lgreen's Mandarin FAQ
(Photo by: Luc Viatour www.lucnix.be)
Copyright lgreen 2008
Note: In this guide, Mandarins will be referred to as Dragonets (since they are actually Dragonets, not Gobies or Blennies).
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. The Basic Truth About Dragonets
III. The Dragonet Family
IV. Dragonet Basics
V. The Case Against Keeping Dragonets In Nano Tanks
VI. Successfully keeping Dragonets in Nano Tanks
I. Introduction
The purpose of this thread is to help educate you first about the potential consequences of keeping such a delicate fish in a nano tank and second to help provide some info and advice should you choose to venture down this road.
As reefing in general is not an exact science the approach I have taken to organizing this information is to provide a framework that includes my knowledge of dragonets, but also to encourage others to share their experience and knowledge for the benefit of everyone.
II. The Basic Truth About Dragonets
Generally speaking, dragonets are not a suitable choice for nano tanks. Nor are they a suitable choice for any inexperienced reefer, regardless of your tank size. Although these fish are very attractive and often inexpensive, if you are inexperienced and/or do not provide the proper habitat for these fish, they will die. This is not to say it is impossible. With proper research, the right habitat, and some special care, mandarins can be kept alive in nano tanks. I cannot stress enough though that this is NOT a beginner fish.
The most basic explanation for why these fish are so difficult for many to keep is because their diet is very specific and therefore they can be very difficult to feed. A more detailed explanation for the case against keeping dragonets in nano tanks can be found later in this guide.
At the most basic level, successfully keeping a Dragonet in a nano-tank does not just involve providing the right food, but MOST IMPORTANTLY providing a continual source of that food. Methods for providing a continual source of food will be discussed below.
III. The Dragonet Family
Synchiropus splendidus
Common names: Green Mandarin Goby, Red Mandarin Goby
Synchiropus picturatus
Common names: Yellow Target Mandarin Goby, Spotted Mandarin Goby
Synchiropus ocellatus
Common names: Scooter Blenny, Scooter Dragonet
Synchiropus stellatus
Common names: Red Scooter Blenny, Sterry Scooter Blenny, Red Scooter Dragonet, Sterry Dragonet
IV. Dragonet Basics
First and foremost it is necessary to distinguish Dragonets as their own genius of fish. They are often incorrectly classified as gobies and blennies. Dragonets are most commonly found in the western pacific ocean ranging from southern Japan to northern Australia. They tend to hang out in shallower reefs and lagoons. Dragonets are bottom-dwelling carnivores that feed mostly on small micro and macro invertebrates such as copepods.
Copepod:
V. The Case Against Keeping Dragonets In Nano Tanks
So what we already know is that Dragonets are very difficult to feed since their primary source of nutrition is the copepod. Therefore the biggest challenge in keeping a Dragonet is not just having copepods, but rather having a continual supply of copepods. You may see copepods in your tank, however you must consider that a dragonet can wipe out a tanks worth of copepods in a short amount of time. Therefore, not only must you have copepods, but the population of copepods must be continually breeding. The key to keeping your copepod population continually breeding is to provide the correct habitat, which basically consists of hiding spots where the Dragonet can not get to them. This is what can prove to be the most difficult challenge in a nano tank. There is simply not enough space to provide the habitat (hiding spots) in a nano tank to support the continual copepod population that the dragonets need. So in general with out really going above and beyond in terms of providing the correct habitat for the copepods, your success at keeping a dragonet in a nano tank, or any tank for that matter, will be limited. As we will discuss below, successfully keeping a dragonet in a nano tank will involve providing some sort of supplemental habitat to your tank dedicated specifically to copepods.
I would also advise people be very cautious when reading success stories about dragonets. Many people buy a dragonet and if it lives for a week or even a month, they consider that a success story. This is very false. This is a fish that can look totally healthy and appear to be eating for 2-3 months and then just suddenly disappear. Now if someone tells you that they have successfully kept a dragonet in their nano for 3-6+ months, I would consider their experiences/techniques worth discussing.
VI. Successfully keeping Dragonets in Nano Tanks
Please share your stories, methods, and thoughts in this thread for others to read.
I go to Aqualife in Rocklin instead, which is a million times better.
