Official Mandarin and Dragonet Show off thread

[Snow_Phoenix]

 

Bahaha looks like your mandy had a rough night.

 

Lol, he's such a pig. I feed him 3 to 4 times a day and he still eats as if he's never seen food before in his life.

[MyLiquidBlue29BC]

Here is an updated photo of my mandy. I've had him for about a year.

 

[kimberbee]

Jonas is camera shy. He's out and about when I'm around the tank, but as soon as I pull out my phone for a quick pick... he knows what's what...

WP_20150318_004 by kimothy182, on Flickr

[kguske2]

Picked this girl up yesterday. So excited to get her in the tank. She shows interest in frozen food, but takes her sweet time to nibble away at it. Not totally sure she knows its actual food just yet Been on my "want list" since day 1

 

 

 

[magikarp]

 

 

Something a bit different

[metrokat]

Is that a Richardson?

[magikarp]

Goram Dragonet (Diplogrammus goramensis)

 

(at least I believe it to be)

[lkoechle]

Weeee! I have waited years to be able to play with you guys!

I have a mandy boy acclimating right now. Introducing: Qinglong!

 

He didn't eat any mysis at the store, but I make my own fish mash that has a whole mix of stuff in it that no one (so far) has snubbed. For now, I have a huge pod population in my 85. Mandys were the fish that made get into saltwater and I have never owned one until today. This is a very exciting day. I have waited 5 years for this fish. Lol

 

 

[Mr. Microscope]

congrats! same story for me. I'm still waiting for the right time to get mine.

[Jstn]

I just got a new male, added him to my DT with out QT and got him eating brine already!

[kimberbee]

congrats! same story for me. I'm still waiting for the right time to get mine.

Reefwise posted they got more in!

 

I wonder if Jonas wants a girlfriend?

[metrokat]

Kim, make sure she is significantly smaller in size than Jonas. Significantly.

Weeee! I have waited years to be able to play with you guys!

I have a mandy boy acclimating right now. Introducing: Qinglong!

He didn't eat any mysis at the store, but I make my own fish mash that has a whole mix of stuff in it that no one (so far) has snubbed. For now, I have a huge pod population in my 85. Mandys were the fish that made get into saltwater and I have never owned one until today. This is a very exciting day

congratulations mama.

[kimberbee]

Kim, make sure she is significantly smaller in size than Jonas. Significantly.

 

Better to wait a few more months then? My thought was I wouldn't want him to be too much older than her. But I guess fishies don't mind that, huh?

[lkoechle]

Training with mandy diner?

 

So I've read whole post on training Mandys. I'm trying the Mandy diner approach (baby food jar on it's side) with sweetfish roe and right now it's more akin to a Nass buffet then a Mandy diner. Tips, suggestions, hints? I cant just put food near him because my wrasse and rabbitfish are pretty voracious when it comes to meal times and they spook him. Now, I've had him for less then 24 hours so I know its unlikely for him to be eating, but I would just feel more comfortable knowing we're on the right path. I don't think its responsible to have any fish that doesn't eat prepared foods and we should always make attempts to train them. After all, what if the pod population in a tank crashes?

 

I also haven't really seen him picking at anything. I'm hoping he's still just adjusting. But Krieger (yellow clown goby) I purchased at the same time is already eating... Suggestions?

 

I would use the breeder net method, however my fairy wrasse gets pretty aggressive with food, so I don't think that's option or that Qinglong would eat while my wrasse tries to barrage him from the outside. Would mysis possibly be a better first food? I read somewhere that fish eggs makes up a part of Mandy's diet in the wild which is why I tried those first... Or should I just consistently drop the jar in the same spot every day and hope something happens? Sorry for so many questions...

[nanolutionary]

Here's my guy:

 

 

He loves frozen brine shrimp enriched with garlic and omega-3. I would like to get a female soon to accompany each other.

Training with mandy diner?

So I've read whole post on training Mandys. I'm trying the Mandy diner approach (baby food jar on it's side) with sweetfish roe and right now it's more akin to a Nass buffet then a Mandy diner. Tips, suggestions, hints? I cant just put food near him because my wrasse and rabbitfish are pretty voracious when it comes to meal times and they spook him. Now, I've had him for less then 24 hours so I know its unlikely for him to be eating, but I would just feel more comfortable knowing we're on the right path. I don't think its responsible to have any fish that doesn't eat prepared foods and we should always make attempts to train them. After all, what if the pod population in a tank crashes?

I also haven't really seen him picking at anything. I'm hoping he's still just adjusting. But Krieger (yellow clown goby) I purchased at the same time is already eating... Suggestions?

