stevil November 4, 2006 Share November 4, 2006 I picked up a healthy looking mandarin last night from centreville aquarium. It is currently in quarantine in my 12 gallon aquapod. He's nibbling (i think) at some algae on the glass, but it could be pods. The aquapod nano has live sand, a couple chunks of live rock and was nearly completely filled with water from my main tank over the past 2 weeks as I've done water changes (approx 10 gallons through water changes, 2 gallons of fresh salt water). I have a ball of chaeto in the nano that was in my sump and some dragon's tongue macro algae as well. My main tank has a ton of copeopods in the sump, overflow and throughout my live rock. I believe the chaeto ball had a small colony of pods in it prior to moving it into the nano. My main question is how to keep the mandarin alive/fed while in quarantine? I'm hoping I can entice it to eat pellets or something other than live pods, but I also don't want to move it to my main tank too soon and risk my main tank with some kind of unknown LFS infestation. I'm also thinking of adding some zooplankton/phytoplankton (dried and DTs) to the nano to help feed the pods. Additionally as I do my next water change I'll take 5 gallons from my main display and add it to the nano. Also was thinking of splitting the chaeto ball in half, adding one half to my main tank for a day or two and then swapping it out with the other one, rinse and repeat every 2-3 days. Wet-web Media mandarin FAQs suggested a 2 week quarantine period. Any comments, suggestions or ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbuf November 4, 2006 Share November 4, 2006 I know my scooter blenny used to love cyclopeeze. Its small enough for them to go after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoch November 4, 2006 Share November 4, 2006 The swapping the chaeto is a good idea... Typically most do not quaranteen mandarins... 2 reasons: 1) Feeding habits 2) they have a "slime coat" which makes them much less susuceptible to ich and other types of parasites. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal November 4, 2006 Share November 4, 2006 2) they have a "slime coat" which makes them much less susuceptible to ich and other types of parasites. Dave They are "much less" susceptible but not immune to ich and there are other ailments that folks should worry about other than ich. QT is always a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gastone November 4, 2006 Share November 4, 2006 I'm with Dave on this one, I wouldn't quarantine a mandarin. With the likelyhood that they won't immediately accept prepared food it is important that they have a large, constant source of liverock to graze. The rotating of chaeto wouldn't seem to be effective, IMO as you are returning the chaeto back into the main system, defeating the purpose of quarantine. Garrett. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocko918 November 4, 2006 Share November 4, 2006 all true but it would be ALOT easier to get it eating prepared foods in q-tank than in the main system. I would do it for a couple of weeks. Just do alot of water change with water from your sump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dschflier November 4, 2006 Share November 4, 2006 One piece of info I got. I think it was either from here or reef central was to make a couple of rubble piles in different places. I did this in both tanks that have my Mandarins and it seams to be working. My mandarins have been alive for about 3 weeks and are eating, although I still have not seen them eat my prepared food. I hammered up some of my extra LR and I do notice more pods in those areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme_tooth_decay November 5, 2006 Share November 5, 2006 My mandarin loves PE Mysis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevil November 6, 2006 Author Share November 6, 2006 I'm a bit more concerned. The mandarin is active and moving around, but is definitely looking thin. her belly is curved inward. I've attempted to target feed cyclopeeze, pellets and mysis, but am not seeing her eat those things. She still picks at the glass occasionally and seems to like hanging out in the macro algae or on top of the tank's return nozzle. I've siphoned off a couple of turkey basters of pods from my sump (tens of pods, not hundreds) and added to the nano. Any more ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 I had one many, many, many years ago that was fond of live brine shrimp. Not the most nutritious food out there but certainly better than nothing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoch November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 Steve, I would consider placing in your display.... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gastone November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 Steve, I would consider placing in your display.... Dave Ditto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevil November 6, 2006 Author Share November 6, 2006 Thanks all. I intend to do so - actually I tried this morning but the fish was MIA in my nano... really not sure where she could be, there aren't many hiding places, the tank has a very tight lid and the only other creature in there was a porcelain crab that I transferred this morning. FYI to validate all your fine advice Bob Fenner agrees . I sent this question into wetwebmedia as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex wlazlak November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 i got one a month or so ago and its doing great. i just floated the bag then put him in my tank, right away he was doing alright. now it swims around and i guess it eats my pods, but i never really watched for him to be eating or not, but it looks healthy and is still doing great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tygger November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 If you have enough chaeto, couldn't you just sacrifice some chaeto from your fuge to give the lil guy some pods? I dont have a mandarin, but regardless, I would be worried if I never see my fish eat. I see TONS of pods in my fuge, but barely any in my display. The only places I can spot pods in my display are in and around the powerheads and they are usually the smaller amphipods. In the fuge, these guys get pretty big... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 FWIW- I got a mandrin and didnt QT him and he had a desease that ended up killing all my fish within 2 days. I can remeber what it was called but could find out if anyone was interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzekunoi November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 I definitely would QT every fish I get. My mandarins eat live blackworms - this might work for you in Qt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfman November 6, 2006 Share November 6, 2006 FWIW- I got a mandrin and didnt QT him and he had a desease that ended up killing all my fish within 2 days. I can remeber what it was called but could find out if anyone was interested. I agree, don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevil November 6, 2006 Author Share November 6, 2006 Update. I tore apart the nano with the full intention to add her to my main display but there is no sign of the mandarin at all. Perhaps alien abductors came. This is mystifying since last night she was there and fine at ~10:00, but at 6:30 this morning there was absolutely no sign. I came home from work and tore the nano apart, but found nothing. I find it hard to believe she jumped out since the lid is extremely tight and there is no dried up carcass to be found (and no, I have no cats or other free-roaming animals). I can see mysteriously losing a fish in a main tank since there are plenty of places for a carcass to wash into and clean-up crew (or other fish) will happily take care of body disposal... but in a 12 gallon nano with effectively nothing??? Anyway - I have collected some excellent advice for future reference. I am certain I'm ready for a mandarin from a main display perspective, but didn't think through the quarantine process. Next time I'm going to: Make sure I have a wad of "sacrificial chaeto" charged with a load of pods Have ready access to live brine shrimp (low quality food is better than no food) Have ready access to blood worms Also, am possibly thinking of having a supply of copepod culture ready: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/breeder2.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gastone November 7, 2006 Share November 7, 2006 (edited) I agree, don Edited November 10, 2006 by gastone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tygger November 7, 2006 Share November 7, 2006 I definitely need to do some research if and when I get one down the road. Didnt know they dont eat amphipods and mysis... I cant tell what the little white salt grain-like critters are that swim around in my fuge. The amphipods crawl in and out of the rocks, but these other things swim around freely. They're too small to see any appedages and swim in swarms... Could they be baby amphipods or mysis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragthat November 9, 2006 Share November 9, 2006 I agree on not quarantining mandarins. I worked at a fish store for 3 years, and never saw a single mandarin come in with ick or get any disease. The best thing you can do for them is get them into a tank with food. Not eating, lack of nutrition leads to a weak immune system and that is when they will get sick if they are going to. Most still will simply die of starvation, not infections. Additionally, I think it is a waste of time to try and get them to eat prepared foods. I think if you don't have the copepod population in your tank to support one, don't get one. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now