Fish of the week #3-Synchiropus splendidus-Green mandarin - Page 2

Terry B · 08/14/2000, 07:08 PM

playfair,
The picturatus has a shorter first dorsal ray than the splendidus. The splendidus in your photo is a male. I can't tell from the picture of the picturatus what sex it is. You need to be able to see that first dorsal ray. Females do not have a long first ray at all so they are easy to tell apart. I suspect if the two fish are fighting that they are both males. I have seen the two species mixed as long as two of the same sex are not together. Somne fish can break the rules, but don't count on it. The picturatus is the more aggressive of the two.
I think a 50 gallon tank that has had both live rock and a deep, mixed size sand grains sandbed are bare minumums. One mandarin without any competative tankmates per 50 gallon. Even then its better to err on the side of safety. 75 gallons or 100 per mandarin is even better A refugium is a great tool for keeping mandarins. Adult copepods reproduce in the sand and they need a place to hide from predation. Most Mandarins will accept some offered foods if you know how to train them. Brine shrimp and frozen bloodworms are the favorites.
Best wishes,
Terry B

[This message has been edited by Terry B (edited 08-14-2000).]

OrionN · 08/14/2000, 07:09 PM

Personal Experience
I got a female Mandarin in my 100-gallon tank with 4-6 inches of LS and 120 lbs of LR. The tank has being up since 10/99. The female Mandarin is very happy and fat. I wanted to add a male to make a pair. Initially, I added a smaller male, very health and colorful to the tank. She won't tolerate him and chase him all over the tank. I have to get him out (at night they usually sleep out in the open) and return him to the LFS. Then a few months later, I add another male. This male is slightly bigger than the female. Initially, she chases him around the tank. However, the next day he started to fight back and would not run away. He does not chase her around the tank but would not tolerate her aggression. I think they will be fine together. So far, they have not spawn yet, but I think it will be a mater of time before they start.
If you want a pair, it would be better to start with larger male, and smaller female.

Dave · 08/14/2000, 07:47 PM

Brian you are doing such a good job with this you should be in the Hall Of Fame.
Im going to add a mandarin this week when I remove a monster crab.

Green Lantern · 08/14/2000, 07:58 PM

Personal experience.

I added a female to my 75 gal. Tank has about 90lbs of live rock. Peaceful tank mates that never bothered her. She picked at the rock continuously and appeared healthy and fat for the six months I had her. One morning I woke up and found her sitting out in the open with a huge fat belly. At first I thought, "Wow, she hit pay dirt!", but I quickly realized she was dying. The best diagnosis I received was "internal bacterial infection". The death was quick but still hard to watch. She was dead by the evening.

I now have a refugium with another 20 pounds of live rock and a 4" live sand bed. I'm tempted to try again but am going to wait for another few months.

Did any of you read Scott Michael's Dragonet article in Sept./2000 AFM?

Troy

Larry M · 08/14/2000, 09:52 PM

Check out the archive section, we have started a separate archive section especially for this series, and the coral of the week series.

------------------
Larry M

"My Dad could build--or fix--anything. Just give him a hammer, a saw, a piece of wire, and a stick. Then get the hell out of the way."
In response to the question, "Where did you learn how to do that?"

See my tanks at Northern Reef

BrianD · 08/14/2000, 09:53 PM

Hi Terry, thanks for the input.

Would you say that feeding the mandarin prepared foods is just an added treat, and that these foods cannot be considered a replacement for an adequate live pod population?

Brian

P.S. Thanks Dave. I forgot to give you credit on this thread for the FOTW idea. I won't forget again

RobertK · 08/14/2000, 10:11 PM

Are you guys quarantining your mandarins before placing them in the reef tank? If so, how do you make sure it is getting enough to eat in the quarantine tank?
Thanks,
RK

BrianD · 08/14/2000, 10:25 PM

Robert, I didn't quarantine my mandarins. I thought they would have a better chance of survival if they went right into the reef. I don't think they are prone to parasitic infections (maybe their noxious slime coat is a reason?), but I don't know that for a fact. Maybe someone will jump in here and help us out.

Brian

Playfair · 08/15/2000, 06:47 AM

Thanks for the pic comments, it took about a dozen tries to catch that dorsal ray upright. I'll keep the pics comming as long as Brian keeps choosing fish that I have

Robert, never seen or heard of a "sick" mandy, just starving ones. That's not to say that they can't be carriers of parasites and such.

Terry, how ya been? Your ears must have been ringing over this post! You are correct that the smaller Picturatus was definitely the bully of the tank. Update: It disappeared after a week in my buddies tank, which is a 75 reef with a 29 refuge, and the most bugs I've ever seen. I'm think it was sick from the get-go.

Dendro- lol; Several times late at night I wondered what the heck happened to the little guy when I first got him!

[This message has been edited by Playfair (edited 08-15-2000).]

