Official Mandarin and Dragonet Show off thread

[AMAYEU]

Definitely. If you're uncomfortable doing it yourself you should definitely only look into ones that are already eating. For the fish's sake if nothing else. Its funny, as successful as I've been getting them onto frozen, Ova was universally rejected by all 7 fish. Goes to show you, they can be picky fish. That probably reflects a natural tendency to eat relatively few different classes of food in the wild. Some will take to the roe type foods while some wont.

 

I don't think you can argue though that the more variety they take the better. Kat, look up some of the work by Matt Pedersen and Matt Wittenrich. They've made incredible strides with these species and also advocate keeping them in smaller aquaria for spot feeding purposes. I think you'd really like their articles in Coral magazine.

 

Coral Magazine. http://coralmagazine.coverleaf.com/coral/20111112#pg45

[JoeDigiorgio]

Congrats on your new fish. Exciting times. Can't wait for pics.

 

Where did you get the fish from?

Great success rate. So you currently have only 1 fish and given away the fish you trained from the past?

 

That is great dietary analysis between mysis/ova/pellets. What are your thought on cyclops and its nutritional value for mandarins. Cyclops is crude protein 3.3% min, crude fat 0.4% min, crude fiber 0.3% max, moisture 96.0% max.

 

Not quite. Out of 7 (soon to be 8) fish I've worked with, I still have 3 including the new one I got today. Fish I no longer have include my original red male who died last month for apparently no reason, and a picturatus male who died back in August because I rushed through a water change and accidentally used the wrong amount of salt...needless to say, I weigh and re-weigh salt before mixing now.

 

Two other fish I no longer have are a pair of picturatus that I only kept for a week to get them onto mysis. They were eating frozen mysis and brine at day three but I wanted to make sure they were healthy and reliably eating before I gave them to my coworker who put them in his 110 extra high. The latest fish I gave away was a picturatus male who would have died if I left him with my female. He was a tiny bit smaller than her so she was pretty mean to him, not letting him leave his corner to eat. He lives in a friends 30long now and is doing great.

 

As far as cyclops go, I like them because they are usually readily taken by mandarins. They have an acceptable nutrition profile (not as good as mysis IMO) and are easy to come by. My only negatives on them is that they are so light that you really need to leave pumps off while feeding or else they'll never settle for the mandarins to get to. I turn pumps off either way but I am a little more doting than the average keeper and I know that lol most of the time mysis and brine will stay put in a dead corner or small bowl or something even with pumps on. The other thing is my splendidus tend to like larger food items. Picturatus don't care but splendidus are more picky so I just give them what I know they like and what's good for them.

[metrokat]

Coral Magazine. http://coralmagazine.coverleaf.com/coral/20111112#pg45

That was my fav issue of the magazine last year. And I misplaced my darn book grrr.

[kismetsh]

I have a cheap local source for live rotifers (aquaculture facility) and they claim them to be a good food for for adult mandarins. What are your thoughts on that?

[JoeDigiorgio]

Rotifers are wayyyy too small and lacking in nutrition. Any mandarin big enough to find itself at your house is too big to view rotifers as food. Plus live rotifers are disgusting ammonia machines. They're easy to culture but useless unless you're rearing fish larvae. If you want to culture something for a mandarin, start with amphipods like what reefs2go sells. Just throw a couple thousand of them in your tank and toss in some fish food late at night when the fish are asleep for them. They'll turn into a billion in no time.

 

The problem with keeping them on live foods is that it's far too unreliable for anyone short of small scale aquaculture facilities. Cultures crash when the wind changes and in-tank populations rise and plummet faster than the tides. That's why I HATE when people spread the 'mature tank' method of keeping any fish. YOU created a little world in your home, so how can you expect that little universe to be able to naturally support any form of higher life? You might as well get started on perpetual energy while you're at it LOL

 

Like I said, amphipods are a great source of energy and about as close as we have to their natural prey but should only be used as a backup snack between feedings.

[JoeDigiorgio]

Here is the one OK pic I've gotten so far lol he somehow found a way to slink around in a 15gal tank completely undetectable for about 3 hours now lol I've seen him about 3 times in the time frame. I'm sure he'll get more bold as his hunger builds. I saw him pecking about 15 minutes after he went in so I'm not worried.

[kismetsh]

Rotifers are wayyyy too small and lacking in nutrition. Any mandarin big enough to find itself at your house is too big to view rotifers as food.

 

That's what I thought, I was very surprised that they were pushing them as mandarin food.

 

Thank you for your input!

[metrokat]

Here is the one OK pic I've gotten so far lol he somehow found a way to slink around in a 15gal tank completely undetectable for about 3 hours now lol I've seen him about 3 times in the time frame. I'm sure he'll get more bold as his hunger builds. I saw him pecking about 15 minutes after he went in so I'm not worried.

