Official Mandarin and Dragonet Show off thread

[Jstn]

MY stupid male wont eat anything but pellets, I tried ova and no dice, he just wanted to attack the glass. The female has been huge for over 2 years.

[JoeDigiorgio]

Ugh. I still stare into the planted tank half expecting big mama to come out from behind a rock :'(

[metrokat]

So I hear a splish splash a few times tonight while I'm filling the sump ( moved my tank yesterday and nuked the sump to get rid of flatworms.). So I'm thinking the 6line or the firefish might be getting freaked out, light schedule, natural light, room lamps, etc everything is new. I have screens on the top and I started looking at the mostly dark tank. SAM IS CHASING BELLA!

 

Aren't they supposed to gracefully do their rises. Nobody said anything about the male chasing tail!

[HVani]

I love this thread

 

My male mandarin has been through so much. He almost died on me a while back. He was so weak I was able to pick him up out of the water with my hands. I was off to work so I plopped him in the sump so the body would be easy to find later. Well he didn't die. In fact he recovered. After 2 months in the sump he was move to the display. Now after 5 months he is a fat little sausage. I'm beginning to wonder if I should get him a girl friend.

 

I have a 65 gallon with a red scooter and my male mandy. Now I tried to pair up the red scooter but he killed his girlfriend. SO I thought I would try the mandy. I figure since I could keep 2 dragonets fat and happy a third would not be too big of a deal.

Opinions?

 

I didn't even train my dragonets. I got my female scooter from Diver's den and my male as well. They both ate without any training. I believe the mandarin learned from them to also eat prepared foods. My dragonets now eat frozen, pellets, some flake and repashy(love this stuff).

[Snow_Phoenix]

I love this thread

 

My male mandarin has been through so much. He almost died on me a while back. He was so weak I was able to pick him up out of the water with my hands. I was off to work so I plopped him in the sump so the body would be easy to find later. Well he didn't die. In fact he recovered. After 2 months in the sump he was move to the display. Now after 5 months he is a fat little sausage. I'm beginning to wonder if I should get him a girl friend.

 

I have a 65 gallon with a red scooter and my male mandy. Now I tried to pair up the red scooter but he killed his girlfriend. SO I thought I would try the mandy. I figure since I could keep 2 dragonets fat and happy a third would not be too big of a deal.

Opinions?

 

I didn't even train my dragonets. I got my female scooter from Diver's den and my male as well. They both ate without any training. I believe the mandarin learned from them to also eat prepared foods. My dragonets now eat frozen, pellets, some flake and repashy(love this stuff).

 

Zomg, Hvani - your Mandy eats Repashy too? Mine loves it! I almost gave up on him, but he kept attacking the Repashy paste I put into the tank like it was some sort of drug or something.

[HVani]

I know!! Repashy is amazing. I believe it is what keeps my dragonets so fat and happy. My anemones and corals love it too.

[el_ote]

What is this Repashy im hearing about?!?! Sounds like something i need to stock up on.

is it the spawn n grow?

[Tamberav]

I love this thread

 

My male mandarin has been through so much. He almost died on me a while back. He was so weak I was able to pick him up out of the water with my hands. I was off to work so I plopped him in the sump so the body would be easy to find later. Well he didn't die. In fact he recovered. After 2 months in the sump he was move to the display. Now after 5 months he is a fat little sausage. I'm beginning to wonder if I should get him a girl friend.

 

I have a 65 gallon with a red scooter and my male mandy. Now I tried to pair up the red scooter but he killed his girlfriend. SO I thought I would try the mandy. I figure since I could keep 2 dragonets fat and happy a third would not be too big of a deal.

Opinions?

 

I didn't even train my dragonets. I got my female scooter from Diver's den and my male as well. They both ate without any training. I believe the mandarin learned from them to also eat prepared foods. My dragonets now eat frozen, pellets, some flake and repashy(love this stuff).

 

I am glad he turned around for you! That sounds just like my ruby scooter. When I got him he was so skinny and lethargic I could pick him up and he wouldn't even try to swim away. Mine recovered in the sump/fuge too for several weeks before going in the DT.

 

Which type of Repashy do you buy and where do you buy it? I think I will get some to add to my food rotation. It sounds good!

[HVani]

http://tedsfishroom.com/repashy/

 

He's local to me but ships as well.

 

I have a mix of soilent green, reef prowler and reef hunter. I got a sample pack and mixed all three. My fish just love the stuff!

 

[metrokat]

MANDARINS ARE DOING THE SEXY!!!!!

[Snow_Phoenix]

I'm currently feeding my Mandarin Repashy Spawn and Grow. I'll check out the Reef Soilent and Reef Hunter ones as well - thanks for the tip, Hvani!

[JoeDigiorgio]

I've been making my own foods again lately. I used to religiously only feed my own foods but stopped a couple years ago when I significantly downsized my hobby.

