Manderin in a 12g???

[Evyllchyld]

I posted this in another forum on RC, but would like your guys opinion also since some of you may not goto the nano forum.

I was just wondering if anyone has succesfully been able to keep a manderin alive in a 12g??? I know this isn't the correct size for them but i'm sure people have tried and may of been succesful. I went to a LFS today and they had a manderin that was EXTREMELY thin and looked very unhealthy. I felt really bad, its a family run pet store that doesn't know much about SW it seems and 3 have died on them already. I asked them why, and there response was "we can't get them to eat flake food" ... What a surprise... Anyways, I have an INSANE amount of pods in my 12g. So bad in fact that all 4 sides of the tank is covered with big jucy pods. So I figured i'd bring him home.... let him eat all my pods and if I can't keep up with him, then bring him to another LFS that i'm comfortable with (on the tanks with the manderins they say *Special care needed, see associate*) So i've come to trust them and there information. As of right now, I have no intentions of keeping him unless i setup a large enough refugium and I can get the pods to reproduce faster then hes eating them. I have read that it is possible for them to eat prepared foods, like flake and pellets... Anyone have experience?? And do you guys think I did the right thing??? I think it was the right thing since I knew he was just going to starve there.

-Brian

[Sk8r]

He'll wipe them out in a hurry---but it's a noble thought, and I'd be tempted. Your alternative would be to buy them online (about 50.00 a month) or, indeed, set up an alternate tank: I got a Topfin from Petsmart that I'm just dedicating to pods, topping off with tank water and feeding phyto. I hope it's going to work.

[Evyllchyld]

Yeh, I figure he'll wipe them out quickly. But hopefully he'll faten up a bit before then, and i'll bring him to my other LFS it just really bugged me that a fish store didn't have a clue with what they were doing. Here a pic of just a small portion of what my glass looks like :rollface:
And since this pic was taken, its gotten a lot worse. But I really didn't think it would be enough. :)
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e199/Evyllchyld/cope.jpg



Sk8r, do you have AIM by any chance??? I'd like to talk to you more about your pod tank.

[dantodd]

unfortunately the fish store is more likely to stop carrying the fish if they consistently die and cost them money. By buying the fish to "save it" you're only teaching the store that they can make money with the fish.

[Evyllchyld]

I informed them of why it kept dieing, but excellent point, I wish I thought of that... :-/

[Sk8r]

Maybe they're locally owned and will use better sense about what they order. Here's hoping, at least.

[Evyllchyld]

Sk8r, how do you have a pod tank setup?? is it just a large refugium??

[dantodd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7268268#post7268268 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Evyllchyld
I informed them of why it kept dieing, but excellent point, I wish I thought of that... :-/

I know, someone else pointed that out to me. It goes so against every instinct that we feel to try and prevent the deaths of these creatures.

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7268258#post7268258 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dantodd
unfortunately the fish store is more likely to stop carrying the fish if they consistently die and cost them money. By buying the fish to "save it" you're only teaching the store that they can make money with the fish.

I've seen countless animals bought by people trying to save them. While your heart is in the right place, it only teaches the store two things. One is that people are willing to buy difficult to keep animals. The other is that people are willing to buy sick and dying animals. That only encourages them to purchase more. A mandarin that is starving in the store will not recover in your 12g tank. I know it seems like it's crawling with pods now, but it won't be for long.

Dave

[Evyllchyld]

Well like I said, I bought it with the intentions of briging it to another fish store if/when it became healthier. The other fish store won't give me any store credit for the fish if he were unhealthy. So I figured i'd bring him home, let him eat my pods, faten up... and when he gets a little bigger i'll bring him in and only lose a few dollars compared to just losing all my money. I just felt it was the right thing to do, i'll keep everyone posted as to how things work out.

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7269510#post7269510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Evyllchyld
Well like I said, I bought it with the intentions of briging it to another fish store if/when it became healthier. The other fish store won't give me any store credit for the fish if he were unhealthy. So I figured i'd bring him home, let him eat my pods, faten up... and when he gets a little bigger i'll bring him in and only lose a few dollars compared to just losing all my money. I just felt it was the right thing to do, i'll keep everyone posted as to how things work out.

The problem is not your loss in this case (though that still could be a problem). The main problem is that the store you bought it from now has no reason not to go and buy another mandarin.

Dave

[Evyllchyld]

Yeh, the financial loss isn't a problem what so ever, the place I bought it from is family owned. The only employees is the mother, father, two older daughters a son, and a friend of the family. I explained to them why they aren't surviving, and that they should fix the problem. They really seemed concerned, although I could be wrong. If it were a franchise pet store, or a pet store which seemed to really not care, I wouldn't of wasted my breath because I know it wouldn't of helped. By no means will I keep buying the mandarins and doing this for them. They thanked me for bringing it to there attention, and they gave me the mandarin for 1/2 off.

[dantodd]

I guess you'll know pretty quickly if another mandarin shows up in the shop. The fact that they were willing to part with the mandarin at a deep discount is a good sign.

[Evyllchyld]

Oh yeh, I sure hope so. Another time I was there, and pointed out a sick percula, they immediately caught it and QT it. So I hope they listen.

[ACBlinky]

Best of luck with him, I hope he does well gorging on all those pods :)
If you set up a small tank dedicated to culturing pods (no predators, feed it lots of phyto & other microscopic foods) and/or purchase bottled pods, you might be able to keep him long-term. Even if he learns to take prepared foods he'll still need pods, but if you're dedicated enough I imagine you could keep him healthy and happy.