I don't think you are out of the woods yet. Their main diet is the tiny inverts you see them picking at on the rocks. If you don't have lots of pods, pile a few of those 1 inch smooth blue stones or something similar in see for freshwater at the lfs that provide a hiding and breeding place for the pods.
If they don't get proper nourishment they start getting skinnier and eventually die.

[reef bound]

It's always a good feeling when you see them eat something other than the little critters in the tank. I was happy when I saw mine eat mysis at feeding time with the rest of the fish very soon after I got him. (Not that he's running out of little critters in there.) And he's super fat, too.

[danny zubot]

Has anyone ever seen their manderine pick on other fish? I've never noticed this before with the manderine I had years ago, but the one I picked up recently is kind of a bully to a scooter blennie. I didn't think it would be an issue having both of them in the same tank, as the scooter is more of a scavenger then a pod picker, or so I thought. Has anyone else experienced this?

[Kryptic4L]

it could potentially be a case of similar families not getting along.

[paddyob]

I had a spotted mandarin I bought to clean up some flat worms in my 20. it started taking Hikari mysis. it was fat and healthy. lived over 2.5 Years then i had to move my tank. biological upset killed everything. i made a feeding tube from a test kit (sample taker Thing) and extended it with airline tubing that was stiffened with wire. it allowed me to place the food with the fish. in a community tank the more aggressive fish scoop it all if you dont. it worked for me. i miss my mandarin.luck2u!

[marie]

Originally Posted by paddyob

I had a spotted mandarin I bought to clean up some flat worms in my 20. it started taking Hikari mysis. it was fat and healthy. lived over 2.5 Years then i had to move my tank. biological upset killed everything. i made a feeding tube from a test kit (sample taker Thing) and extended it with airline tubing that was stiffened with wire. it allowed me to place the food with the fish. in a community tank the more aggressive fish scoop it all if you dont. it worked for me. i miss my mandarin.luck2u!

Or you could just buy your mandarin a dinner plate