Mandarin dragonet feeding question

[nicreef]

Hi,

i have been reading up on the mandarin dragonet and was wondering if anyone has been successful with using arctipods from reef nutrition to feed them? when i got it from the lfs i was told (and the label on the food) indicates mandarin loved them but yet when i read online, it says that they dont take any kind of frozen food.

I usually try to feed 1 drop per day by using a syring and balloon stick and releasing the arctipods near the rock he always hide in.

the second question i have is if my lighting is too strong. i am using 2 14w blue t5 light from dymax currently. reason why i felt so is because the mandarin always hide within the rocks (i have lot of holes for him to hide in) and comes out only when the lights are off.

Ps: my tank is a small 2 feet wide, 1 feet deep.

[nicreef]

also according to their calculator, i should be feeding 6.85 to 13.69 drop. currently i am only doing 1 drop. should i follow their instructions?

do i off my pump when i feed so that the water to overflow box stops and the arcti-pods remain in the display tank?

http://reefnutrition.com/feed_calculator.html

[rudy17]

yo bro, u might want to change to tigger pods or the usual copepods as they multiply quicker. I add mine into the refugium and let them breed. they will naturally flow into the main tank and the mandarin will eat them. make sure no other fishes are snatching them though. i doubt its possible to ensure that they are always in ur display tank. they swim around as they like.

as for the lights, i dont think it plays a part. my mandarin is active only during the day/when the light is on. Yours is probably just shy or there are other aggressive fish around.

[nicreef]

yo bro, u might want to change to tigger pods or the usual copepods as they multiply quicker. I add mine into the refugium and let them breed. they will naturally flow into the main tank and the mandarin will eat them. make sure no other fishes are snatching them though. i doubt its possible to ensure that they are always in ur display tank. they swim around as they like.

as for the lights, i dont think it plays a part. my mandarin is active only during the day/when the light is on. Yours is probably just shy or there are other aggressive fish around.

ok will get the tigger pods. copepods where to get ah the lfs i go to ask them all say out of stock.

hmm guess he is shy. only just added 2 clown today. before this he is the only fish around.

[rudy17]

ah beng has live copepods in small bags near the entrance. try visiting over the weekends. should have.

[nicreef]

ok thx agaiun going down this weekend if possible.

[Evolutionz]

where to get this reef nutrition tigger pods?

[rudy17]

where to get this reef nutrition tigger pods?

You can buy from IWARNA. AM has them too but out of stock.

[Evolutionz]

Thanks bro for ur help. Will be getting a Mandarin that us already eating frozen food.

[johnmariados]

ok will get the tigger pods. copepods where to get ah the lfs i go to ask them all say out of stock.

hmm guess he is shy. only just added 2 clown today. before this he is the only fish around.

For the copepods, you can try geckus, cheers.

[linko]

Hi Bro nicreef,

While you are feeding with live copepods , you can slowly train him to eat with palette or frozen brine shrimps.

I trained my mandarins with frozen brine shrimps and they are used to eat it now.

But they prefer low flow when they are feeding since they are slow hunter for foods. And it is more easier to train a pair than a single mandarin. When the one is eating frozen, the another one will be easily to follow. IMO

Enjoy!

[Evolutionz]

i did some research online and it seems like frozen brine shrimp's nutrition level is not high enough for them.. it is advisable to feed frozen mysis shrimp.. that again, is just based on my research...

[linko]

You are right Bro. I read about it too.

Then I tried to feed mysis to them but my Mandarins loved Brine than Mysis.

Now I'm feeding with the mix of both mysis & brine

[Evolutionz]

Have u tried pellets? They still do eat pods in ur tank right?

[linko]

Yes, I had tried it before. But they always rejected to eat it. I could feed to them after works, so at they day time they spent their times hunting the pods

[nicreef]

8 post limit hit earlier so cant reply to this thread but I think my mandarins eating the arctic pods. Not too sure yet coz usually when I feed he always hide in rocks today finally got a chance he outside abit. When my balloon stick release the arctic near him he got turn ard n chase but soon went behind the rocks again.

[Evolutionz]

once again, based on my research ( i have yet to own one mandarin!) all people suggest that you should off your pump when feeding the mandarin.. since they are slow feeders.. so the pods/frozen food will not fly around.. can use your balloon stick to train it to recognize that the stick means food too.

[rudy17]

8 post limit hit earlier so cant reply to this thread but I think my mandarins eating the arctic pods. Not too sure yet coz usually when I feed he always hide in rocks today finally got a chance he outside abit. When my balloon stick release the arctic near him he got turn ard n chase but soon went behind the rocks again.

u can easily tell if its feeding. The stomach will appear sucken/skinny when it's starving. (Unless you have a baby mandarin, then it's harder to tell.)

[nicreef]

just got the tigger pods irawan has 2 btl left i think. also got 1 pack of cope pods from ah beng...how do i shift them to my main tank? dun want to pour the water into my tank....

i do off my pump and wavemaker too when i am feeding him the froozen artic and will try and notice the tummy the next time he is for his walk again. he is just oo darn shy...always hiding in his fav rock.

[Evolutionz]

probably you can get those baby brine shrimp nets..

[nicreef]

haiz looks like another trip to 328 hehe

i love the tiggerpod looks like small ants dancing around

[Evolutionz]

i wonder if its possible to start a culture with those tiggerpods... if not once this bottle finishes (which is fairly quickly since mandarin are known to peck on pods all day long) you will have to keep buying and buying.. unless you start training your mandarin to eat frozen stuff.

[nicreef]

yup i am reading on that now. my tigger pods are in this small glass tank i kope from my freshwater friend. Got the pods from irawna and physto feast (smelly food man) from aqua (anyone want to share as i got it at a discount since it is expiring on the 28th of this month). Read that temperature wise this things are very hardy. intend to do water change between main tank every other day.

Today dunno why my mandarin like no mood lol during feeding time never chase the frozen food. after that tried to intro abit the tigger pods but he still like no mood just stayed on his fav spot.

[rudy17]

i wonder if its possible to start a culture with those tiggerpods... if not once this bottle finishes (which is fairly quickly since mandarin are known to peck on pods all day long) you will have to keep buying and buying.. unless you start training your mandarin to eat frozen stuff.

Definitely possible If u have a refugium.. Google culturing copepods and u will find all the info u need

[Foo Sheng Wei]

my Mandarin dragonet i feed frozen mysis shrimp..