Mandarin Q/A

[Sushiman]

Has anyone sucessfully kept a Mandarin in a small display? Mine is a 60gal, several years old & absolutely crawling with critters & bugs that I think might be right up a Mandarin's alley. I'm just concerned that the system isn't large enough to support one long term.

[Vagabond]

I have a psychedelic mandarin in my 62gal. and he continues to get fatter and bigger, so yes IME it can be done succesfully.

To increase your chance of success I would be patient and try to find one that will eat frozen food. When I got mine from my LFS I had them feed the tank some mysis shrimp and he was all over it. He continues to be a mysis pig in my display as well as constantly foraging the rock and sand for pods etc..

HTH and good luck they are a great fish, awesome colour and very entertaining :cool:

[Bob I]

Mine has lived in my 33 gallon semi cube for close to a year (got him in February). He has doubled in size in that time, and continues to do fine. He does eat Mysis. :biggrin:

[Aquattro]

Statistically they do fine in 40g or bigger, as long as the tank is established. If you get lucky like Bob and get one that eats dead food, even better.

[Sushiman]

Brilliant :cool: .

[OCDP]

Well, we have a new record winner.. I have my Mandarin in a 20g. Of course, mine will eat prepared foods... at first it loved brine, but now I have it on Mysis (hikari brand) .. great fish to have... mine is quite active, always swims up the front of the glass when I enter my bedroom... he's a little geek. I recommend a Mandarin if your lucky enough to find a mandarin that will take frozen foods, or you have enough live rock to support them. You won't be dissapointed... they're really neat.

Scott.

[Bob I]

Maybe we should do a FAQ on Mandarins. :cool: Brad is absolutely correct in that not all Mandarins eat prepared food. So the only way to know is to make certain it eats prepared food at the LFS where you are going to buy one. Otherwise it is a crap shoot, and luck becomes involved. :biggrin:

[marie]

I have a mandarin in my 75g, with a 100lbs of rock, for nearly a year and a half. While he's not skinny, I would like to see him fatter. He doesn't eat prepared foods :sad:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/mariesnell/2006_0103Image0010.jpg

[Aquattro]

Maybe we should do a FAQ on Mandarins.

I think Reefs.org has a very well written FAQ/Document on keping these. That's where I got the 40g stat from.

[StirCrazy]

Maybe we should do a FAQ on Mandarins.

I think Reefs.org has a very well written FAQ/Document on {keeping - fixed the spelling for ya} these. That's where I got the 40g stat from.

when they did the big pole on that wasn't the 60 gal with 90lbs of rock the most successful?

Steve

[Sushiman]

I want to add more high end rock to my display & move some of the older bits to my sump. Should spice things up a bit. Nice pic of the Mandy BTW :mrgreen: . I'm thinking of adding a !@#$% of peppermint shrimp as well to the as I have noticed about 1/2 doz. aip. anemones have sprung up. They should start breeding too if the Arrow Crab doesn't slay'em. Good munchies for everyone, including a Mandy.