Mandrian Police! you might want to read this....

[dickwayne]

Simbo.

You're going to do what you want, so I don't really expect you to take this into consideration, but here it is:

 

If you really want to breed Mandarins, you should try to get the most optimal conditions for the fish.

 

1.) One of the most important is the food. Instead of having three 10g tanks, which I don't think would work well anyways, why don't you attempt to get a bigger tank. Something around 120g, or larger if possible. Then you won't have to wonder if your system can support a mandarin's eating habits. This would make for a much happier, less stressed fish. I know that when I'm stressed, I'm not in the mood to "mate" and I'm sure others reading this will tell you the same. I'm pretty sure unhappy fish are the same way.

 

2.) Do you know much about Mandarin fish breeding? Do you know that they swim three feet up to release sperm and eggs then sink back down?http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...ndarinfish.html

Do you think they can reproduce this habit in a 10g tank? Instead of wasting time trying to make "pod piles" or transfering pods between tanks, you should take your time to read and research other studies. Why bother with such a complex system, when trying to get two fish to mate will be hard enough?

 

3.) If you really want to try a mandarin fish in a 10g, why don't you keep it for a few months in a larger system where you know its healthy, then transfer it to the smaller tank. If it shows signs of stress or starvation, you can bring it back into the main tank where it can recover.

 

maroonclown

please do not take a fish's life just because you are trying to learn something. Many others on this site or any other site will tell you a fish will not survive, so you already know the answer to the lesson. Getting good or bad grades does not lead to the extinction of a colorful fish that is overcollected and sold at petsmart. So you asked who cares? I care, so please be responsable when caring for fish.

 

I would not take the time to post such a long reply if I didn't feel somewhat upset by this thread, so I urge both of you to take a step back, listen to what others with more experience are trying to tell you. Being a reef keeper means CARING for your animals, not throwing their lives away.

 

One last link I think may help:

http://www.ozreef.org/reference/mandarin_survey.html

 

By the way, if you do decide to embark on this, good luck.

[maroonclown]

dickwayne,

I am not saying to just let a fish die, but if some don't make it, then they don't make it. My favorite example is the moorish idol. No matter how hard you try, most will die. You will have success eventually with one.

[JimmyZtank]

I would like to say that I recently purchased a BEAUITFUL Mandarin...he was perfect!!! anyways Kinda blindy went into it hoping that it would eat brine...anyways make long story short He's happily back at the LFS...he was to cool to let die!!! Wish I got a photo of him

[FlyGTI]

Okay, this has been irritating me for about oh, maybe the past 52 posts.

 

The name of the fish is M-A-N-D-A-R-I-N.

 

Not mandrian.

 

Get it right. And don't keep them in a small tank.

 

*You may now return to your persistently weak attempts to justify your viewpoint.

[Simbo18]

MANDARIN.........ok got it.... LOL:D

 

OK, here it is. I just tried to harvest my copepod cultures......:*( It didn't work. Due to this new discovery I won't even come close to beeing able to keep a MANDARIN alive. Let alone two. So, this thread is dead. DEAD...... Thank you for your support....

 

Luke

[chufa]

Mandrian Police?

[onthefly]

I usually don't pipe in on Mandrianian (sorry Fly!) posts juz cause their a PITA and I don't have the time to try to keep them (like supernip flamed), but with regard to brine shrimp. Their are a treat for you're fish (as an "OMG it moving" treat), but other than that, they are pretty much useless with regard to nutritional value, unless you hatch them yourself and feed them immmediately after hatching!!!. Once they've lived a day or two after hatching, they've used all of their yoke sac (where the good stuff is) and are just SW and exoskeleton that wiggle.

 

I think that first sentence is the longest one in NR history!

[offsprg01]

dude here's my advice, although i'm not by anymeans experienced in reefs yet i am learning, but i do keep many rare and hard to keep species of brackish and freshwater fish........

 

get ONE and only ONE mandrin, set up the sizes tank you would like to keep him in, let it set up and breed pods for many months, during this time work on your pod culturing skills (you seem to already be doing this. thats great, good to see that you are thinking a head) once you have both of these figured out then introduce ONE mandrin. if you can keep him alive then great. i'd also try to ween him to mysis shrimp or brine (soak them in vitamins first) this will make you mandrin easier to keep healthy and happy. one way i have found to get picky fish to accept prepared food when they usually won't is to introduce another similar fish (as in a small, peaceful, subtrate dwelling, prepare food eating goby) that will eat the food that you would like the picky fish to eat. this new fish will usually "teach" (actually they just kinda pick it up) them to eat the prepared food. butmost of all have some place the mandrin can go AND be happy. if things should not work out.

[offsprg01]

ok forget i said that. i just read your last post.

[NanoReefTexas]

Wrong forum, sorry.

[Andy16]

Simbo...where are you getting this money? Can you lend me some?

[matt the fiddler]

"But I have seen a mandrian swim clear across the front glass of my 36" long aquarium...... I belvie I could get a mandrian to eat out of the water column"

 

 

one correction. yes they swim there. but they are designed to eat off the bottom. kinda like black mollies are designed to eat off the surface, and tangs are designed to swim fast and far.. teir attack pattern does not work too well in the open- they really need to sneak up and pounce...