ruby red dragonet

[AWillroth]

I finally took the plunge and bought a ruby red dragonet 5 weeks ago.  I have it in a 20 gallon tank that is several years mature.  It seems to be eating frozen and doesn't look skinny but also doesn't look "fat."  I guess I just can't shake the fear of it being such a notoriously sensitive fish.  When should I stop worrying?  Like I said, it's been 5 weeks now.  he's probably doing fine, right?

[burtbollinger]

If you visually see it eating regularly and being a decent weight I'd say you could relax, although IME, once you add a fish like this, it does become a source of stress, often to the detriment of the rest of the tank.

 

id suggest having a red line mentally and be prepared to return him before overloading your tank with nutrients in an attempt to feed.  Your former Reef tank can all to quickly become a dragonet tank....suffering and becoming secondary to the needs of 15 dollar fish.

 

in a 20 gallon, id be very ready to return him...I'd have not attempted what you are...not to say you can't make it work.  Him eating is encouraging.  Remain vigilant and try to enjoy him in the now as much as possible.

[Tamberav]

The fact that the tank is several years mature helps, rubys are also easier to keep IMO than blue/green mandarins. Are you target feeding it? Nutramar Ova is available and they usually love it.

 

I love these guys but I think they do best in species tanks built around their needs. Heavy feeding breeds pods but creates algae/nutrient issues with coral, ect. A nice macro/dirty/algae tank would be an ideal habitat. 

[AWillroth]

Full disclosure i manage the salt section at a LFS.    I started with frozen cyclops and at first he would eat it and spit it out, then started going after it with vigor.  cyclops was making the tank kind of dirty though so I've just been doing some mega marine and he seems to go after the smaller particles in that.  stepped up my water changes to meet the new feeding schedule.  

[burtbollinger]

3 minutes ago, AWillroth said:

Full disclosure i manage the salt section at a LFS.    I started with frozen cyclops and at first he would eat it and spit it out, then started going after it with vigor.  cyclops was making the tank kind of dirty though so I've just been doing some mega marine and he seems to go after the smaller particles in that.  stepped up my water changes to meet the new feeding schedule.  

My concern is him eating the frozen could be more of a desperation thing.  They really prefer pods.  Just keep observing...I just hate to see a tank suffer for a fish ill suited to the habitat.  It's stressful. 

[AWillroth]

Just now, burtbollinger said:

My concern is him eating the frozen could be more of a desperation thing.  They really prefer pods.  Just keep observing...

yup, i'm watching it pretty closely.  Definitely realize its not the "ideal" setting for the fish.  Just several years deep into the hobby and seeing what I might be able to make work.  He also seems to peck at things in the tank here and there, though I wouldn't say my tank is loaded with pods.  Tank mates are a clown, a watchmen goby, and a yellow clown goby.  Its always been kind of a "dirty" tank. I feed heavily and don't skim.  just weekly (usually) water changes.  mostly euphyllia and mushrooms.  even have a couple gorgonians that seem to do well.  

[Nart]

I had a spotted Mandarin in my 25 gallon tank. She was on the skinny side when I bought her. I was able to fatten her up with daily fresh hatched baby brine along with culturing/dumping copepods into the tank weekly. I even went as far as starting a grindal (white) worm culture. After a month and some change I decided to call it quits. It was way too much work to add to my morning routine to hatch and feed baby brine shrimp ontop along with culturing pods in a separate tank etc etc...

 

Check out my video of the baby brine shrimp feeder that I made. You can definitely try that out as well ontop of the food you feed it.

 

[hinnenkm]

Personally I don't think that it is unreasonable to have the ruby red in your 20 gallon. They definitely do have different needs, but it seems like you are well aware of that. I have had a mandarin for 4 years who went through a couple different tank moves and was a wonderful fish (I lost him to some type of eye infection... ). Once they are eating and eating well, these types of fish are pretty hardy. I also got a pair of the ruby reds to start spawning - that is a cool process, but they need a taller tank so the female can successfully release the eggs. Anyhow, it will be fun to see what you decide to do - best of luck!