I think my rescue mandarin is dying.

Bent · 06/19/2018, 04:57 PM

He doesn’t seem to be eating, or hunting anymore. I think he’s been in the tank what do you guys think like 5 years? He was fully grown when I got him.

Nothing has changed in the tank, the other fish are fine.

He’s just been sitting in the corner for the past few days and he’s looking very thin. I’m pretty sure he’s on the way out.

Do you all think this is just the natural end of his life? He has plenty of pods.

Tripod1404 · 06/19/2018, 05:23 PM

Their average lifespan in the wild is ~15 years. But since it was fully grown when you got it, its hard to predict at what age it is right now.

It might be old age or captivity related stress. Very few fish can live as long as their natural lifespans in captivity.

Uncle99 · 06/19/2018, 06:53 PM

5 years!
While your not feeling so great about it, can I add that 5 years is amazing, most people can't get them by a month!

I think it's just his time, glad he had you as the reef keeper.

Silly clownfish · 06/20/2018, 09:04 AM

It is very hard to say. Since he has plenty of pods and is ignoring them, I don’t know what else you could do.

Out of curiousity, does he eat prepared/frozen foods? I have a theory that this could lead to long term nutritional issues, because he is filled up, but with junk food. I think this may be an issue for a lot of fish that don’t do well long term. They are getting what they need to survive, but still missing something. In my experience fish live longer in captivity than the wild due to lack for predation and the general risks of the open ocean.

About 20 years ago I had a cleaner wrasse that after a couple of years exhibited similar symptoms to your mandarin - colors faded, got thinner, but not starved looking, less active, just looked “old”, and finally passed away. Years later I learned that this fish is considered hard to keep due to nutritional requirements -some I identified nutrient that they should be getting from eating parasites that is missing in normal foods. I have since wondered if this isn’t an issue for other hard keepers.

Joe0813 · 06/21/2018, 11:46 AM

Maybe he's old

MondoBongo · 06/21/2018, 12:35 PM

sitting in the corner for a few days isn't a great sign obviously.

have you tried offering any food, especially live food? baby brine shrimp, live worms?

i had a period of a few days a while back (like 4 years ago or so) where my mandy was lethargic and not really eating. i didn't have a specific solution, all i did was a large water change and start running some carbon. i don't know if that helped directly, or not, but she did perk up shortly after that. perhaps it's at least worth a try.

i'm really sorry to hear she's not doing well. most likely she's coming to the end of her life. since she was a rescue, no telling what she had to deal with before you found her. you should feel good that you gave her a good home for so long.

JTL · 06/21/2018, 02:18 PM

Congrats, you gave him/her and very good life.

Bent · 07/27/2018, 03:48 PM

I’m sad to report that he did indeed pass away last night. I made a feeder for him a while back, and he showed no interest. The main tank is crawling with pods so I don’t think food availability was an issue.

I like to think he had about the best life a captive mandarin could have asked for. I’m pretty bummed about it, but I feel pretty good that I was in a position to provide for an animal that otherwise would have likely died a long time ago.

RIP rainbow, you may have been “just a fish”, but you provided quality education about physiology, the food chain, life and death for a 7 year old who got to watch you grow.

Uncle99 · 07/27/2018, 06:59 PM

Amazing run for a mandarin!
If only the rest of them would last this long.
My condolences, but at the same time, congrats on a job well done.

RioReefr · 07/29/2018, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent

but you provided quality education about physiology, the food chain, life and death for a 7 year old who got to watch you grow.

Good job !

....I have personal friends who spend 10's of thousands to send their kids to elite pre-schools where just they seem to play with blocks all day with other rich spoiled kids.

Bent · 08/14/2018, 04:24 PM

Thanks for all the kind words friends.

06/19/2018, 04:57 PM	#1
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	I think my rescue mandarin is dying. He doesn’t seem to be eating, or hunting anymore. I think he’s been in the tank what do you guys think like 5 years? He was fully grown when I got him. Nothing has changed in the tank, the other fish are fine. He’s just been sitting in the corner for the past few days and he’s looking very thin. I’m pretty sure he’s on the way out. Do you all think this is just the natural end of his life? He has plenty of pods. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

06/20/2018, 09:04 AM	#4
Silly clownfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Southeast Pennsylvania Posts: 488	It is very hard to say. Since he has plenty of pods and is ignoring them, I don’t know what else you could do. Out of curiousity, does he eat prepared/frozen foods? I have a theory that this could lead to long term nutritional issues, because he is filled up, but with junk food. I think this may be an issue for a lot of fish that don’t do well long term. They are getting what they need to survive, but still missing something. In my experience fish live longer in captivity than the wild due to lack for predation and the general risks of the open ocean. About 20 years ago I had a cleaner wrasse that after a couple of years exhibited similar symptoms to your mandarin - colors faded, got thinner, but not starved looking, less active, just looked “old”, and finally passed away. Years later I learned that this fish is considered hard to keep due to nutritional requirements -some I identified nutrient that they should be getting from eating parasites that is missing in normal foods. I have since wondered if this isn’t an issue for other hard keepers. __________________ 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair with RBTA Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair

06/21/2018, 11:46 AM	#5
Joe0813 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Boston strong Posts: 2,766	Maybe he's old __________________ Joe and Jenny Current Tank Info: 180 reef

06/21/2018, 12:35 PM	#6
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	sitting in the corner for a few days isn't a great sign obviously. have you tried offering any food, especially live food? baby brine shrimp, live worms? i had a period of a few days a while back (like 4 years ago or so) where my mandy was lethargic and not really eating. i didn't have a specific solution, all i did was a large water change and start running some carbon. i don't know if that helped directly, or not, but she did perk up shortly after that. perhaps it's at least worth a try. i'm really sorry to hear she's not doing well. most likely she's coming to the end of her life. since she was a rescue, no telling what she had to deal with before you found her. you should feel good that you gave her a good home for so long. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

06/21/2018, 02:18 PM	#7
JTL Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Venice Island, FL Posts: 2,532	Congrats, you gave him/her and very good life. __________________ John 100 gallon DT and 50 gallon sump with refugium. Reefbreeders Photon V2+.

06/19/2018, 05:23 PM	#2
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	Their average lifespan in the wild is ~15 years. But since it was fully grown when you got it, its hard to predict at what age it is right now. It might be old age or captivity related stress. Very few fish can live as long as their natural lifespans in captivity.

06/19/2018, 06:53 PM	#3
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	5 years! While your not feeling so great about it, can I add that 5 years is amazing, most people can't get them by a month! I think it's just his time, glad he had you as the reef keeper.

07/27/2018, 03:48 PM	#8
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	I’m sad to report that he did indeed pass away last night. I made a feeder for him a while back, and he showed no interest. The main tank is crawling with pods so I don’t think food availability was an issue. I like to think he had about the best life a captive mandarin could have asked for. I’m pretty bummed about it, but I feel pretty good that I was in a position to provide for an animal that otherwise would have likely died a long time ago. RIP rainbow, you may have been “just a fish”, but you provided quality education about physiology, the food chain, life and death for a 7 year old who got to watch you grow. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

07/27/2018, 06:59 PM	#9
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Amazing run for a mandarin! If only the rest of them would last this long. My condolences, but at the same time, congrats on a job well done.

08/14/2018, 04:24 PM	#11
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Thanks for all the kind words friends. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump