Question about Mandarins and Feeding Pods

[bigjames1300r]

Does anyone actually do anything to help move pods from the fuge into the display? I do not want my mandarin to starve, should I exchange rocks in and out of the tank to the fuge or will enough pods just get pushed into the display by the return pump?

Thanks in Advance,

James

[Guest Bemmer]

A lot of people configure their fuge to gravity feed pods into the main tank. Mine feeds back down into the sump so pods have to go through the return pump to get into the main tank. I used to take a ball of cheato from my fuge and shake it in the main tank. I would see all kinds of pods swim away from the cheato. Also, this way you can feed your tangs (if you have any) the macro algae that falls out of the ball.

 

Another idea is to get a fish Betta holder that suction cups onto the side of the main tank. Fill it with cheato and let the pods multiply in there. Then they just "fall out" of the Betta holder and float around in the tank.

 

You can see it on the right side of this full tank shot. It is just to the right of the Sailfin tang.

 

Here is another shot of the Betta holder...

[kngfisher]

nice simple idea w/ the beta holder. if worried about the suction cups, can glue a magnet to it too.

[davelin315]

You can also pour some RO/DI water over the chaeto in the refugium and this will stun the pods in there and cause them to flow out with the water. My old one had a gravity feed and this would knock tons of them into the tank.

[toastiireefs]

also i heard of this other idea- from this site-

 

take an over sized or a good sized HOB filter- and fill it up with cheato instead of the cartridges and put it on low flow so the pods can multiply there and some will be pushed into the tank with the flow

[jamesbuf]

I'm been able to keep a cleaner wrasse for almost a year now using the betta house trick. It literally stalks the bottom slits were the pods drop out. I actually have grape caulerpa inside which was a great way to feed my tangs (back in my 180 days) because it would grow out the top and bottom and would get "trimmed" by the tangs.

Edited July 14, 2007 by jamesbuf

[bigjames1300r]

Thanks for the help everyone. I think I am going to have to get one of the beta holders.

[jason the filter freak]

they're also known as breeders and can be found at your local petco and pet smart

['Ric]

Would this work for dwarf seahorses, too?