 

No mandarins to try them on right now unfortunately but I'm always experimenting with specialized formulas. I'll be doing my tank upgrades this week, hopefully tomorrow, and expanding the fish collection accordingly so I might start getting back into some more specialized feeds like for angels, mandarins, etc etc. right now the focus is on spawning my clowns and neon gobies so I'm currently working on a formula specifically for breeding.

 

When I take the plunge into a pair of ruby reds, I'll make a micro predator blend.

[metrokat]

My order of Repashy Spawn & Grow arrived today, I have you guys to thank for introducing me to it. I emailed the company to see what they suggest for Mandarins and in addition to S&G, they suggest Reef Hunter so I'm going to get that also.

 

This is the best part though: Allen Repashy himself answered my email! And he linked to this thread

 

 

 

I'm always experimenting with specialized formulas.

Joe, I came across this link today when I was researching probiotics in fish food. http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/quality_fish_food.html

I'm going to try a mixture of whole fishmeal, spirulina, clams, salmon and squid.

 

http://tedsfishroom.com/repashy/'>http://tedsfishroom.com/repashy/ He's local to me but ships as well. I have a mix of soilent green, reef prowler and reef hunter. I got a sample pack and mixed all three. My fish just love the stuff!

I ordered from Teds. Didn't see a sample pack size for sale though.

[Tamberav]

My order of Repashy Spawn & Grow arrived today, I have you guys to thank for introducing me to it. I emailed the company to see what they suggest for Mandarins and in addition to S&G, they suggest Reef Hunter so I'm going to get that also.

 

This is the best part though: Allen Repashy himself answered my email! And he linked to this thread

 

 

 

Joe, I came across this link today when I was researching probiotics in fish food. http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/quality_fish_food.html

I'm going to try a mixture of whole fishmeal, spirulina, clams, salmon and squid.

 

I ordered from Teds. Didn't see a sample pack size for sale though.

 

Keep us updated on how they like those foods! I need to order more fish food soon.

[JoeDigiorgio]

Kat one theory I've always had when it comes to nutrition, ours and theirs, is that it does not matter where they come from; the only thing that's important is getting the necessary nutrients. So with that, my base mix for my fish foods is spiraling for fiber and plant matter, and then a ton of shrimp products followed by oily fish products for the proper fats and proteins.

 

To me clams and salmon don't meet the right ratio of necessary nutrients to cost. You can get all the same value that salmon offers (probably a better concentration too) from oily fish like bonita, silversides, sardines, and even plain fish oil tablets sold for our consumption. Don't spend more than you have to by adding salmon and clams. Even squid can be replaced by whole bait shrimp with the shell on for a great fat:protein:fiber ratio. And the shell will bring out great color in the fish too

 

Just blend to a purée and add agar or gelatin to make a gel mold and go from there.

[daletu]

Here is mine. A spotted mandarin, the first day in my tank.

 

I kind of rescued this guy because he was really skinny when I saw him at LFS and at same time hoping he will help my over populated pods and consume flatworms. My LFS is willing to take him back after I solve my pods and flatworms situation. I can also get cultured pods to feed the mandarin from my friend as well but I really like this guy so probably not going to return it back to LFS. I will like to try to train him to eat frozen food. Is there any good method to train this guy?

 

[Tamberav]

Here is mine. A spotted mandarin, the first day in my tank.

 

I kind of rescued this guy because he was really skinny when I saw him at LFS and at same time hoping he will help my over populated pods and consume flatworms. My LFS is willing to take him back after I solve my pods and flatworms situation. I can also get cultured pods to feed the mandarin from my friend as well but I really like this guy so probably not going to return it back to LFS. I will like to try to train him to eat frozen food. Is there any good method to train this guy?

 

 

I say keep her. She was skinny at the LFS so I see no reason to return him since they don't have the means to take care of her properly.

 

Get a pippete/turkey baster and try different foods to see what she will eat. I have always had the best luck with Ova. From there you can ween them onto other things. Putting her in a breeder box may be nessesary if she runs scared from the baster. Sometimes putting it on the rocks near an area she likes to hang out helps.

 

If she won't take any frozen then you may have to start with live black worms and live baby brine shrimp and slowly wean her onto frozen by mixing it in with the live more or less tricking her into eating it so she realizes its not so bad.

[metrokat]

Kat one theory I've always had when it comes to nutrition, ours and theirs, is that it does not matter where they come from; the only thing that's important is getting the necessary nutrients. So with that, my base mix for my fish foods is spiraling for fiber and plant matter, and then a ton of shrimp products followed by oily fish products for the proper fats and proteins.

