Reef nutrition

Mandarin Goby

swatchguy

swatchguy

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Hi All, I'm beginning my research on Mandarin Gobies. Any info on Mandarians or cultivating copepods would be appreciated. I know they're difficult but I'd like to be properly prepared before committing.
Thanks.... Guess I should add that I've had a BioCube 29 for over a year and have been
successful with a reef. I'm running an ato and a skimmer. Nitrates and phosphates are near 0 and ph is 8.2-8.4. I have a 1" sand bed and I've put some copepods in the right chamber, which has rubble in the bottom. Hoping for some reproduction.
Thanks again..
 
most people say to have at least a 70g that is established without major pod eaters if you want a mandarin. Sometimes you can get lucky and get one that will eat frozen, but do not plan on it. make sure you have a fuge area for pods to flourish and make sure you feed your pods.

I have a 6 line which eats anything and he alone has totally decimated the pod population in my 40g.
 
Thanks Gomer, The more I read, the more I think it's not lookin' good. I haven't given up, but for the time being I suppose I'll have to table the idea until I can find a way to propagate "pods." I appreciate your imput.
Still hopeful, Swatchguy
 
Hey Swatch,

As long as you have a good fuge with visible critters, you should be OK. Before you do buy the fish, I'd get a brine shrimp hatchery just in case your pod population is not up to par. It's annoying to go buy brine at the local fish store every few days.

BTW, once you have enough pods growing, mandarins are extremely easy to take care of and one of the coolest fish to watch. I'm already thinking about getting a spotted dragonet.
 
Thanks for the input. I'm going to set up two little hatcheries: one for brine and another for pods. Once I have that process nailed down, I'll introduce a Mandarin to my BC 29. It's going to be a "process," but then, that's what this hobby is all about. Thanks again, Swatch
 
Swatch

Great planning you have going on there. One other idea, as a tangent on your pod-culture idea is to basically have a stand alone SW planted tank/fuge somewhere. You could then rotate rocks from your display (if you have any w/out corals) and rocks from the fuge that will basically keep bringing pods into the BC. Same to be said about macro algae too. Tank could be a simple 5 or 10g tank w/ a power head and a fuge light tucked away into a corner or cabinet.

You might also want to put some serious effort into finding a mandarin that eats frozen foods, or training one to do so. It'll be more intensive work in the beginning, but the dividends could definitely make it worth it.
 
I would seggust when you buy the fish to ask the LFS to feed it, if they give em some food and you actualy see it eat then it might already be able to take frozen foods, if they tell you it won't eat then don't buy it as it most likely just showed up and they have no clue, if they tell you about how the fish eats live pods as it's diet then you have someone at an LFS who knows and you will have to make a desion from there.
 
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