08/14/2000, 07:08 PM	#26
Terry B 10 & Over Club Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Gig Harbor, WA. U.S.A. Posts: 220	playfair, The picturatus has a shorter first dorsal ray than the splendidus. The splendidus in your photo is a male. I can't tell from the picture of the picturatus what sex it is. You need to be able to see that first dorsal ray. Females do not have a long first ray at all so they are easy to tell apart. I suspect if the two fish are fighting that they are both males. I have seen the two species mixed as long as two of the same sex are not together. Somne fish can break the rules, but don't count on it. The picturatus is the more aggressive of the two. I think a 50 gallon tank that has had both live rock and a deep, mixed size sand grains sandbed are bare minumums. One mandarin without any competative tankmates per 50 gallon. Even then its better to err on the side of safety. 75 gallons or 100 per mandarin is even better A refugium is a great tool for keeping mandarins. Adult copepods reproduce in the sand and they need a place to hide from predation. Most Mandarins will accept some offered foods if you know how to train them. Brine shrimp and frozen bloodworms are the favorites. Best wishes, Terry B [This message has been edited by Terry B (edited 08-14-2000).]

08/14/2000, 07:09 PM	#27
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	Personal Experience I got a female Mandarin in my 100-gallon tank with 4-6 inches of LS and 120 lbs of LR. The tank has being up since 10/99. The female Mandarin is very happy and fat. I wanted to add a male to make a pair. Initially, I added a smaller male, very health and colorful to the tank. She won't tolerate him and chase him all over the tank. I have to get him out (at night they usually sleep out in the open) and return him to the LFS. Then a few months later, I add another male. This male is slightly bigger than the female. Initially, she chases him around the tank. However, the next day he started to fight back and would not run away. He does not chase her around the tank but would not tolerate her aggression. I think they will be fine together. So far, they have not spawn yet, but I think it will be a mater of time before they start. If you want a pair, it would be better to start with larger male, and smaller female.

08/14/2000, 07:47 PM	#28
Dave Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: GURNEE IL Posts: 514	Brian you are doing such a good job with this you should be in the Hall Of Fame. Im going to add a mandarin this week when I remove a monster crab.

08/14/2000, 07:58 PM	#29
Green Lantern Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada Posts: 457	Personal experience. I added a female to my 75 gal. Tank has about 90lbs of live rock. Peaceful tank mates that never bothered her. She picked at the rock continuously and appeared healthy and fat for the six months I had her. One morning I woke up and found her sitting out in the open with a huge fat belly. At first I thought, "Wow, she hit pay dirt!", but I quickly realized she was dying. The best diagnosis I received was "internal bacterial infection". The death was quick but still hard to watch. She was dead by the evening. I now have a refugium with another 20 pounds of live rock and a 4" live sand bed. I'm tempted to try again but am going to wait for another few months. Did any of you read Scott Michael's Dragonet article in Sept./2000 AFM? Troy

08/14/2000, 09:52 PM	#30
Larry M Moved On Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Burnsville,MN In the heart of Reef Country! Posts: 4,544	Check out the archive section, we have started a separate archive section especially for this series, and the coral of the week series. ------------------ Larry M "My Dad could build--or fix--anything. Just give him a hammer, a saw, a piece of wire, and a stick. Then get the hell out of the way." In response to the question, "Where did you learn how to do that?" See my tanks at Northern Reef

08/14/2000, 09:53 PM	#31
BrianD Sir Brian The Lenient Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Mattoon, IL Posts: 32,111	Hi Terry, thanks for the input. Would you say that feeding the mandarin prepared foods is just an added treat, and that these foods cannot be considered a replacement for an adequate live pod population? Brian P.S. Thanks Dave. I forgot to give you credit on this thread for the FOTW idea. I won't forget again

08/14/2000, 10:11 PM	#32
RobertK Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Monterey Bay, CA Posts: 869	Are you guys quarantining your mandarins before placing them in the reef tank? If so, how do you make sure it is getting enough to eat in the quarantine tank? Thanks, RK

08/14/2000, 10:25 PM	#33
BrianD Sir Brian The Lenient Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Mattoon, IL Posts: 32,111	Robert, I didn't quarantine my mandarins. I thought they would have a better chance of survival if they went right into the reef. I don't think they are prone to parasitic infections (maybe their noxious slime coat is a reason?), but I don't know that for a fact. Maybe someone will jump in here and help us out. Brian

08/15/2000, 06:47 AM	#34
Playfair Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Rochester, NY USA Posts: 2,307	Thanks for the pic comments, it took about a dozen tries to catch that dorsal ray upright. I'll keep the pics comming as long as Brian keeps choosing fish that I have Robert, never seen or heard of a "sick" mandy, just starving ones. That's not to say that they can't be carriers of parasites and such. Terry, how ya been? Your ears must have been ringing over this post! You are correct that the smaller Picturatus was definitely the bully of the tank. Update: It disappeared after a week in my buddies tank, which is a 75 reef with a 29 refuge, and the most bugs I've ever seen. I'm think it was sick from the get-go. Dendro- lol; Several times late at night I wondered what the heck happened to the little guy when I first got him! [This message has been edited by Playfair (edited 08-15-2000).]