Official Mandarin and Dragonet Show off thread

[jedimasterben]

For anyone on the fence about dragnets, so far, the ruby's have been much easier to care for than the spotteds/blue/greens.

 

They don't seem to need to be fed nearly as often or as much and keep weight better on pods. Makes sense since they have a slimmer and smaller body form.

The issue is that they are still coming in severely emaciated. They've gotten better over the last year, but not significantly, so everyone just be aware.

[JoeDigiorgio]

Bottom dwellers bolt when they startle. Fish that swim in the open water duck into the rocks. When gobies etc make those mad dashes blindly in one direction, they hit the glass and deflect straight up or down...up shoots them out of the tank, down shoots them into the sand where they either get dazed and stop or continue darting around.

[Kdadair]

I just spent the last four days reading this thread. Beautiful fish! On 9/20 I added my Ruby Red. Here's Charlie. Hubby wants to change his name to Joe (Dragnet, Joe Friday). I don't think so.

[metrokat]

Charlie

[Obsessed Reefer]

So I'm happy to say that my pair are still going strong. The male's fin is doing much better, so I'm convinced something was just attacking him at the LFS. Both are happily eating mysis.

 

I do want to get some macro algae for my display, to add some color to it. Does anyone have any experience with that or suggestions, I want to add some like purple/red macros.

[pgrVII]

I got this guy today for $5 labeled scooter blenny.

[CronicReefer]

I got this guy today for $5 labeled scooter blenny.

http://www.nano-reef.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=145266'>WP_001351.jpg

Very nice. I hope it is trained on frozen as your tank looks very young.

[pgrVII]

Very nice. I hope it is trained on frozen as your tank looks very young.

 

Lol thanks. My tank is new however the rock and what not are out of my old tank of over 1.5 years. Not sure on frozen yet,but he readily accepted formula 1 pellets like my standard red did.

[CronicReefer]

Lol thanks. My tank is new however the rock and what not are out of my old tank of over 1.5 years. Not sure on frozen yet,but he readily accepted formula 1 pellets like my standard red did.

That's great. Mine jumped so keep the lid on tight .

[pgrVII]

Oh yea for sure lol. My last one was fed to an anemone.

[Tamberav]

Hey everyone, I finally got some Reef Caviar at a frag swap and just wanted to let everyone know, all 6 dragonetts ate it with the same gusto as Ova. The only downside is it is the exact same color as sand.

[JoeDigiorgio]

SUCCESS!!!

[Acielot]

What is really good for fattening a Mandy up?

 

I've tried black worms and prawn roe already but my mandy doesn't like it. My mandy isn't starving but it isn't as plump aa I would like to see.

[Halo_003]

When I trained mine he would sort of nibble at frozen mysis and bloodworms so I tried grinding up some bloodworms to the point they were liquid basically. I then mixed that with normal frozen bloodworms, sprayed it in his jar with pumps all off and he went nuts eating them and smashing them to little bits on the sides of his jar.

 

I didn't have a long gradual training period like you guys describe.

 

He's a big fan of Rods food now though.

[NanoFever]

Say hello to my new Ruby Red!!!! Got him eating frozen and was fat and happy at the LFS. (A Rare find for the ruby's from what I have read) I couldnt pass him up. Also, any name suggestions?!

 

I asked this in my build but I will ask it here as well. I got pods and they have been multiplying like crazy for a few weeks now and since hes eating frozen should I release him from his breeder box or continue to feed him frozen in the breeder box to train him that I will give him a free meal?

 

[CronicReefer]

Say hello to my new Ruby Red!!!! Got him eating frozen and was fat and happy at the LFS. (A Rare find for the ruby's from what I have read) I couldnt pass him up. Also, any name suggestions?!

 

I asked this in my build but I will ask it here as well. I got pods and they have been multiplying like crazy for a few weeks now and since hes eating frozen should I release him from his breeder box or continue to feed him frozen in the breeder box to train him that I will give him a free meal?

 

I was able to sustain my ruby on nothing but pods growing in my tank for over a month (he jumped out) and he had gotten extremely fat. I know there are plenty of people who sustain them on nothing but pods but this can be tricky in the long run. I think if yours is already trained to eat frozen you should be fine with releasing him and you can just continue to feed him like normal. Definitely looks healthy and fat compared to how mine looked when I picked him up from the LFS.

