Skimmer for intermittent use

[mike31154]

Well I guess I stand corrected. After a bit of research it does seem that some beneficials are removed by skimming, particularly by the more efficient skimmers available these days. However, depending on your system & what you keep, a certain amount of skimming is probably better than none at all. Having done the bit of research, I'm reassured that my counter current air stone driven model is a good choice for my system. I have no sump and have successfully kept a Mandarin in there for 5 years plus. I've never supplemented the tank with plankton or other additives & he doesn't appear to be starving! I must admit that he will take pellet food when it happens to come to rest on the substrate, which is not that often. Once in a while I try to target feed him with the pellets, but that's very rare occasion these days.

[Reefgoat]

Originally Posted by mike31154

Well I guess I stand corrected. After a bit of research it does seem that some beneficials are removed by skimming, particularly by the more efficient skimmers available these days. However, depending on your system & what you keep, a certain amount of skimming is probably better than none at all. Having done the bit of research, I'm reassured that my counter current air stone driven model is a good choice for my system. I have no sump and have successfully kept a Mandarin in there for 5 years plus. I've never supplemented the tank with plankton or other additives & he doesn't appear to be starving! I must admit that he will take pellet food when it happens to come to rest on the substrate, which is not that often. Once in a while I try to target feed him with the pellets, but that's very rare occasion these days.

It's nice to hear of someone who has had long term success with a Mandarin. Far too many stories about them dying. Did he just start eating pellets eventually on his own or did you find that he would right from the start?

[Doug]

Here is Tunze,s website. JL Aquatics sells much of their products and can order any of them. The in tank skimmers, have a water intake that can be closed or partially closed to keep whatever from being skimmed. I believe they have an explanation on their website about such.
http://www.tunze.com/produkte.html?&L=1&C=CA
Of course it totally depends on what type of tank one is trying to maintain, so take all of it for what its worth. I used the 9010 skimmer before. Good skimmer for my in tank purpose but was not . I ordered one of the new Reefpack 200,s for my 30g tank. Not here yet.

My pair of mandarins both ate Ocean Nutrition Formula One Marine pellets. They use to find where they accumulated on the bottom in the tanks current and just pick them up at their leisure, until their little sides use to protrude. One I purchased from a board member and was eating then and the other I watched in the store when a baby and was eating brine shrimp.

However I did train one also to eat the pellets. I just kept placing them where he was always picking at food. I have seen this also done with smaller type containers that only the mandarin could get in to keep the other fish from eating them.

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by Reefgoat

It's nice to hear of someone who has had long term success with a Mandarin. Far too many stories about them dying. Did he just start eating pellets eventually on his own or did you find that he would right from the start?

He was a juvenile when purchased & I was a newb so didn't know much about Mandarins at the time. It was before I learned of resources like forums & to research more prior to making a purchase. In any case, I suspect I got lucky he didn't starve because I probably introduced him a bit soon. Better likelihood of success with these when your system has been running for a year or so to get the pod population stabilised. What probably saved his butt was that my system was previously owned & the live rock was nicely matured. He was too young when purchased to have been trained to take prepared food. He simply figured it out on his own & I happened to observe him taking CycloPeeze granules off the sand one day. As mentioned he will also take pellets, (Omega One Small Marine Pellets). They're a little heavier than the CycloPeeze & are less prone to being kept circulating above the sand by the undertow of my VorTechs.

A year or so ago I purchased another small one as a mate for the original but turned out to be another male. Another mistake, this time not as a newb, but simply impatience in not observing the critter long enough at the LFS to confirm gender. They both actually did fine with only the odd skirmish, but I was fortunate to snag the new little guy one day & he has a new home. I've found the dragonet a great addition, disease resistant & actually very easy to care for provided they have sufficient food. Other fish don't bother with them & they simply cruise all day feeding.