Dragonets

[skybreezy]

Brine shrimp is not a nutritious meal for them. It's more of a treat than anything. No fish will thrive, let alone survive for very long on brine shrimp. These types of fish forrage for live pods every waking moment, so if you don't have enough to sustain them, they will just waste away and die. If you look closely at fish stores, many times they already have sunken bellies from being starved.

Thx big fish!

 

[Kman]

These type of fish are better off in an larger established system as some will only eat live foods. Some will not even bother touching frozen foods and they will slowly waste away. They will eat through your pods very quickly and without a constant supply will not last long. These fish should not be kept in conditions that can't support them.

 

[skybreezy]

My mandarin demolished my pods in a matter of days! I managed to get him to eat frozen now though.

What's your secret?

 

[MrHermit85]

What's your secret?

It took a little while but I would switch all my pumps off and let the food sit on the sand bed where he hangs out. He eventually started going for it, first did brine which got him interested now he eats both mysis and brine (for a treat) still leave the pumps off at feeding time as he sucks at grabbing from the water colomn.

 

[skybreezy]

It took a little while but I would switch all my pumps off and let the food sit on the sand bed where he hangs out. He eventually started going for it, first did brine which got him interested now he eats both mysis and brine (for a treat) still leave the pumps off at feeding time as he sucks at grabbing from the water colomn.

Thx. Is that all he eats now and no pods?

 

[MrHermit85]

Thx. Is that all he eats now and no pods?

I am sure he still eats whatever pods appear

 

[skybreezy]

I am sure he still eats whatever pods appear

Are U still stocking your tank with pods?

 

[Luke.]

Most of us keep our pod stock up from copepods.ca. Great site, decent prices, great pick up options.

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Are mandarins hard to keep because they are hard eaters ? Or are you saying if you keep a very well stock up of pods , with a good stable tank for around a year you then do you think they should be fine ? ( I want one but I can ONLY get one as big as hell !! Or else it'll be a tasty fun snack for my hoevens wrasse. Dosent matter how much I feed that thing .. About 4 times he at so much he litterly couldn't swim for about 3 hours ...

 

[Bigfish]

If you have a large enough, well established tank with lots of live rock and preferably a refugium, you should be able to keep a mandarin no problem provided you dont have other pod eating fish. Many wrasses also forage for pods. Most other fish won't bother them in my experience. They seem to kind of go unnoticed as they don't compete for the others food. You also want to make sure the one you buy doesn't already wave a sunken belly or is skinny as it may be too far gone to bring back. I've tried twice "saving" mandarins from fish stores that looked rough and unfortunately they were too far gone to bring back. My current mandarin is at least 5 years old and fat! He only eats pods, not sure if he would eat frozen as it never gets a chance to reach the bottom of the tank with my 4 tangs.

 

[LIttle Reef Keeper]

Great advice guys thanks! Just to clarify, a ruby red dragonet would be the same correct, as they still eat pods, but not as fast?


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[Bigfish]

Great advice guys thanks! Just to clarify, a ruby red dragonet would be the same correct, as they still eat pods, but not as fast?


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Mandarins are dragonet's. There will be no difference. All dragonet's, forage for pods constantly. I get the impression that you just want someone to tell you to go ahead and get one. Therefore, go for it! But don't be surprised when it dies of starvation.

 

[LIttle Reef Keeper]

Mandarins are dragonet's. There will be no difference. All dragonet's, forage for pods constantly. I get the impression that you just want someone to tell you to go ahead and get one. Therefore, go for it! But don't be surprised when it dies of starvation.

I don't want to buy a fish just for it to die. I was just making sure I was understanding correctly.


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[Joshbrookkate]

These type of fish are better off in an larger established system as some will only eat live foods. Some will not even bother touching frozen foods and they will slowly waste away. They will eat through your pods very quickly and without a constant supply will not last long. These fish should not be kept in conditions that can't support them.

I know this from experience. No more dragonets for me.
Michelle

 

[Kman]

They are beautiful fish but long term not to many survive unless in a larger mature system with lots of live foods unfortunately. Even the ones that take to prepared foods need the live food to last long. At least in my experience.

 

[Nonuser]

Then why do stores still sell them? I wouldn't think a aquarium store would sell fish that don't have a high rate of survival.

Should I boycott stores that do?

 

[TORX]

Then why do stores still sell them? I wouldn't think a aquarium store would sell fish that don't have a high rate of survival.

Should I boycott stores that do?

Some stores will sell you anything you will buy. It is up to the consumer to be educated. I have seen stores knowingly sell tangs to nano tanks and stores that sell corals at the same time as fish that will eat those corals.

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[heath]

Then why do stores still sell them? I wouldn't think a aquarium store would sell fish that don't have a high rate of survival.

Should I boycott stores that do?

its just called business, I know this is going to ruffle some feathers but here goes, some stores have no scruples or any morality when it comes to selling fish, they will tell you what you want to hear to make a sale...sad but sometimes true.. find a store that is honest, they are out there and support them...

 

[Bigfish]

If you have cash, most stores will sell you anything. They don't care, as they are making a sale. There are many species sold that don't have a high survival rate or that most aquarists, don't have conditions to keep. Flame scallops and feather stars are 2 that come to mind, and you see them all the time in stores. Dragonet's are cool looking fish and reasonably inexpensive so they are an easy sale.

 

[heath]

where did you see flame scallops, I have one and I would like more...

 

[yveterinarian]

They are beautiful fish but long term not to many survive unless in a larger mature system with lots of live foods unfortunately. Even the ones that take to prepared foods need the live food to last long. At least in my experience.

Just out of curiosity, what would you consider "lasting long" for a Mandarin? Does anyone know what the life expectancy of a Mandarin is? I am interested to find out. Of those of you that have had them successfully, how long were you able to keep them? I would like to know so that I can compare once mine dies. It is showing no signs of poor health, just interested.