I would use the breeder net method, however my fairy wrasse gets pretty aggressive with food, so I don't think that's option or that Qinglong would eat while my wrasse tries to barrage him from the outside. Would mysis possibly be a better first food? I read somewhere that fish eggs makes up a part of Mandy's diet in the wild which is why I tried those first... Or should I just consistently drop the jar in the same spot every day and hope something happens? Sorry for so many questions...

 

Added my mandarin last week and it has taken the full week for him to be completely at home to the point where he actively picks around the rocks. To get him to take frozen all my pumps must be off so there is literally no flow, I then create a cluster of suspended food over the other side of the tank near the surface so my two maroons are completely distracted as I use a coral target feeder to get the frozen brine shrimp to land directly in front of him, then (and only then!) will he pause briefly taking a look at what has landed in front of him before hoovering it up one piece at a time.

[pp90]

 

I call him Gizmo

[lkoechle]

Okay, so update on Qinglong: last night he swam in to the jar and his hummingbird fins kicked up the eggs and made him think they were live and he ate! Also, I normally don't do impulse purchases but yesterday a guy in our local club was doing a fire sale on his 120 (he an out of state work transfer) and had a little lady who was eating prepared foods. I figured this was a great opportunity to help ease Qinglong into captivity via a Mandarin already used to living in captivity and they LOVE each other. I mean, I thought mandarin pairs just tolerated each other, but these guys are in love. They cuddle! And it seems to have totally relaxed Qinglong, he's been so much more active since adding her and she just made herself right at home. I was worried if I doing the right thing by getting her, but now I'm very confident I made the right decision.

 

So, proudly introducing: Zhuque! (ignore cloudy/particles, just fed the tank)

 

 

 

Just love her doe eyes!

 

 

Qinglong:

 

 

 

 

Lovers:

 

 

 

 

And this one was from my phone about 10 minutes after adding Zhuque:

 

 

They are possibly the cutest things I've ever seen.

 

Edited to add more photos of the adorable Zhuque

[metrokat]

Better to wait a few more months then? My thought was I wouldn't want him to be too much older than her. But I guess fishies don't mind that, huh?

Mandy girls like big beefy boys. My gorgeous Draco was as healthy and handsome as they come, I added Bella and she didn't care for him. They were too similar in size. Sadly, for no reason my beloved Draco passed after a year with me and after surviving hurricane sandy.

I had blue zoo ship me the largest salmon they had, Bella was instantly in love, and egg bound within 24 hours of seeing the new kid on the block. Hussy.

[metrokat]

I KOECLE- SHE iS EGGBOUND!!!!!!

Do you have a lid on the tank? They will be doing rises after the light go out, the lid must be on the tank. Let them do their thing, I know you will want to get pictures but they just met, give me some privacy. They will spawn daily so plenty of time for pictures. Their size difference is perfect, what a lucky find in the little Mandy girl. You waited how long and look at these cutie pies.

I call him Gizmo

Just beautiful !

[lkoechle]

I KOECLE- SHE iS EGGBOUND!!!!!!

Do you have a lid on the tank? They will be doing rises after the light go out, the lid must be on the tank. Let them do their thing, I know you will want to get pictures but they just met, give me some privacy. They will spawn daily so plenty of time for pictures. Their size difference is perfect, what a lucky find in the little Mandy girl. You waited how long and look at these cutie pies.

Just beautiful !

You mean I am going to be a grandma? (Or for like 2 seconds until everyone eats them...) how can you tell?

 

And I don't have a lid, so I guess we're going to Lowes to get some acrylic cut.

[metrokat]

You mean I am going to be a grandma? (Or for like 2 seconds until everyone eats them...) how can you tell?

And I don't have a lid, so I guess we're going to Lowes to get some acrylic cut.

That last picture shows her belly. Unless she ate a fish, those are eggs.

Females encourage courtship or reject it if the male doesn't suit them. She's cuddling with him, trust me they will be Making you squeal with delight at sundown. A little moonlight sets the mood BTW.

[lkoechle]

That last picture shows her belly. Unless she ate a fish, those are eggs.Females encourage courtship or reject it if the male doesn't suit them. She's cuddling with him, trust me they will be Making you squeal with delight at sundown. A little moonlight sets the mood BTW.

Top is cut so they don't go orgasming out of the tank. <- husband's phrasing when he was explaining to the guy cutting the acrylic what we were doing I nearly peed my pants.--

 

I'm excited!

[Tyron]

 

Here's my guy:

 

 

He loves frozen brine shrimp enriched with garlic and omega-3. I would like to get a female soon to accompany each other.

 

What type sand you using?

[kimberbee]

Top is cut so they don't go orgasming out of the tank. <- husband's phrasing when he was explaining to the guy cutting the acrylic what we were doing I nearly peed my pants.--

 

I'm excited!

 

Now I REALLY REALLY want to get a girlfriend for my Jonas!!

[JoeDigiorgio]

Kat beat me to it. That little girl is hydrated.