# mandarin fish?



## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

Alright no one have a heart attack just yet. I don't plan of having a saltwater tank for a really long time! I'm not prepared for that yet nor do I have the funds. This is just me trying to figure out what I'm going to spend my money on when I have a job. Has anyone ever owned a mandarin fish? They are so cool looking they make my brain hurt :demented: Anyone have any advice on keeping this fish? Also, I never thought of this before until my dad made a comment on it. Price... Is this fish like crazy expensive? To expensive that if I wanted to own a saltwater tank I might want to try a few other types of fish before I try this one? I'm planning on getting a nano cube. They seem like a nice tank to start with for my first saltwater... Will I need a protein skimmer? Maybe like... 24 gallons? Sounds like a nice amount of space as I will want a ridiculous amount of anemones (Pretty much my most favorite things about salt water tanks) With live rocks n such. Like I said this isn't really happening any time soon, just planning. Oh! Do clown fish stay small enough to keep them in a 24 gallon? I always see these two clown fish at my lfs and they have been in the same nano cube for so long. They are tiny, I doubt they exceed 2 inches. Thanks for any advice, it's greatly appreciated!


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## SKAustin (Aug 1, 2006)

Mandarins are not an expensive fish. generally average about $40. They do however require a well established tank as in most cases, they do not take prepared foods too readily. They generally feed off of copepods and amphipods in the system. Without these, the fish will likely starve to death in short time. Another consideration is, a smaller system is generally a bad starting point for a reef keeper. there is little room for error, and problems progress quickly in a small system. Thats not to say that with the proper preperation and adhereance to a strict maintenance schedule, that it cannot be done. I would recommend the clowns to start for your system as they are a bit easier to keep for the beginner. And do LOTS of research before you make your first purchase. It'll pay off in the end. And yes, you really should have a skimmer.


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## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

SKAustin said:


> Mandarins are not an expensive fish. generally average about $40. They do however require a well established tank as in most cases, they do not take prepared foods too readily. They generally feed off of copepods and amphipods in the system. Without these, the fish will likely starve to death in short time. Another consideration is, a smaller system is generally a bad starting point for a reef keeper. there is little room for error, and problems progress quickly in a small system. Thats not to say that with the proper preperation and adhereance to a strict maintenance schedule, that it cannot be done. I would recommend the clowns to start for your system as they are a bit easier to keep for the beginner. And do LOTS of research before you make your first purchase. It'll pay off in the end. And yes, you really should have a skimmer.


 Awesome thank you. Yeah, trust I've heard to many bad stories about saltwater tanks. I'm going to go out and buy a few books and do a lot of serious research before I spend any money. And I would feel so bad if I started up a saltwater tank and killed everything(But my wallet would feel the most pain). So would you recommend starting off with a larger tank? Is there such thing as like a 50+ gallon nano cube? Thanks again!


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## MattD (Apr 25, 2007)

Generally, the term nano is used when referring to tanks under 30 gallons, and over 5 gallons (under 5s are referred to as pico-reefs. The word pico is derived from Italian 'picollo' meaning small ).


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

I wouldn't recommend your "plans" for a 24g. Anemones can and will harm each other and other living creatures if they can touch them. Chances are any anemone living in a 24g with a mandarin will eat the mandarin. Encroaching anemones will more than likely burn each other and they will never stop moving.


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## SeaSerpant (Dec 9, 2007)

You are in the same state as me we both don't have a plan and don't know what to do so we both need help. so if you can help me please post here http://fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=12113


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## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

caferacermike said:


> I wouldn't recommend your "plans" for a 24g. Anemones can and will harm each other and other living creatures if they can touch them. Chances are any anemone living in a 24g with a mandarin will eat the mandarin. Encroaching anemones will more than likely burn each other and they will never stop moving.


 :shock: It would eat my mandarin fish????  Thats crazy... Sorry I didn't literally mean all anemones thats just the only thing I know what they are called. I meant all the really cool sea things that you wouldn't think are alive but they are... Hahaha sorry I guess I'm a serious newb but it's ok. I'm going to get some books and read up on it. Could I have at least one anemone though? Like for my future clown fish? I don't even know how big anemones get so I guess I should look that up first... Thanks for your replys!


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## SeaSerpant (Dec 9, 2007)

I think you will be able to have a small anemone in your tank. Thats what i'm thinking of doing for my tank. Some coral an anemone and some clownfish.


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