ORA Mandarin Goby

[A_Lee]

I was thinking of placing an order for one or two ORA Mandarin gobies from either Live Aquaria, or a LFS.
Does anyone have one, and have any experience with their ORA mandarin taking pellets?

 

[650-IS350]

I've heard that's what they're trained to eat. There was a video somewhere, maybe glassbox design or something showing that.

 

[Sfork]

From what I've read you still have to train them again. The change in scenery(and probably their first time seeing/hunting pods) causes them to forget everything. Or at least, what I'm trying to say is that once they run out of pods they wont automatically revert back to pellets. The most success stories I've seen people set up a feeding station where the mandarin can go into and eat in peace.

 

[A_Lee]

I've heard that's what they're trained to eat. There was a video somewhere, maybe glassbox design or something showing that.

You are one lucky guy to have [had?] that spotted mandarin you had in your 100g (S. picturatus, IIRC). I wish I could have the same luck as you, but I incidents like yours are far and few, I'm sure

From what I've read you still have to train them again. The change in scenery(and probably their first time seeing/hunting pods) causes them to forget everything. Or at least, what I'm trying to say is that once they run out of pods they wont automatically revert back to pellets. The most success stories I've seen people set up a feeding station where the mandarin can go into and eat in peace.

Yes, I've heard some stories about people needing to (re)train their ORA mandarins -which I could respect, and have no problem doing, I suppose. My tank is kind of small, and I don't have much room for a "mandarin diner" per se

 

[GDawson]

Green Marine has had them in the past. You might ask them questions......or mebbie Jim (Bookfish) will chime in.......

-Gregory

 

[iani]

For the size of your tank you should probably stick with one mandarin goby. If you were to get two don't assume that you will be able to even train them to eat prepared foods because they are captive bred. You must have enough pods or access to enough pods that they will not starve if you can't get them to convert to prepared foods. Also make sure you get a male and a female. If you get two males they will fight until one dies.

 

[Gonzo]

I have one A. Got him with the first batch that came out. He was in a tank with 2 others and he was the only one that ate in the store. Everything I have read (there's a big thread on RC) about these guys says if they don't eat in the store they are very unlikely to eat when you get them home. My guy was eating NFS, so I took him and he's grown almost 1 inch.

 

[A_Lee]

For the size of your tank you should probably stick with one mandarin goby. If you were to get two don't assume that you will be able to even train them to eat prepared foods because they are captive bred. You must have enough pods or access to enough pods that they will not starve if you can't get them to convert to prepared foods. Also make sure you get a male and a female. If you get two males they will fight until one dies.

I was planning to have just one in my display tank, but I wanted to get two to have QT'd, and trained The one that I can train [assuming I can do at least that] will go into my display, the other I'll keep in another tank, or sell to someone else.

 

[A_Lee]

I have one A. Got him with the first batch that came out. He was in a tank with 2 others and he was the only one that ate in the store. Everything I have read (there's a big thread on RC) about these guys says if they don't eat in the store they are very unlikely to eat when you get them home. My guy was eating NFS, so I took him and he's grown almost 1 inch.

Where did you get yours Gonzo? I prefer to get one from a LFS where I can do as you did -observe which specimens are eating pellets, and which are not before making a purchase. If I order from Live Aquaria, I wouldn't be able to have this luxury.

 

[650-IS350]

I was actually lucky twice.... was able to train the second one as well.. too bad it jumped out of the tank when some new wrasses spooked him. Didn't know till a day later when I noticed him missing while feeding.

 

[Gonzo]

Ultimate Aquarium in San Mateo. I called in advance and asked when they were getting a shipment in...

I have one A. Got him with the first batch that came out. He was in a tank with 2 others and he was the only one that ate in the store. Everything I have read (there's a big thread on RC) about these guys says if they don't eat in the store they are very unlikely to eat when you get them home. My guy was eating NFS, so I took him and he's grown almost 1 inch.

Where did you get yours Gonzo? I prefer to get one from a LFS where I can do as you did -observe which specimens are eating pellets, and which are not before making a purchase. If I order from Live Aquaria, I wouldn't be able to have this luxury.

 

[A_Lee]

Ultimate Aquarium in San Mateo. I called in advance and asked when they were getting a shipment in...

I have one A. Got him with the first batch that came out. He was in a tank with 2 others and he was the only one that ate in the store. Everything I have read (there's a big thread on RC) about these guys says if they don't eat in the store they are very unlikely to eat when you get them home. My guy was eating NFS, so I took him and he's grown almost 1 inch.

Where did you get yours Gonzo? I prefer to get one from a LFS where I can do as you did -observe which specimens are eating pellets, and which are not before making a purchase. If I order from Live Aquaria, I wouldn't be able to have this luxury.

Thanks G!

Out of curiosity, does anyone know the average price for an ORA Mandarin Goby? I've called a LFS in SF and was quoted $30. Another LFS in the bay area quoted me $60. Pretty substantial difference, so I am looking for some others insight.

 

[Gonzo]

$30?? That sounds too inexpensive. They were $85 when they first came out. But I've heard anywhere from 60 - 80$ lately.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

This is just my 2 cents:
for what you are going to pay, make sure you are getting a "perfect" specimen. It is unfortunate that on numerous occasions, I have seen individuals that are missing fins (pelvic, or dorsal) and or have mis-shapen heads, etc... In my opinion, these particular fish should be either culled or sold at a reduced price. It is no different than a pure bred dog having major health issues and commanding top dollar.

Don't accept deformed specimens!! Even if you pre-order or special order!!!

I am for captive propigation of vertibrates but not for perpetuation of disfigured individuals for profit.

 

[Sfork]

I've seen the same range. I think it has more to do with LFS's experience with them. When they first came out they were limited to 2 per store so the prices got jacked up (up to 80-100) also with the whole re-training thing one store I know ended up losing all theirs because they wouldn't take food. If a store only ever did special orders of them and there never was much of a demand, I could see them being 35-40. 60 sound reasonable for a store that keeps them in stock on a regular and occasionally loses a few.

 

[screebo]

My green spotted mandarin eats like a horse. Don't think I've ever seen it eat pellets, but they are part of a daily offering. It's been in the tank for over 6 months and does NOT like other mandarins! He dispatched an emerald green mandarin that I added to add to the reef in mistake number 1. Be extremely careful as "usually" the only way to put two mandarins into a tank successfully (from what I hear) is to get a mated pair. With CB mandarins coming available, maybe that's a possibility. Funny, "Spot" never bothers the scooter blenny which looks an awful lot like a mandarin except for color. Hmmmm. I love my little psychedelic mandarin!

 

[GreshamH]

John, sexing mandarins is pretty easy males have a much larger sail and longer dorsal fin. Females have much smaller dorsal fins and almost no sail. Females tend to be smaller as well.

 

[screebo]

Speaking of sexing mandarins.......... My wife has seen their incredible mating dance in the wild. A living miracle and incredible creatures.

 

[hiepatitis]

I got a nice and fat wild one from pet club. I know trying to keep a mandarin in a 30g is a no no but he stayed fat at the store after a couple of weeks and they had him in a holding tank which I doubt had much of a natural food source. He is now fat and healthy. Not sure what he's eating but I feed the tank a mixture of stuff

 

[Sfork]

Recently? I saw that guy last week I think. The guy who runs that fish section is pretty cool.