Paddy's Mandarin Paradise

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by paddyob

I had one over two years in a fully mixed reef. This tank I am using now used to be my nano.

It did eventually take frozen and then my tank crashed. Sad.

I figure I did it with one and 4 other fish. Why not two in a dedicated tank with fuge.

I lost my female after 3 years but the male hung on for about 5 years in my 94, but mine were typical mandrins, would check out what I put in the tank then turn up there nose at it.

hey and why do you not have any pics up yet?

Steve

[intarsiabox]

I've seen mandarins in local stores every now and then that are already eating frozen. I believe Ken had some ORA ones that ate frozen a little while back.

[Myka]

Yay! Are they eating well these days?

I see you have red bubble algae...that stuff is worse than green bubble algae. Trust me, I've been through that one. The balls are filled with slime...they are gross. I would suggest you attack it aggressively.

[paddyob]

I do appreciate your comments !

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

in the long run you will not be able to produce the pods required in this size of tank for one mandrin little lone 2. but they are eating blood worms so you need to train them to eat a more ballanced food for them as blood worms are good for a suplament but not a staple. a high quality small pellet or something like that would be an ideal food to get them eating, but don't buy a bunch see if you can borrow a few table spoons from some one till you know you are sucessfull in getting them to eat it.

If I saw this sooner I would have urged you to go with a min of a 90 gal for a pair of mandrins but to late now. one way to help with the production of pods is to fill your refuge about 1/2 to 3/4 full of rubble rock. I did this in my 94 gal but hid the piles of rubble under the rock work and in the sump. with over 240 lbs of Live rock and rubble I went from tones of pods to seeing them once and a while with in a month of adding the mandrins so they are a large consumer and mine did mate several times as the tank was 24" tall. in hind site a 30" tall tank would be better but 24" works for the most part.

Steve