QT Mandrain or straight into the DT?

[nim6us]

So like many of us the mandarin fish was one of the first fish I saw that drew me to saltwater. And then like most of us I was quickly let down to find out they were expert only and required a really established tank.

Well it's been nearly three years now and I'm finally ready to get that mandarin! I see amphipods all the time but I never see any copepods, so I'm still a bit nervous about ensuring he's got enough to eat. My plan was to put him in QT to ensure he's eating prepared food. I'd put some pod shots in there just to be safe.

However the guys down at my LFS were adament that I should put him right into the DT. This makes me a little nervous because I already lost a whole tank of fish to ick once, and I'm trying not to repeat that. But also I read having them in QT gives them time to ensure they're eating the food you're presenting.

I'm looking for feedback from anyone with expereince please.

ps I see I misspelled "mandarin" in my title but I can't change it.

 

[Tamberav]

So like many of us the mandarin fish was one of the first fish I saw that drew me to saltwater. And then like most of us I was quickly let down to find out they were expert only and required a really established tank.

Well it's been nearly three years now and I'm finally ready to get that mandarin! I see amphipods all the time but I never see any copepods, so I'm still a bit nervous about ensuring he's got enough to eat. My plan was to put him in QT to ensure he's eating prepared food. I'd put some pod shots in there just to be safe.

However the guys down at my LFS were adament that I should put him right into the DT. This makes me a little nervous because I already lost a whole tank of fish to ick once, and I'm trying not to repeat that. But also I read having them in QT gives them time to ensure they're eating the food you're presenting.

I'm looking for feedback from anyone with expereince please.

ps I see I mispelled "mandarin" in my title but I can't change it.

I would order a captive one from BIOTA since you don’t sent o be confident on copepod numbers and want one taking prepared foods.

 

[Grumblez]

I would order straight from Biota, while not guaranteed still much more likely to be disease free. Also yes eats pellets etc

 

[nereefpat]

If it comes from a fish store, then QT would be best practice. It's just really tough to QT dragonets. I agree ordering direct from a breeder is a good idea, disease wise.

If you're seeing amphipods, then you likely have copepods. I believe amphipods eat them.

 

[nim6us]

Unfortunately I'm in the UK so it's really hard to track down captive bred fish. Which is such a shame because I would pay x4 the cost of collected fish if I could get captive bred fish.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Unfortunately I'm in the UK so it's really hard to track down captive bred fish. Which is such a shame because I would pay x4 the cost of collected fish if I could get captive bred fish.

https://radicalreefs.co.uk/product/captive-bred-mandarin-check-availability/

Just a thought if you haven't seen, I believe they ship....

 

[nim6us]

Yeah that's the only one I found however they're out of stock. Although perhaps it is worth at checking in wiht them.

 

[i cant think]

I’m against QT with any species of dragonet, wether CB or not. If it has to go through copper, it will be left with copper burns on its gills which tends to shorten their life span. Several fish have this reaction to copper, such as dragonets, tilefish, the harder to care for/obtain wrasses ect…

 

[Rickybobby]

I have a qt tank for my mandarin. I setup a small tank with rock and corals 3 months ago and by the time I bought the mandarin it had millions of pods

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I don't know if it will help your decision but scaleless fish like mandarins generally don't get ich.

 

[Rickybobby]

I don't know if it will help your decision but scaleless fish like mandarins generally don't get ich.

I’m not sure about ich but 2 years ago something brought home velvet and the mandarin got it just as bad. From now on I qt everything!

 

[Dave1993]

Unfortunately I'm in the UK so it's really hard to track down captive bred fish. Which is such a shame because I would pay x4 the cost of collected fish if I could get captive bred fish.

Ask ur LFS if they can source 1 for you

 

[Miami Reef]

If it was me I would do hybrid tank transfer and dose a lot of pods to each new transfer.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Quarantine means different things to different people. Most do it for observation. Some treat the fish for the major diseases without any signs.

If you are confident in yourself that you would be able to recognize disease and know what normal vs abnormal behavior is for your fish... I'd quarantine.

Most hobbyists don't fit in that category.. that's probably why the LFS is telling you to put him in your display.

 

[N.Sreefer]

So like many of us the mandarin fish was one of the first fish I saw that drew me to saltwater. And then like most of us I was quickly let down to find out they were expert only and required a really established tank.

Well it's been nearly three years now and I'm finally ready to get that mandarin! I see amphipods all the time but I never see any copepods, so I'm still a bit nervous about ensuring he's got enough to eat. My plan was to put him in QT to ensure he's eating prepared food. I'd put some pod shots in there just to be safe.

However the guys down at my LFS were adament that I should put him right into the DT. This makes me a little nervous because I already lost a whole tank of fish to ick once, and I'm trying not to repeat that. But also I read having them in QT gives them time to ensure they're eating the food you're presenting.

I'm looking for feedback from anyone with expereince please.

ps I see I misspelled "mandarin" in my title but I can't change it.

Like others have said as scaleless fish like mandarins do not get ich. Copper is harmful for them but many have had success treating velvet in mandarins with chloroquine phosphate. You could set up an observation QT and treat if you see signs of velvet. If you can source the meds, here in Canada its near impossible.

 

[Paul B]

I would never quarantine a mandarin, but I would never quarantine any fish so don't go by me.

 

[nim6us]

Thanks for all the feedback. And yeah QT does mean different things to different people. For me QT is mostly observation, I won't dose copper or other harsh meds unless I see something. I do treat with General Cure preventively, but only because it's fairly gentle and catches low hanging fruit.

But for me, it's mostly about getting the fish used to me, what I feed, the feeding wand etc. My QT tank is in my office so also enjoy having a little visitor before he goes into the DT.

 

[cdw79]

Not sure how big you tank is OP, but I recently bought one that had grown out a little bit at my LF S (had been about a half in when it came in, which apparently is more common than not, but bought him at 1 inch or so). I don't have doubts that they eat prepared foods, but at least in my 65 gallon it can be really tough to find during feeding. Albeit I've never specifically searched for him during feeding, I've also never specifically seen it eat during feeding time. Until they get bigger / more bold, I'd be sure you have a good pod population. Mine usually likes to poke around the caves and the overhangs for this first month more so than the scape's surface, but when I do see mine he's always picking away at the rock, so it makes me confident that he and my leopard wrasse have plenty of pods.

So as someone who only buys QT'd fish (best I can do in a small city apartment), I wouldn't have qualms with a Biota mandarin in terms of needing more QT- the sooner it can settle in the better given their eating prepared foods has been a little irrelevant for me.

Personally, I'd add it into the DT and try and buy some pods locally. There are several people in my area that grow them out and sell them for fractions of the name brands and much more dense. Half in the DT, half in the sump, and you'll be good to go!

 

[Rickybobby]

my newly aquired mandarin for some reson loves rw brine shrimp eggs. i added some to the tank to hatch, a instead he eats them like mad and is fat now