He's cute, lovely color. I can't make out if he is skinny?

[Nanoboss4]

How's he doing

[JoeDigiorgio]

What I can say for sure is he isn't skinny. His stomach is sunken because he obviously probably hasnt eaten since capture but his overall body condition is actaully pretty great. His fins look awesome and he's thick all the way down his caudal peduncle.

 

Unfortunately, poor timing on my part has me working doubles both days this weekend so truthfully I have not even been home today since before the lights even came on. I snuck up to the tank just now with a maglight and the three of them are cuddled up under a rock ledge passed out. I can't even tell if his coloration is improved because all three are almost white, being fast asleep. I'm having my neighbor come drop in mysis while I'm at work tomorrow but I'm doubtful he'll bother with it unless he's particularly intelligent and picks it up from the two ladies.

 

I plan on spamming Kat's thread with photos of him this week

[metrokat]

LFS just posted pics

[Veng]

LFS just posted pics

Where is the 10X like button???

[JoeDigiorgio]

Those fish look great. I just got home from work and fed the fish. Mr Red is out and about watching the girls eat mysis and pecking at rocks and maybe( hard to tell from the couch) some mysis. This was the first good look I've gotten of him since purchase and his colors are totally improved. He looks awesome. I sat back from the tank to let him relax and maybe take a bite of mysis.

 

Kat I really like that one male on the top left lol if I wasn't obsessed with the red variant he would be a great addition to my collection haha

 

Speaking of variants, idk how much attention you guys pay to detail but have any of you ever noticed that some mandarins have shorter, stouter body types? I don't mean to imply that they look anything like short bodied clownfish or anything resulting from poor genetics or anything. I've just noticed that often times, mandarins that have the least orange/red coloration and the most blue, especially the ones with thick blue reticulations, seem to have a shorter fatter body while some mandarins have a more slim, sleek longer body. Have you guys noticed this as well?

[metrokat]

I can't say I've noticed the differences in body but the orange colorations seems longer. I saw the sweetest orange female at the store today but she wasn't eating frozen so I passed on her.

 

I fed my tank live black worms and Draco went crazy for them. He's zooming around with a pot belly at the moment.

Those fish look great. I just got home from work and fed the fish. Mr Red is out and about watching the girls eat mysis and pecking at rocks and maybe( hard to tell from the couch) some mysis. This was the first good look I've gotten of him since purchase and his colors are totally improved. He looks awesome. I sat back from the tank to let him relax and maybe take a bite of mysis. Kat I really like that one male on the top left lol if I wasn't obsessed with the red variant he would be a great addition to my collection haha Speaking of variants, idk how much attention you guys pay to detail but have any of you ever noticed that some mandarins have shorter, stouter body types? I don't mean to imply that they look anything like short bodied clownfish or anything resulting from poor genetics or anything. I've just noticed that often times, mandarins that have the least orange/red coloration and the most blue, especially the ones with thick blue reticulations, seem to have a shorter fatter body while some mandarins have a more slim, sleek longer body. Have you guys noticed this as well?

I can't believe you have a collection. I'm so envious.

[Tamberav]

 

Will the teasing ever stop?

 

http://reefbuilders.com/2013/04/19/rubyb-red-dragonet-simultaneous-worldwide-splash/

[JoeDigiorgio]

I read that article on ReefBuilders last night at 1am before going to bed. Those things are gorgeous! Apparently they're coming from pretty deep water. Explains the redness.

 

I can't say I've noticed the differences in body but the orange colorations seems longer. I saw the sweetest orange female at the store today but she wasn't eating frozen so I passed on her.

 

I fed my tank live black worms and Draco went crazy for them. He's zooming around with a pot belly at the moment.

 

I can't believe you have a collection. I'm so envious.

Go back to the store and try live brine! If she'll eat live brine she'll take frozen brine...with a little trickery...and if she'll take frozen brine she'll take frozen mysis. I guarantee it. The way I see it, she's got a helluva better shot at being cared for and fed properly with you than the kid who is going to end up with her if you don't get her!

 

And on the subject of my collection, it's close to complete. Now all I need is a male picturatus. I'm going to take my time on him. I need one larger than my b*t¢h female or she'll kill him lol and you know he has to be one good looking boy or he won't fit in with the rest of the crew

[metrokat]

I'm going back to the store tomorrow, they're having a sale and I had picked out over $50 worth of food that I'm going back for tomorrow.

[kismetsh]

 

Will the teasing ever stop?

 

http://reefbuilders.com/2013/04/19/rubyb-red-dragonet-simultaneous-worldwide-splash/

 

WOW!

[AMAYEU]

...

