My big, fat and happy Mandarin

[drukkosz]

Hello all,

Just wanted to share my success in having a happy (and fat) Mandarin.

About 9 years ago, I saw a Green Mandarin in a public aquarium and instantly fell in love with it. Thus, began my reef journey.

I started with a 30-gallon tank, and three upgrades later, settled on a 125-gallon mixed reef (upstairs) and a 30-gallon sump and 100-gallon tub full of live rock (basement). But, even with the sheer amount of water volume and hundreds of pounds of live rock, my Mandarins (yes, I tried a few times) never got enough food and subsequently starved.

Then, I decided to tried Paul B's method (live brine shrimp through a small feeder) and now my Mandarin is THRIVING!

I grow brine shrimp daily and feed them to my fish in the morning and sometimes in the evening. Some days, it's the only food I use. All the fish love it--even my Yellow Tang goes crazy for them.

I have many small fish, and have noticed that after incorporating brine shrimp into the tank, they are happier and fatter than ever. I truly believe that live brine shrimp is a big part of my successful reef.

I also believe that Green Mandarins are just terrible hunters. I added pair of Ruby Red Dragonets last year and observed that while it takes them 2-3 seconds to hunt a pod (they are super fat, too), it takes my Mandarin 10-15 seconds. So, having a feeder allows the Mandarin to get one every few seconds, plus, I believe brine shrimp are much more nutritious than pods.

So, if your Mandarin is skinny or you want to add one to your tank, I highly recommend building a little feeder. I customized mine so only a small opening is accessible. That way, pods stay in the feeder for much much longer and the Mandarin can feed on it for hours.

If you have a similar story, I'd love to hear it! Please share and show me your Mandarin.

[MikeG]

That's awesome! glad to hear you have had success. I have never tried one myselff.

Can you elaborate on the feeding method? Did a quick search but didnt find what you referenced.

Thanks

[Uncle99]

I read about this feeder but on a different site.
Mine (as the lone Pod feeder) needed no supplement, and it is normal behavior to graze.

Nice looking dragonette...

[tableforglasses]

I would love to know about how you were able to feed them as well. I have never had any luck keeping them. I have a ton of copepods in my tank but I put one in several months ago and saw him once or twice in the tank and then never saw him again.

[Uncle99]

Needs a matured tank, 8 to 12 months old.
And ZERO comptetion for those PODS.
I run a DSB so mine picks off the Rock and the substrate.

[AcanSkywalker]

Great looking fish, really enjoyed the video, I'd really love to see you do a complete video tour of that awesome tank of yours!

Sent from my SM-J737P using Tapatalk

[drukkosz]

Thank you all for kind words. I will try to make more videos or take some pictures this weekend.

My procedure is quite simple, you can get a shrimp hatchery in almost every store, this is a very good option:

https://www.amazon.com/San-Francisco...hrimp+hatchery

get a 1 liter bottle and you are ready to hatch.

You can fallow that recipe:
• 2 cups tank water
• 1/2 cup RO/DI
• 1 tsp brine shrimp eggs

I use regular warm water from my sink because right now I grow them in my kitchen (thank you wifey) because my house was built in 1890 my basement is around 60 degrees in the winter. I don’t use any extra lighting or food. But its recommended to put some phyto 6 hours before they hatch.

Mine hatch after approximately 36 hours, you will know because it will turn bright orange. The goal is to feed them when they still have yolk sac attached. Thats where all the nutrition comes from.

I buy 90% hatch rate shrimp eggs from amazon they are around $16 for 50 grams.

After 36 hours I unplug the pump and cover the hatchery for about 15-20 minutes because the darkness helps get the hatched Artemia to settle, since they are attracted to light, and the hatched eggs float on top. Then gravity drains the hatched brine shrimp into the net and you are ready to feed. My fish are so used to that the when I open my canopy they all come to the feeder.


Here is a link to Pauls B feeder:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2166449

Like I mentioned I cut a small opening in my container that allows the shrimp to stay in the feeder much longer.

And here is my baby, look at that belly

 

[MikeG]

Thanks. That is a chubby fish

[WVfishguy]

I set my 90 display up with Mandarins and leopard wrasses in mind.

One of the two Mag 9.5's runs from the sump to the far left side of the tank, at the bottom, and blows water under the rockwork. All rockwork is suspend a few inches off the sand bottom.

I take mysis, brine shrimp, live & frozen daphnia and newly hatched brine shrimp and use a turkey baster to squirt this mix into the intake of the pump. This food blows under the rocks, and my mandarin is fat.

My Banggai cardinals also spawn regularly, and the fry get fed as well.

[drukkosz]

Here is how I made my feeder:

I used a 8oz food storage container,

Cut a hole in the cover , I cut it less than half of the cover so the brine would stay in the feeder longer.

Get a piece of acrylic or PVC tubing about 3/8" wide. Make a bend near one end of the tube, I heated it using a pot with hot water.

Hold the bent part on your substrate and mark it about an inch above the water. Cut the tube there.

Drill a hole in the side of the container so the tube fits in snugly and push the tube in.

Get your old or new stocking with a fine mesh from your gf or spouse.

Make sure you purchase new pair of stocking for your gf or spouse.

Lay the piece of stocking on the container (try not to stretch it to much) and put the lid on.


Also don’t be surprised if your fish won’t go to the feeder for few days. It takes them time to use to it and understand what’s going on.

[MikeG]

Nice. Thanks.

Maybe I’ll use my own stockings, no reason to upset the misses