mikel Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I was changing the tank water and I though I scoop these two ORA mandarisn up and show everyone. The spotted and the blue are both males, but they are fine in my 20 L tank. I have had them for 2 years now. They eat cyclopeeze and Ova...very cute and acclimated to my hands. thanks mike Link to comment
Euphyllia Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Cool pictures bro. Post them again. Link to comment
iball1804 Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Cute! Hopefully you don't do this every time you see them Link to comment
ry05coupe Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I thought ORA only started selling them about a year ago? Link to comment
mikel Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 You may be right...I got the spotted one as one of the first ones available...I think it was april or may of 2009 or 2010..cant remember. I got the blue one a few months later...he was part of the first batch that ORA ever sent out. apparently that first batch of blues was a total disaster. Mine did ok because he got the spotted as his tankmate, and the spotted taught him to eat my food. Yes, I do try to pick them up when I change the water...they seem to like the experience and I see them looking for food when I let them back . Cant help taking them out of the water because they are really cute to look at. mike Link to comment
GioReef Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 you take them out of the water every water change?!? regardless, they look really nice. congrats Link to comment
mikel Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 When I am scraping the tank, these guys go hunting for live food. They sometimes get in my hand's way, so at first I shoo them off. Then, I started scooping them up in my hand and moving them to the othet side of the tank. Soon, they are pretty used to me scooping them up and moving them. I try to keep them in water as I scoop, but as you can see, their heads and eyes may pop above the water line. They are pretty acclimated to me and I use the scoop time to really take a good look at their bodies and fins. These are OA fish, but I am a pretty hands-on guy when it comes to my fish, so maybe that's why they are so used to it. Note in these pics, especially the last on for the spotted and the last one for the blue....how the thick bodies taper very suddenly to a strong tail fin. This is how a well fed mandarin should look. So, when you are looking to purchase a wild or an ORA mandarin fish, make sure their bodies, especially the tail section comes close to this. Link to comment
SWAG Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 beautiful fish! how much were they each if you don't mind me asking? Link to comment
mikel Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 Here right outside Boston, I paid $60 for the spotted and $75 for the blue mandarin. mike Link to comment
Shyla8 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Wow, they are so darn cute. Gotta be like my favorite fish! I lost mine in my move to NC and haven't gotten a new one since but I am going to have to. I really miss mine and she was trained to eat decapped brine eggs from a jar and was so happy and healthy. I recently picked up the orange sushi egg stuff so I could get another and try that. Hopefully I can find one locally, not much of a selection here so far. Good luck on your two, I love em! Link to comment
mzoo Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Mike, I love love love your pictures!! My mandarin girl looks like that, you know, the one I posted about asking how long I could expect her to live. She is also not afraid of me, and loves it when we clean the tank...she cleans up too, on all the disturbed copepods. She lets me touch her but I have been afraid to pick her up, I thought I might knock off her slime! But I would love to play with her a little more. Mine eats mysis. Won't eat cyclopeeze and I have never tried Ova... Congratulations on your fat healthy mandarins, everyone would do well to follow your advice. They are great little fish, just need some extra attention. They are totally worth it!! Mine is like the little child I will probably never have. Link to comment
JaneG Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 They both look like they're doing great! Just wondering: How often do you feed? I've heard they can get skinny if not fed often but these two look like they're doing very well. Link to comment
mikel Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share Posted November 1, 2011 Thanks! I feed these two three times a day. I also do 20% water changes every three days. The two mandarins live in a 20 L dedicated tank with live rock and live sand, and HOB bio-wheel filter and heater set at 75 F. They eat cyclopeeze and Ova. The spotted sleeps in a baby food jar, and the blue sleeps in a terra cotta pot tipped on its side. Link to comment
Seamonkey84 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 That is too cute. How about a FTS or one of them sleeping in their condos. Link to comment
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