Do you think Im ready for a Mandarin?

[Eb0la11]

Oh ya, and he's doing fine so far. Already working over the rocks, looks very peaceful and stress free.

[rocco134]

I added a mandarin only after a month of seting up my 120.... he is doing fine and (i also notice quite a few pods when the lights are out).

[rocco134]

There name definitely suits their disposition (they are like a Zen garden -lol if that makes any sense)

Originally Posted by Eb0la11

Oh ya, and he's doing fine so far. Already working over the rocks, looks very peaceful and stress free.

[naesco]

Originally Posted by mike31154

I am still in the go for it camp. As you've mentioned the rock you have comes largely from previously established systems and there should be plenty of food for a small mandarin. I've never been able to see the pods my mandarins peck at they are so small, so I also see no point in observing what's crawling around after lights out. Sure there are risks, any new fish can become a casualty for one reason or another. I've tried to back up my reasoning with personal experience and I see there are at least two other posters with positive first hand experiences as well. I have two healthy mandarins in a 77 gallon sumpless tank and you have a 165 with refugium and sump! That's more than twice the size of my system. I've not needed to supercharge the pod population nor have I set up any pod condos. None of the posters advising against getting one have validated their advice with personal experience. I may be wrong and if I am, apologize, but it appears some of this advice is based on second or third party information.

My advice is based on personal experience. In addition I have been on this board and several other boards for many, many years and have read countless thread posted by reefers asking.
My mandarin is not eating what do I feed it?
My mandarin is emaciated what could be the problem? and than
My mandarin is missing?

You posted that "there are risks, any new fish can become a casualty for one reason or another". Starvation is an avoidable risk.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Eb0la11

Oh ya, and he's doing fine so far. Already working over the rocks, looks very peaceful and stress free.

which one did you end up getting? green spotted or the psyadelic? and is it a male or female?

Steve

[Eb0la11]

Naesco, thank you for your concern. My mandarin won't be starving. I can see hundreds of pods crawling on the glass of my refugium as we speak and Im sure that they are getting injected into the DT all the time, not to mention I have some very porous rock for pods to grow, mate and live in the DT away from predators, so there is tons there.

I ended up getting a psychedelic and I believe he is a male. Thank you Eyford01 for the mandarin, he is looking better already after being QTed in his tank the last couple days because he was getting picked on by another mandarin. So this is a good setup. Already he is working around the tank, entering the dens of my tangs for example, and not getting picked on for it all while nipping at the rock every so often. He is very happy to be in his new home!

[Bloodasp]

I've had mine for about 5 months now 2 months after my tank was set up. I was also worried about what others were saying about this guys starving to death without live copepods in the tank, I'm pretty sure mine has some but not quite enough to keep up with the mandarin's appetite. I think you were the one that posted about vermetid snails too but I have seen my mandarin take advantage of this, every feeding time these snails cast out their silk to catch those floating food and that's when he goes for the kill and grabs some of the food that gets caught in those things.

[phyto4life]

I've had my mandarin for 7 month's and she needs a new mate in my 90G soon

[banditpowdercoat]

I've often wondered about a Mandarin in my tank. How would they get along in a 150g with a Lawnmower blenny and a Yellow Goby?

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

I've often wondered about a Mandarin in my tank. How would they get along in a 150g with a Lawnmower blenny and a Yellow Goby?

I don't see any reasons why those fish wouldn't make suitable tank mates.