fishez4alivin Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 I knew it was a bad idea, but the wife wanted it badly, and actually had it rung up before I was ready to go. So I did anything to keep it healthy, and paid for it. I am upgrading to a 60G with 40G total sump/refugium volume, hope that is big enough. But honestly, I've seen Mandarins in huge display tanks, that weren't even as fat as mine is. Link to comment
Maeda Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 I bet all your hassle is still cheaper then a gem tang. EDIT: Yup, but you're getting closer to that 3500$ price tag of a gem tang. I'm glad to see you going to great lengths to keep your fish happy! This hobby needs more dedicated aquarists like you. Link to comment
CarterNichols Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 why does it need to eat so often? Link to comment
fishez4alivin Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Because the food she eats is microscopic, it wasn't until I watched her pick a pod off the glass, that I actually saw her eat something. I knew she was eating, because she is so fat. But I never saw what she ate. I just knew that anytime I watched her, she would constantly pick on the rock/sand. As a matter of fact, I've watched her hover over visible pods, and never eat them, she will move over them and then pick off something I can't actually see. So its the equivalent of you eating single grains of rice to live...that would be a lot of passes to the mouth.... Link to comment
dan3949 Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Did you buy the 30,000 batch of pods? Link to comment
fishez4alivin Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Did you buy the 30,000 batch of pods? Yes I did, although, I can't verify how much was in it, it came in a quart plastic bottle. I saw a few thousand swimming, but not exactly what I was hoping for. But on the other hand, I haven't stocked any pods since, and my fuge is teeming with pods, it's almost nasty. Probably microscopic pods, unseen by the naked eye Which I admit is what my fish is eating, cuz I see her pick, but I never actually see what she's eating. Link to comment
KEdwards Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Really, try to get it on frozen.... Yours sounds relaxed and healthy, which means it will try new things. You'll be happier (and richer...) if you can feed it frozen. I'm not saying all these live pods are bad....but it may be better for everyone if you can fall back on frozen now and then. Oh, and I hope your guilty spouse been putting out for this!!! LOL. Link to comment
abe Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Really, try to get it on frozen.... Yours sounds relaxed and healthy, which means it will try new things. You'll be happier (and richer...) if you can feed it frozen. I'm not saying all these live pods are bad....but it may be better for everyone if you can fall back on frozen now and then. if he did actually get 30000 pods, then he will never have to stock again. they will reproduce faster than the mandarin can eat. Link to comment
KEdwards Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 if he did actually get 30000 pods, then he will never have to stock again. they will reproduce faster than the mandarin can eat. Their population would drop off naturally to normal (non-mandarin) nano levels even with a number like that. Mandarins are little PIGS....they cruise around on their secret little missions and decimate the wee pods. He'll have a week of good eating, and then they will be gone again. TRUST me I love my mandarin....but she's a food nightmare. I think she'd eat two full teaspoons of mysis a day if I let her. Link to comment
chuckfullservice Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 The things we do for love!!! Just Imagine if you would have just gotten the b/w clowns! Your whole reefing life would be different. Atleast you have been sucessful in your endeavor. Next time I recomend leaving the wife behind when you go to the pet store. It will probably save you thousands of dollars!! Everytime I read a thread like this I thank my lucky stars I never bought one of theese fish! Even though in my opinion they are the most beautiful fish in the world there just not worth the trouble unless the accept frozen foods. Dragonettes= Gorgeous women=-high maintenance & empty bank account!!! Reminds me of a old song " If you want to be happy for the rest of your life never make a pretty women your wife" Good luck with your pod farm ! Link to comment
fishez4alivin Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Oh, and I hope your guilty spouse been putting out for this!!! LOL. In more ways then one Just Imagine if you would have just gotten the b/w clowns! Your whole reefing life would be different. Atleast you have been sucessful in your endeavor. Next time I recomend leaving the wife behind when you go to the pet store. It will probably save you thousands of dollars!! She hasn't been to one since... Just Imagine if you would have just gotten the b/w clowns! I did get one, and later another. they are paired up now. After all is said and done, the fact that I got the fish and it's thrived ever since has enabled me to do a few things. For one, I can go out and buy/upgrade the tank without having to ask if it's cool. And because of that, once again I'm receiving fresh deliveries of equipement every few days the last couple of weeks. Link to comment
KEdwards Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 The things we do for love!!!Just Imagine if you would have just gotten the b/w clowns! Your whole reefing life would be different. Atleast you have been sucessful in your endeavor. Next time I recomend leaving the wife behind when you go to the pet store. It will probably save you thousands of dollars!! Everytime I read a thread like this I thank my lucky stars I never bought one of theese fish! Even though in my opinion they are the most beautiful fish in the world there just not worth the trouble unless the accept frozen foods. Dragonettes= Gorgeous women=-high maintenance & empty bank account!!! Reminds me of a old song " If you want to be happy for the rest of your life never make a pretty women your wife" Good luck with your pod farm ! they're definitely for those that cant live without them. Mandarins, that is. as a gorgeous woman who doesnt clean out bank accounts, I call shenanigans! Link to comment
