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Leopard Wrasse & Mandarin in 70G?


ScubaJ

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Ok, so I was headed to one of my favorite LFS to buy a six line for a frag tank. I asked one of the guys besides the six line, what other wrasse would be good for pest control for a frag tank and took me over to the leopard. Gorgeous little thing, male, colorful, and only about 1" long.

 

The other day browsing the forums I found that the Leopard is hard to keep in display tanks let alone a small frag tank. (Feeding, parasites, shipping, etc...)

 

Well, he's been living in a bare 20g empty frag tank for a few weeks eating frozen mysis. So I am thinking giving him a shot in my display tank... he's appears healthy, he's eating, and shipping won't be an issue.

 

  1. However, know this guy will hunt pods as well and between him and a Mandarin... would you think a 70G tank with 30g sump (12x15 refugium area), would the Mandarin have enough to eat? (Assuming I cannot get the mandarin eating anything else.)
  2. Before moving to my DT, should I treat the Leopard for any parasites or anything? He looks healthy, and been QT'd a week... normally I would not treat.

 

My tank is still new, so wasn't going to get a Mandarin for ~6 months at least. Seeded this week with over 3K pods so they need to start blooming.

 

 

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Personally I wouldn't keep both. My leopard eats pellets, flakes, frozen, basically everything you can throw at it, and he still eats pods all day long. I have a 75 gallon tank with a large fuge and don't have the pods to support a Mandy because of the wrasse.

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^ agreed. But also, if the mandarin won't eat frozen, I don't think you'll have any long term chance with him in a 70 by himself. It sounds like a lot of space but he'll consume the majority of the pods in the entire tank in a few days.

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Personally I wouldn't keep both. My leopard eats pellets, flakes, frozen, basically everything you can throw at it, and he still eats pods all day long. I have a 75 gallon tank with a large fuge and don't have the pods to support a Mandy because of the wrasse.

 

+10000 The leopard would very likely out eat the mandarin to where your constantly adding more pods or the mandarin starves.... even if it does take prepared foods.

 

That's what I feared... I guess I have to choose one or the other. This is going to be hard.

 

The mandarin would be fine without a wrasse present but any wrasse is going to pose a big threat to pod population.

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If you really want the mandy, you can make a pod farm out of any large, reasonable, waterproof container such as a Rubbermaid tub. All you need is used tank water from water changes, some chaeto, a light for photosynthesis, and a circulation pump. The pod farm does not need to be near the tank. A closet, the attic, the basement, the garage will do. You may need a heater if it is in an unheated place.

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Just as ndrobey discussed, this is really the only successful way I have seen a Mandarin kept long term. The fish unfortunately being beautiful is in high demand and so many enthusiasts, and far too often they meet their demise by inexperienced hobbyists who think they can plop them in their tank and feed them like the rest. If you have the equipment and space to set up a pod breeding tank and get it going with good results and are assured what your doing is working and you will in fact have enough on hand daily then go for it.

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