[metrokat]

Say hello to my new Ruby Red!!!! Got him eating frozen and was fat and happy at the LFS. (A Rare find for the ruby's from what I have read) I couldnt pass him up. Also, any name suggestions?!

 

I asked this in my build but I will ask it here as well. I got pods and they have been multiplying like crazy for a few weeks now and since hes eating frozen should I release him from his breeder box or continue to feed him frozen in the breeder box to train him that I will give him a free meal?

 

So cute. Make sure he is eating frozen for a couple of days before releasing him.

 

What is really good for fattening a Mandy up?

 

I've tried black worms and prawn roe already but my mandy doesn't like it. My mandy isn't starving but it isn't as plump aa I would like to see.

Were they live black worms? Don't know any fish that disregards a squiggling wriggling live food. Je might have a parasite like my mandarin does. Prazipro.

[NanoFever]

I was able to sustain my ruby on nothing but pods growing in my tank for over a month (he jumped out) and he had gotten extremely fat. I know there are plenty of people who sustain them on nothing but pods but this can be tricky in the long run. I think if yours is already trained to eat frozen you should be fine with releasing him and you can just continue to feed him like normal. Definitely looks healthy and fat compared to how mine looked when I picked him up from the LFS.

 

 

So cute. Make sure he is eating frozen for a couple of days before releasing him.

 

Were they live black worms? Don't know any fish that disregards a squiggling wriggling live food. Je might have a parasite like my mandarin does. Prazipro.

Thanks guys! I will probably give him a couple more days and then let him go for cruise around the tank!

 

I also plan on starting my own pod culture with the pods I got from reefcleaners today.

[metrokat]

Thanks guys! I will probably give him a couple more days and then let him go for cruise around the tank!

 

I also plan on starting my own pod culture with the pods I got from reefcleaners today.

If they were tisbe then good, the other pods he has are, well they're other pods. They're great but tisbe is the meaty pod you want for the mandy.

[BulkRate]

That fish looks awesome, Nanofever!

 

I'll admit... I need to go do some more research. Having a hard time telling apart any of the 2-3 "ruby red" dragonets popping up on the market of late. Synchiropus moyeri, Synchiropus morrissoni, Synchiropus tudorjonesi and I think even a couple others as well can show up labeled as "red scooter blennies".

[NanoFever]

That fish looks awesome, Nanofever!

 

I'll admit... I need to go do some more research. Having a hard time telling apart any of the 2-3 "ruby red" dragonets popping up on the market of late. Synchiropus moyeri, Synchiropus morrissoni, Synchiropus tudorjonesi and I think even a couple others as well can show up labeled as "red scooter blennies".

Ya the colorations are very close in some of them. I did a little research as well. I will look to see if I can find the website that I found very helpful in telling them all apart and if they were male or female.

 

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/topic/118608-ruby-red-dragonets-how-to-id-and-more/

[BulkRate]

Telling their gender's the easy part (at least once they're more than a couple months old)... not many fish come with a "look for the big pointy ray on the dorsal fin" as the main tell.

 

I'd love to get one of these little guys... what I'd read says they stay pretty small. Bonus in that one of the better stores in my area gets them in regularly and sells 'em at just a small markup. Now to find a regular local supply of reef caviar...

[metrokat]

I haven't posted in this thread in a long time. I got Sam in October of last year (2013). Several times this past year he has looked nearly about to die, he has been skinny to the bone for so long. How has he survived for so long?

 

I was convinced he had a parasite but I had never treated with prazi before. He was in the RSM for about 2 weeks and I dosed prazi in there. Then he went in the new tank, the fuge didn't have too many pods but I added some and also got some crunchy amphipods for him to snack on. I've been feeding live black worms as well and he eats frozen and pellets too. He hasn't lost his skinny profile but he no longer looks one hour away from certain death.

 

Happy New Year everyone.

[JoeDigiorgio]

That's awesome news Kat. I've been MIA from this thread and NR in general for some time but...I made a purchase.

[Jstn]

I got a velvet/brook/ich breakout, TBD, lost both my mandarins in one day. I had my female 4 years and my male 2 years....

 

Feeling pretty shitty right now...