# mandarin tips



## dallops_of_polyps (Feb 19, 2008)

a couple things that i have noticed about my mandarin is:
1 loves crevices and corals.
2 add live brine at night with turkey baster close to rocks he will find them the next day and go to town.
3 keep with peaceful fish, even though there skin is poisonous it won't be happy at all. 
4 have a pearly jawfish they are bestest friends!
Short and simple but look at my pics of him in the saltwater tank pics forum called "starting from scratch".


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## gymnothorax (Sep 20, 2007)

You're very lucky to have a mandarin that eats brine shrimp. More often then not long-term success with any dragonet, particularly a mandarin, requires a very established system with a refugium to help harvest copepods. I would recommend trying to get your mandarin to eat more than just live brine. Artemia, (brine shrimp), is a good filler, but unless vitamin enriched, it offers very little nutritional value and your mandarin will not thrive off of it very long. Try offering it frozen mysis shrimp and cyclopeeze as well.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Funny how it surprises me as well that the mandarin dragonette eats brine shrimps. Good point though, Gym.


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## gymnothorax (Sep 20, 2007)

thanks : )


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## dallops_of_polyps (Feb 19, 2008)

i have been trying to feed it cyclopeeze but its not going for it. i feed it frozen mysis and brine mixed too vitamin enhanced.


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## bugoy (Feb 25, 2008)

i just bought one too, what else does it eats aside from shripms ?


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## connorsclownfish (Sep 19, 2007)

They usually eat lobster eggs. Ocean nutriton do them frozen, safe for fish 
WHn you first get him, the next day defrost some lobster eggs, brine shrimp and mysis(...anything that it can fit in its mouth basically) all in a jar. Companys such as Seachem do liquid garlic. Add this aswell to the frozen mix (garlic usually really encourages fish to eat). Leave it for half an hour, suck it up in a turkey baster, turn off the powerheads and direct it in front of him. Also, direct some in his favourite crevices too. Keep doing this everyday and he shoudl hopefully come onto it. Fish always go back to a specific place for food, so direct the food in the same crevice everyday 
Well thats how ive got mine on frozen. Ive had hi since THursday and he eats, but he doesnt eagerly eat..if you know what i mean.
Ive got copepod cultures going outside the tank and soon a refugium


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## aquakid (Jun 22, 2008)

*reply*

your a very lucky guy mandrins are one of the hardest saltwater fish to keep and it's eating brine shrimp[/u]


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