Mandarin and McCosker's Wrasses?

[Yogre]

I have 2 juvenile McCosker's Wrasses coming out of quarantine in the next week. (Had 4 but 2 died :mad2: )

There's a beautiful Green Mandarin at my LFS I'd love to get... he looks fat and healthy.

Question is, will the Mandarin and the flasher wrasses coexist in my tank?

It's a 215 gal. set up for a year now, with about 300# of live rock and a 4" deep sand substrate.

TIA!

P.S. Other inhabitants: 1 lawnmower blenny, 6 green chromis, 2 oscellaris clowns... miscellaneous inverts.

[HomeSlizzice]

I'd think you'll be ok

[snorvich]

Should be no problem behavior wise or food wise. As long as the Mandarin hunts, it should be terrific. If it does not hunt (at the LFS) it will not make it.

[Yogre]

Thanks guys. Not sure that mandy is hunting at the LFS, poor guy is in a tank with a sand bottom and no live rock. They want $35 for him, I'm tempted to risk it, since y'all don't think the wrasses will harass the mandarin to death. In any event, he's for sure gonna die in the tank he's in at the LFS.

Thanks!

[Frogmanx82]

I thought wrasses would compete for pods and easily clean out the pod population. Is that not true?

[A sea K]

I thought wrasses would compete for pods and easily clean out the pod population. Is that not true?

It is true to a point but the OP has a very large system(215gal) with plenty of established LR, in this particular situation there should be plenty of forage available for all.
I have three relatively large wrasses and a spotted mandirin in my 210 and all are happy.

[Yogre]

It is true to a point but the OP has a very large system(215gal) with plenty of established LR, in this particular situation there should be plenty of forage available for all.
I have three relatively large wrasses and a spotted mandirin in my 210 and all are happy.

This is the outcome I'm hoping for, I'm glad it's working for you in a tank of similar size to mine.

I'm also going to pick up some pods to spike both my fuge and my display tank, I figure it couldn't hurt to have some extra forage in there.

[A sea K]

Yogre, It certainly wont' hurt to boost the pod population but you'll find out your system will only support "x" amount of pods, boosting them will be a temporary situation that will possibly be handy when you add the Mandarin but won't have any long term effect.

Anyway, good luck to you and the new Mandarin!

[Yogre]

Yogre, It certainly wont' hurt to boost the pod population but you'll find out your system will only support "x" amount of pods, boosting them will be a temporary situation that will possibly be handy when you add the Mandarin but won't have any long term effect.

Anyway, good luck to you and the new Mandarin!

Good point! Maybe I'll see how he eats and if need be give the pod population a little "nudge".

I have high hopes for him, he's acclimating right now!

Thanks!

[A sea K]

Let us know how things go for you. BTW, did you get a Green or Spotted?
I think the Greens have nicer coloration but I got a Spotted one, when the LFS told me he was the meanest Mandarin they had ever seen I could not resist and home he went.

[Yogre]

I ended up getting a green mandarin. He's about 3" long. What a beautiful animal. Long dorsal fin, which is the male I believe?

He didn't eat at the LFS when offered mysis shrimp, but from what I've read here on RC that isn't at all uncommon. He did start hunting, though, within minutes of going in my tank. I'll be darned if I can see what he's eating, but he's definitely pecking at the rocks and the sand.

I'll be keeping a close eye on him, to make sure he doesn't start getting skinny. If he does, I'll take that as my cue for a pod infusion.

[Frogmanx82]

Will a mandarin eat the larger amphipods? You know the quarter inch ones that scurry around like bugs?

[Yogre]

Not sure. Maybe someone else will chime in?

Whatever it is mine is eating right now is so small I can't see it, even with my reading specs on. :D

I know for sure he has a small mouth, I wonder if that would limit the size of his prey?