Mandarin / Dragonet and Rotifers?

[Zaita]

Has anyone had success keeping their mandarin alive on Rotifers? Will they actively hunt them out in the absence or alongside Copepods?

The reason I ask if that I am keen to fatten my female mandarin up some more and acquiring Copepods commercially is impossible in NZL. I do have access to Rotifers and Phytoplankton.

I cannot see any issues with this, but has anyone else supplemented their Mandarin's pod food source with Rotifers?

She won't take prepared food of any kind :)

[pinkie]

I believe that Rotifers are actually too small for the mandarins. It couldn't hurt to get a dose of live ones and add them to the tank and see if it helps, as they could feed any corals that you have.

As for copepods, are you referring to not being able to get live copepods, or any copepods? If you mean any, you can get various types from http://www.reed-store.com/ and they ship internationally.

[Zaita]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10634990#post10634990 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pinkie
I believe that Rotifers are actually too small for the mandarins. It couldn't hurt to get a dose of live ones and add them to the tank and see if it helps, as they could feed any corals that you have.

As for copepods, are you referring to not being able to get live copepods, or any copepods? If you mean any, you can get various types from http://www.reed-store.com/ and they ship internationally.

yea I was meaning live ones :) NZL has very tough importing bio-security regulations for anything coming into the country.

Rotifers of a size around 250um I wouldn't think would be too small, maybe even the ideal size?

[pinkie]

I easily could have been misinformed. As I said, it couldn't hurt to try. They are quite cheap where I am, only about $3 to stock a 24 gal nano.

I hope it works out.

For copepods, could you farm your own in a refugium (if you aren't already)?

[Ninong]

Zaita,

Did you use live rock to set up your reef tank? Most live rock will already harbor a certain number of copepods that will survive transport, etc. One of the reasons people advise against adding a Mandarin Dragonet to a newly set up aquarium is to allow a few months for the populations of microcrustaceans (copepods, amphipods, etc.) that may have come in with the live rock to multiply before predators are added.

Wait until about an hour after all lights over the tank have gone off (assuming the room is also dark) and check the tank using a red flashlight (or a regular flashlight covered with red cellophane). If you have copepods, they will look like tiny fleas scurrying all over the surfaces of the live rock and the sand bed.

You could add some live copepods now but they might be all eaten up by your Mandarin Dragonet before they have a chance to multiply. If you do add live copepods, do so at least an hour after all lights over the tank have gone off.

[BFG]

Have you tried feeding them frozen mysis? I have a mandarin and a dragonet and both are fed with frozen mysis. Might go for the spotted mandarin next.

[Zaita]

Hey,

The tank is 18mnths old and the mandarin is eating fine, has enough copepods etc. She was added around the 12mnth range.

I am more interested in this as a supplement, since I will be culturing rotifers for raising fry. Having a second use for em so I wouldn't need to cull my cultures when not breeding would be ideal.

[jessibrown24]

Where did you get the live rotifers from? I live in New Zealand (in Taranaki) and want to get some for a new 70 gallon tank I am setting up? What did you use to feed your mandarin dragonet?
-Jess