So I saw a thread on my Local reef club... Mandarin eating frozen...

[JeffYoshiyuki]

I instantly called the LFS that had it, he was closed for the whole day but he was there acclimating a new delivery, I scurried over there and asked him if I could drop masago (fish eggs) into the tank he told me it was eating rod's original food for a couple days and he showed me and sure enough it ate rods food right in front of my eyes. its a yellow mandarin (spotted). $16! very healthy I even fed him rods when i got home as well!.

[mrbigshot]

generally adult's will eat prepared foods, also it seems males are far easier to get to take prepared.

 

ora sells tank rased that eat prepared foods but there $50 so you got a good deal. if you look at the dorsal fin does the front of it raise up with a small spike like in the picture? if so than its a male, if not its a female and its much harder to get females to survive eating prepared foods.

 

[peasofme]

know that these fish eat all day long and need to be fed all day long