Speaking of variants, idk how much attention you guys pay to detail but have any of you ever noticed that some mandarins have shorter, stouter body types? I don't mean to imply that they look anything like short bodied clownfish or anything resulting from poor genetics or anything. I've just noticed that often times, mandarins that have the least orange/red coloration and the most blue, especially the ones with thick blue reticulations, seem to have a shorter fatter body while some mandarins have a more slim, sleek longer body. Have you guys noticed this as well?

I feel it would be hard to compare without having multiple mandarins, constanting comparing internet pics, or staring at tanks at the LFS. But its good to know to keep an eye out on.

 

 

Will the teasing ever stop?

 

http://reefbuilders.com/2013/04/19/rubyb-red-dragonet-simultaneous-worldwide-splash/

 

Can you mix scooters and mandarins?

[BulkRate]

I feel it would be hard to compare without having multiple mandarins, constanting comparing internet pics, or staring at tanks at the LFS. But its good to know to keep an eye out on.

 

 

Can you mix scooters and mandarins?

 

Supposedly, provided you can keep them fed. The breeder's forum threads by Matt Pederson (linked somewhere in this page:http://www.marinebreeder.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=128) mention his 14 or 28 gallon tank being home to 2-3 breeding pairs of both dragonette types (and an unfortunate septic infection that did serious damage to both his mandarins and the scooters).

 

Take this with a grain of salt... it's like asking if because Stephen Hawking's worked out wormholes that you can build & use one everyday to shorten your commute. Not saying it can't be done or shouldn't be done, only that some careful tank planning may be needed to do it right.

 

Gorgeous pics, everybody! I'm really enjoying this thread.

[JoeDigiorgio]

 

Supposedly, provided you can keep them fed. The breeder's forum threads by Matt Pederson (linked somewhere in this page:http://www.marinebreeder.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=128]http://www.marinebreeder.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=128[/url]) mention his 14 or 28 gallon tank being home to 2-3 breeding pairs of both dragonette types (and an unfortunate septic infection that did serious damage to both his mandarins and the scooters).

 

Take this with a grain of salt... it's like asking if because Stephen Hawking's worked out wormholes that you can build & use one everyday to shorten your commute. Not saying it can't be done or shouldn't be done, only that some careful tank planning may be needed to do it right.

 

Gorgeous pics, everybody! I'm really enjoying this thread.

Matt kept his broodstock in 24 gallon nano cubes and I couldn't agree with you more. I strongly encourage people to start considering this family in the same conversation as seahorses. They are beautiful, entertaining and can be kept happily in much smaller tanks than once thought. That is not to say, though, that they are not a challenge. In my opinion, the only way to successfully keep multiples (or singles for that matter) is with multiple daily feedings. These fish, like seahorses and anthias, are like hummingbirds. They eat all day every day. If you cannot keep up with that type of commitment they are not for you.

 

Having said that, I would like to reiterate that any mandarin can be trained onto frozen. It only takes a few days of conditioning them to a pipette and in a small tank this couldn't be easier. As far as I'm concerned, smaller tanks are the only way to properly care for these fish. You don't hear people saying you should put seahorses in large 'mature' reef tanks and allowing them to fend for themselves do you?

 

Edit: on the topic of careful tank planning, I found macro tanks to be the best for this family so far because the algae really helps keep dissolved organics down in spite of all those feedings. Not to mention, it creates more cover for amphipods.

[xzeror]

ahhhhhh you guys are making me want to try again with a mandarin... I got him because he ate live brine at the fish store. Had him eating live brine and then frozen mysis. I made the mistake of letting him in the display tank and he passed away :/. I was so upset, he was eating mysis and live brine and i guess that still wasnt enough.

 

I did however buy some reef2go pods and they are going crazy in my refugium, i can see them in my display tank zooming from rock to rock and sometimes crawl on my hand when i put it in the tank.

 

Reefs2go has an awesome deal of a mandy + 500 pods for 19.99 im going to give that a shot in a few weeks.

[JoeDigiorgio]

Mr Red likes bloodworms. I think I'll pick up some live black worms and live brine this afternoon and get started on getting him onto mysis.

 

Again, excuse the iPhone pictures. I don't even own a camera anymore lol

[metrokat]

JOE! I GOT HER! She ate live brine at the store today. Say hi to baby Bella.

[AMAYEU]

Mr Red likes bloodworms. I think I'll pick up some live black worms and live brine this afternoon and get started on getting him onto mysis.

 

Again, excuse the iPhone pictures. I don't even own a camera anymore lol

Purdy. Nice Pygmy too!

 

JOE! I GOT HER! She ate live brine at the store today. Say hi to baby Bella.

Wohoo! Awesome. Inspiration to get a female too. LOL. Better check page gazillion on the member forum, for details.