can they get along?

[docjones]

I was wondering if it possibly to stock a tank with about 3 tangs and a mandarin. Then after they are established and grown up alittle add a lion fish? I know they are "aggressive" but I was wonder if the others are given a head start will they be ok? Thanks.

[chrissreef]

No, the lion will eat the mandarin and even the tangs if they're small enough.

That said - pls don't purchase a mandarin... they don't survive in captivity (they starve to death over months).... pls purchase animals well suited to the aquarium. The 1 in 50 that do survive either miraculusly (sp?) eat frozen or are in a 200g+ well established tank.

$.02

Thanks!

[docjones]

Yea, I here people say that all the time and the other half say they do fine. I have seen a mandarin in a 55g for over 2 YEARS with no problems, fat and happy. the owner bites the bullet and grows and buys pods, but the fish is loving life. I personally think the fish dies due to peoples lack of research not that they are not capable of living in captivity

[Ritten]

I looked at www.liveaquaria.com on their "compatability" chart and it indicates tangs are okay, but not dragonettes.

[pledosophy]

I have kept manderins for years. I can say based on my experience what is being said here is not inline with my experiences at all.

Every system is different, we all run tanks differently, but with my husbandry practices, manderins do just fine. I have kept them in 18g, 29g, 44g, 20g, 75g, and 65g's without supplementing pods. I do run refugiums.

IMO if setup properly and with the inhabitants concerns in mind, manderins can live a long life in a closed system. My longest was 5 years, before I ave him to a friend before moving out of state.

JME

[wantananemone]

I've had a mandarin for 5 years now, and he is doing great. I had a pair but the female got caught in a filter. Such ashame. There are a ton of pods in my tank though. I think a refugium helps.

[chrissreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11192495#post11192495 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by docjones
the owner bites the bullet and grows and buys pods

just curious if you plan on doing that?

but sure... go ahead and "chance" the 1/50 survivability for your own agenda. I'd rather some fish remain free - infact all which is why I'm purchasing captive bred from now on. If he dies on you, don't come looking to me for advice since you seem to take your own anyway.

How big or established is your tank again? if it's 150-200+ and well established - he may have a chance.

EDIT: didn't mean to sound/be so personal... just tired of people not doing research, not doing what it takes for certain species etc. and seeing needless losses because someone wants to "have" something "pretty". These animals came from the wild so the least we could do is give them the best... that's what we'd do for our family members, right?

[AquaReeferMan]

Where are you getting this 1/50 survival rate from? You dont need a tank of 150+ gallons. There is this thing called a refugium, a safe haven for pod development. I know many people who have success with this fish.

[krowleey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11192700#post11192700 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrissreef
just curious if you plan on doing that?

but sure... go ahead and "chance" the 1/50 survivability for your own agenda. I'd rather some fish remain free - infact all which is why I'm purchasing captive bred from now on. If he dies on you, don't come looking to me for advice since you seem to take your own anyway.

How big or established is your tank again? if it's 150-200+ and well established - he may have a chance.

EDIT: didn't mean to sound/be so personal... just tired of people not doing research, not doing what it takes for certain species etc. and seeing needless losses because someone wants to "have" something "pretty". These animals came from the wild so the least we could do is give them the best... that's what we'd do for our family members, right?

do a little research yourself buddy, cause your way off.

[Ritten]

I thought women tended to be petty. Good lord was I wrong. You men are ruthless.

[docjones]

I DID my research and pod growth and reproduction in a ref. (and mine is 55g by the way) is very easy and more then capable of suppling a mandarin in a 125g setup. It has been proven time and time again that if the reefer RESEARCHES and planed ahead for this particular fish they can live fat and happy life's. I plan to buy pods to establish a base in the ref., let them establish for over a year and then introduce the mandarin. So I HAVE done my research. Thanks for the replies. The original question is simple, with mature grown out tangs and mandarin, can a Lion fish be introduced, I know they eat fish but only ones smaller and able to fit in the mouth.

[chrissreef]

your question was answered then - no on the mandarin/lion

ok, "mature" 125 + refugium/pod buying... sounds ok to me then. I'd wait till the tank was 6+ months old though to let the pods get a head start.

My comments were based on many hobbyists I've met - I didn't know you planned on putting this in a mature 125, or had intentions of a refugium - more info would have helped. I'm sorry, i've seen this poor fish go into much less with much less care so I was reacting on that. I didn't know how much research you've done on the fish (aka your Hobby Experience: <1 year Posts: 30) - this said "beginner" to me with 0 research. We all begin sometime - but I don't think some corals/fish should paired up... it can = frustration/unnecessarydeaths.

krowleey - am I waaay off? I haven't seen to many 4+ yr old mandarins in my 15yrs of experience, have you? I don't consider 1-2 yrs successful.

good luck and let us know what happens.

[docjones]

I can understand Chris and there is no hard feelings at all. I myself am a person that will research everything before implementing. I just took it as a concernd reefer looking out for fish which I am very aware of that most of the time dies needlessly. I apprecaite your concern, and I know with being a beginner most people think research is not done. Thanks for your posts and I plan to keep people informed on the progress to help newbies like me learn. Thanks.

[wantananemone]

I wouldn't add the lion.

I have a 75 gallon with a fuge and my mandarin has been doing great for 5 plus years . I don't even need to feed there are so many pods for the little guy to eat. I actually just did an experiment with my mag-float the other night. I put the mag float at the base of the tank close to the sand to see how many pods would hide in the float. The next day there were too many to count. I credit that all to the fuge. Have faith, you can keep Mandarins. I respect your care for the fish chrisreef.