 

To me clams and salmon don't meet the right ratio of necessary nutrients to cost. You can get all the same value that salmon offers (probably a better concentration too) from oily fish like bonita, silversides, sardines, and even plain fish oil tablets sold for our consumption. Don't spend more than you have to by adding salmon and clams. Even squid can be replaced by whole bait shrimp with the shell on for a great fat:protein:fiber ratio. And the shell will bring out great color in the fish too

 

Just blend to a purée and add agar or gelatin to make a gel mold and go from there.

Want to add one point here though. Paul B with like crazy spawning fishes feeds whole foods like clams. The reasoning behind this is that a clam is a whole food, guts, digestive system, innards, stuff I can't pronounce, everything. In the wild the fish eat whole foods, such as a whole fish. In the home aquarium feeding whole foods gives the essential oils that are needed. I agree on the inclusion of oily fish like sardines for this reason as long as they are included whole. The whole fishmeal is for the same purpose.

 

Where can I get agar?

 

I also want to add probiotics to my raw food mix.

[daletu]

I say keep her. She was skinny at the LFS so I see no reason to return him since they don't have the means to take care of her properly.

 

Get a pippete/turkey baster and try different foods to see what she will eat. I have always had the best luck with Ova. From there you can ween them onto other things. Putting her in a breeder box may be nessesary if she runs scared from the baster. Sometimes putting it on the rocks near an area she likes to hang out helps.

 

If she won't take any frozen then you may have to start with live black worms and live baby brine shrimp and slowly wean her onto frozen by mixing it in with the live more or less tricking her into eating it so she realizes its not so bad.

 

Thank you Tamberav! I've tried feeding him small mysis in a breeder box but he doesn't feel comfortable inside the box and refused to eat anything in it. I will buy Ova to try. Thanks so much!

[Snow_Phoenix]

My order of Repashy Spawn & Grow arrived today, I have you guys to thank for introducing me to it. I emailed the company to see what they suggest for Mandarins and in addition to S&G, they suggest Reef Hunter so I'm going to get that also.

 

This is the best part though: Allen Repashy himself answered my email! And he linked to this thread

 

 

 

Joe, I came across this link today when I was researching probiotics in fish food. http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/quality_fish_food.html

I'm going to try a mixture of whole fishmeal, spirulina, clams, salmon and squid.

 

I ordered from Teds. Didn't see a sample pack size for sale though.

 

Hi Kat! Make sure you feed the Repashy in small doses first until your tank can handle it. I had a mild outbreak of Cyano after overfeeding, but it's all gone now once I started to reduce the feedings. Best of luck with Repashy!

 

P.S. I'm giving my Mandy away to someone with a larger tank. It's for the best. Although I will miss him terribly, I just don't think a nano tank can support him in the long-run.

[metrokat]

Thanks for the tip Shadow, I will try not to feed with my usual gusto.

[Tamberav]

Thank you Tamberav! I've tried feeding him small mysis in a breeder box but he doesn't feel comfortable inside the box and refused to eat anything in it. I will buy Ova to try. Thanks so much!

 

Sometimes they really hate the breeder box. I would peak around corners from far away after feeding in the box and sometimes you can see them eating when they think you're not watching.

[JoeDigiorgio]

Want to add one point here though. Paul B with like crazy spawning fishes feeds whole foods like clams. The reasoning behind this is that a clam is a whole food, guts, digestive system, innards, stuff I can't pronounce, everything. In the wild the fish eat whole foods, such as a whole fish. In the home aquarium feeding whole foods gives the essential oils that are needed. I agree on the inclusion of oily fish like sardines for this reason as long as they are included whole. The whole fishmeal is for the same purpose.

 

Where can I get agar?

 

I also want to add probiotics to my raw food mix.

 

Not sure about the probiotics but you can get agar powder at any Asian market for sure. Possibly at other grocery stores as well. And I totally agree about the whole foods, my point was just that there are more efficient ways to get the same result. I guess it was just fresh on my mind after all the research I did, because I keep coming across people using such ingredients as clams, whole fish etc etc when frozen sardines and bait fish/shrimp are far more cost effective, more appropriate (being naturally lower on the food chain) and equally nutritious.

 

Some of my main ingredients were spirulina powder, whole silversides, whole bait shrimp, a LOT of fish eggs/egg products such as Ova and masago and also a whole lot of cyclopeeze and other plankton type frozen foods. My reasons for choosing what I chose are that fish eggs/larvae/plankton are the actual things being taken by our pets in the wild. Adding the whole shrimps and silversides and spirulina was just to make up for possible shortcomings in areas like fat, protein and the algal matter that prey items would be eating while something like clam would almost never actually be eaten by the fish we keep anyway.

 

Just my $.02 on the subject but no matter what I'm sure the foods we make would all be better than any combination of available prepared foods.

[metrokat]

Sometimes they really hate the breeder box. I would peak around corners from far away after feeding in the box and sometimes you can see them eating when they think you're not watching.

picture of you peekin'

[Tamberav]

picture of you peekin'

haha awww.... I'm such a mandarin creeper.... lol