Mandarin - To add or not to add?

[mattdean]

I'm not going to comment on the size of tank, but I would be concerned about the competition for food. You mandarin in the 20g has no competitors for pods, I'm assuming. With you water volume, I would, at the very least, be supplementing with reef pods regularly (meaning at least ne bottle every 2 months). I have a 125 with a 55 sump/fuge and I put a bottle of pods in at every other month and I still don't see a lot of pods in my system. I have Leopard Wrasses as well as the mandarin, so the pod population is being hammered.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by mattdean

I'm not going to comment on the size of tank, but I would be concerned about the competition for food. You mandarin in the 20g has no competitors for pods, I'm assuming. With you water volume, I would, at the very least, be supplementing with reef pods regularly (meaning at least ne bottle every 2 months). I have a 125 with a 55 sump/fuge and I put a bottle of pods in at every other month and I still don't see a lot of pods in my system. I have Leopard Wrasses as well as the mandarin, so the pod population is being hammered.

When my tank lights go off..... the pods take over.

I am actually amazed at how many I have. They absolutely cover everything. Its amazing to watch them.

My tank has been set for about a year and a half. My sixline has not been able to deplete the stock at all.

[naesco]

For the benefit of those that are considering getting a mandarin I have attached the wetwebmedia site here. Make your own decision.
http://wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm

Paddy your post mentions nothing about compatibility. You simply asked for advice on whether you should get one or not.

If you are adding a refuge and cultivating pods for your 70 gallon than food should not be an issue.

I would be concerned that a docile fish like the mandarin will become a victim to aggressive fish like the six line wrasse but I do not have both so can't help you with your decision.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by naesco

For the benefit of those that are considering getting a mandarin I have attached the wetwebmedia site here. Make your own decision.
http://wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm

Paddy your post mentions nothing about compatibility. You simply asked for advice on whether you should get one or not.

If you are adding a refuge and cultivating pods for your 70 gallon than food should not be an issue.

I would be concerned that a docile fish like the mandarin will become a victim to aggressive fish like the six line wrasse but I do not have both so can't help you with your decision.

Did my list of current fish throw you off? It seemed apparent to me that
I was asking about the other redidents.

My fuge is as old as the tank itself.

I simply want opinions on stock. I have done extensive reading on mandarins in the past six years and have been successful keeping them in small tanks.

I am no self proclaimed expert by any means, but I know one or two things.

The sixline is my main concern.

Thank you.

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by naesco

Now would be a good time to consider upgrading your tank to a 6 footer to accommodate the yellow tang you already have (your tank is far too small for tangs) and when the new tank matures add a mated pair of mandarins.

Good Luck
Wayne

+1

Originally Posted by paddyob

There is no upgrade coming. Ever.

Sorry to hear that, your yellow will eventually outgrow the 70g hopefully when that happens you will re-home it.

Find a mandarin that eats frozen (that you can make sure you get the frozen food to it, before the others eat it) and you should be ok.

[daniella3d]

It's difficult to tell. My yellow tang sliced my beautiful male mandarin to death... now that bastard yellow tang is gone but that prove that you never know how a fish is going to react.

I woudl be afraid of the six line but you know your fish better than anyone and you know if it is aggressive or not.

I have a niger trigger that is a sweetheart and never attacked any one, not even the new fish I put in, so each fish is unique.

One thing is for sure...mandarins don't react to aggression and they will let other fish kill them without too much fighting or reaction.

[jtbadco]

I added a small female Green Mandarin to my 33 gal reef. She was already on frozen and dry foods so feeding was not an issue.

My six-line wrasse was very upset about the mandarins introduction and did try to harass her for days. She just ignored him so it never came to anything. They get along fine now.

My concern is that your six-line is quite large and may be able to do more damage if he does harass the mandarin.

If you do try,...introduce at night after lights out for an hour or so.

You can also create mandarin feeding spots by creating rubble piles where pods can breed in tank. My six-line does not seem to browse at the rubble piles so there is no competition.

HTH
Blaine

[paddyob]

Tang police. Frack Get out.

You are off topic and frankly ****ing me off.

My tank is fine and so is the damn tang.

Go preach somewhere else. Everyone has had enough holier than tho talk to save the world.

Mods. How can I delete irrelevant input?

I saw another thread where the op erased unwanted and off topic crap.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by fishoholic

+1



Sorry to hear that, your yellow will eventually outgrow the 70g hopefully when that happens you will re-home it.

Find a mandarin that eats frozen (that you can make sure you get the frozen food to it, before the others eat it) and you should be ok.

I'm not sorry. My tank is fine. Perfect.

[Madreefer]

You can add that person or any person on your ignore list. You no longer see any of their comments if it makes you upset.