chuckfullservice Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 [ After all is said and done, the fact that I got the fish and it's thrived ever since has enabled me to do a few things. For one, I can go out and buy/upgrade the tank without having to ask if it's cool. And because of that, once again I'm receiving fresh deliveries of equipement every few days the last couple of weeks. [/quote I never thought of that! She picked out the fish so you can tell her anything you want to keep it alive! Nice !!! Tell her sweety mandarins don't really do well in small tanks were gonna need get a 120 gal with T/5 lighting and the works . Plus they only really thrive in a reef enviroment filled with corals really nice corals ! You can shoot for the stars my friend!!! Nice!!! you are a sly one mister very sly indeed! Link to comment
KEdwards Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 [ After all is said and done, the fact that I got the fish and it's thrived ever since has enabled me to do a few things. For one, I can go out and buy/upgrade the tank without having to ask if it's cool. And because of that, once again I'm receiving fresh deliveries of equipement every few days the last couple of weeks. [/quote I never thought of that! She picked out the fish so you can tell her anything you want to keep it alive! Nice !!! Tell her sweety mandarins don't really do well in small tanks were gonna need get a 120 gal with T/5 lighting and the works . Plus they only really thrive in a reef enviroment filled with corals really nice corals ! You can shoot for the stars my friend!!! Nice!!! you are a sly one mister very sly indeed! HA! Thats not too far from the truth.....some places(selling them....) say minimum of 70 or 80 gallons......but come on folks....dont we ALSO want other pod grazers like six lines in there??? I say he tell her 120 gallons MINIMUM. And you need to build it into the wall and keep all equipment in a closet behind the wall, or the mandarin will get SCARED of all the ugly equipment! Link to comment
fishez4alivin Posted April 12, 2008 Author Share Posted April 12, 2008 [ After all is said and done, the fact that I got the fish and it's thrived ever since has enabled me to do a few things. For one, I can go out and buy/upgrade the tank without having to ask if it's cool. And because of that, once again I'm receiving fresh deliveries of equipement every few days the last couple of weeks. [/quote I never thought of that! She picked out the fish so you can tell her anything you want to keep it alive! Nice !!! Tell her sweety mandarins don't really do well in small tanks were gonna need get a 120 gal with T/5 lighting and the works . Plus they only really thrive in a reef enviroment filled with corals really nice corals ! You can shoot for the stars my friend!!! Nice!!! you are a sly one mister very sly indeed! HA! Thats not too far from the truth.....some places(selling them....) say minimum of 70 or 80 gallons......but come on folks....dont we ALSO want other pod grazers like six lines in there??? I say he tell her 120 gallons MINIMUM. And you need to build it into the wall and keep all equipment in a closet behind the wall, or the mandarin will get SCARED of all the ugly equipment! I should have gone for the 120, but actually, I've been taking my time and have fabricated a 36"x24"x16" 3/4" acrylic tank with a coast 2 coast overflow. Waiting for my Aquactinics fixture and my Euro Reef RC 80 to come in now. I already have the plumbing and the 30G Breeder for the sump, may use my 10G as a fuge and have it overflow into the sump. Oh yeah, I started building a cabinet, and she saw the pains it took to miter the trim, so I went to home depot and bought a sweet compound sliding miter saw. After making some mistakes in my marriage initially, I came to the conclusion that whatever I do, must have purpose towards what I really WANT... Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 as a gorgeous woman who doesnt clean out bank accounts, I call shenanigans!Pics, or it isn't true. As for Tiggerpods, I believe they are a temerate species. The higher temps of a tropical reef setup will certainly inhibit their ability to sustain numbers (not to mention size of tank = adequate food supply for them.) Hopefully, once you've set up the new tank, it will sustain a heathy amount of pods for the fish to eat. Link to comment
KEdwards Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Pics, or it isn't true. As for Tiggerpods, I believe they are a temerate species. The higher temps of a tropical reef setup will certainly inhibit their ability to sustain numbers (not to mention size of tank = adequate food supply for them.) Hopefully, once you've set up the new tank, it will sustain a heathy amount of pods for the fish to eat. my avatar is me. I changed it, if its still a bannerfish hit refresh. Link to comment
fishez4alivin Posted May 5, 2008 Author Share Posted May 5, 2008 I moved the mandarin to a bigger tank. Here are the latest pics of her, no supplemental feeding, just copepods in the 33G/10G fuge. Just before going into her new home..... This fish only feeds on pods in tank, no supplements. I released her into the larger tank, hope I get a glimpse of her once in awhile. Link to comment
kenoobi Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Mysis shrimp eat pods faster than a sneeze. You may want to separate them in the future. Link to comment
SPS20 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 That is one fat mandarin. Good on you for doing what needs to be done. He looks like he is eating very well. He looks almost obese, lol. Link to comment
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